Experience Pathology Virtual Open Day

Dr Azzam Ismail

Hi, I am Dr. Azam Ismail. I am a consultant neuropathologist. My job involves diagnostic work. I examine brain tumor sections, muscle biopsies, nerve biopsies, and perform brain examinations in cases of dementia, epilepsy, and other conditions.

My main task is to correlate what I see under the microscope with the clinical presentation of the patient. For example, if a patient has epilepsy, I examine the brain tissue to check for any evidence of tumor, inflammation, dysplasia, or malformation.

This can be done microscopically during a CAT scan or directly under the microscope. In this case, I am currently examining slides from a patient with epilepsy. The slides, like this one, are large, and I examine them under the microscope to identify any signs of malformation, neuron loss, or necrosis, depending on the pathology causing the symptoms.

I love my job very much. In fact, I start quite early—usually, I am in my office by eight o’clock. I don’t even notice the time passing because I enjoy it so much. I finish around six or seven o’clock, sometimes five, depending on the cases.
At the end of the week, I feel tired, of course, because it requires a lot of mental energy to make the diagnosis. But I am also quite happy and satisfied with my work. Afterward, I go home, take a shower, watch TV, and enjoy dinner with my family.

If life went back, I would choose the same profession. I would do it all over again, as I find it fulfilling and rewarding.