Unilabs Academy: building on a legacy of learning

For more than a decade, Unilabs Academy has brought healthcare professionals together through expert teaching, live webinars, interactive case reviews, and fellowship-style online training, helping to enhance clinical practice and improve patient care. In 2026, Unilabs Academy is expanding into pathology training, building on this foundation to make practical, mentor-led learning more accessible and foster collaboration among pathologists at different stages of their careers.

We speak to Unilabs’ Chief Medical Officer, Dr Thomas Lindahl, and Dr Jaakko Patrakka, Medical Lead for Pathology at Unilabs Sweden, about the new pathology programme.

Why has Unilabs Academy expanded into pathology training?

Doctor Lindahl: Unilabs brings together clinical laboratory testing, radiology, pathology and genetics across one European network. Our pathology capability alone includes more than 300 experts across Europe, giving us a wealth of specialist pathology knowledge. The demand for Unilabs Academy’s radiology offerings has confirmed to us that specialists value short, focused training where they can discuss cases directly with an experienced mentor. We saw a clear opportunity to build something similar with our pathology teams and external faculty. It also fits with Unilabs’ wider purpose to help healthcare professionals make informed decisions. If we can give a pathologist a better way to work through a difficult case, that can positively impact the decision that follows.

Tell us about the pathology education programme: what does it offer and how does it work?

Doctor Patrakka: Our goal is to create a pathology education curriculum that goes beyond passive learning and helps participants develop practical diagnostic skills they can apply in daily practice, through structured subspecialty training. A key part of that vision is the development of pathology online fellowships. This format will provide a deeper learning experience, combining expert live teaching, Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS)-based case reading sessions, and direct interaction with recognised specialists.

Unilabs Academy has worked with the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME) for several years and has held ‘Trusted Provider’ status since 2018. We have already started working with EACCME to ensure pathology activities can follow the same established quality framework. The first 2027 fellowship programme will focus on dermatopathology and gastrointestinal pathology.

What can you tell us about demand for this type of education?

Doctor Lindahl: Pathology is advancing rapidly. New classifications, molecular techniques, biomarker testing, digital pathology platforms and artificial intelligence (AI)-supported tools are becoming part of routine practice, which means pathologists must continuously update their knowledge. At the same time, healthcare systems are facing increasing diagnostic complexity and workforce pressures. Pathologists need flexible, online, high-quality education that fits around busy clinical schedules while still providing meaningful learning opportunities.

We also see growing interest in specialist education. Many professionals are looking beyond general updates and are actively seeking training that helps them build deeper expertise in specific areas of practice.

Tell us about the decision to lead with dermatopathology courses.

Doctor Patrakka: We wanted to start with an area where access to world-class expertise could bring immediate value to participants. Dermatopathology is one of the most complex and specialised areas of pathology. Diagnostic accuracy often depends on recognising subtle histological features and integrating them with clinical information, which makes expert guidance particularly valuable.

Launching with dermatopathology also gave us the opportunity to launch with exceptional faculty. Doctor Werner Kempf is internationally recognised for both his diagnostic expertise and his commitment to education. He has dedicated many years to teaching pathologists and helping them improve their diagnostic confidence in challenging cases.

The scope of this new vertical extends well beyond dermatopathology. We plan to provide high-quality pathology education and training resources across several subspecialties, including gastrointestinal pathology, prostate pathology, breast pathology and molecular pathology.

What makes Unilabs Academy’s pathology training unique for pathologists?

Doctor Patrakka: The biggest difference is direct access to leading experts. Many educational activities rely on pre-recorded content or large conference formats where interaction with faculty is limited. Our programme is also grounded in real clinical practice. Unilabs analyses millions of pathology slides every year, providing access to extensive subspecialty expertise and practical experience.

How difficult is it for pathologists to keep up with rapidly evolving diagnostic techniques, classifications and molecular testing?

Doctor Patrakka: It has become increasingly challenging. The amount of new information entering the field continues to grow. Pathologists are expected to stay up to date with the latest disease classifications, molecular pathology developments, novel biomarkers, digital pathology workflows and emerging AI tools, while continuing to manage demanding clinical workloads.

Continuous education is now an essential part of professional practice. It helps ensure diagnostic accuracy, supports quality standards and enables pathologists to make full use of new technologies that can improve patient care. This is exactly where expert-led education can make a difference. It helps translate scientific developments into practical knowledge that can be applied in routine diagnostics.

What will success in the first twelve months look like for you?

Doctor Lindahl: Success would be building a strong and engaged pathology learning community. We want pathologists to find genuine value in the programme, return for future sessions, and recommend us to colleagues. We also want to establish long-term relationships with faculty and learners. If participants leave a webinar with greater confidence in approaching difficult cases and feel they have gained practical knowledge from our experts, that is a meaningful measure of success.

To learn more about Unilabs Academy and its pathology training opportunities, visit the Unilabs Academy website.