The Royal College of Pathologists, UK, has recognised the research and scholarly works of Professor Eric Sampane-Donkor, awarding him Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath) in Medical Microbiology.
Having received a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth II in 1970, the Royal College of Pathologists is the UK’s recognised professional body for postgraduate medical training in the pathological sciences such as Medical Microbiology, Histopathology, Haematology and Immunology. FRCPath is the highest award of the Royal College and the standard assessment of fitness to practice as a Consultant Pathologist in the UK and many other countries. Originally, FRCPath is awarded to medical doctors, with the fellowship training taking about four years after specialisation. A couple of years ago, the Royal College decided to also award FRCPath via a research track to both medical doctors and scientists who are making a sustained contribution in a defined area of pathology in any part of the world as evidenced by a strong publication record and several years of practice. In Ghana, Prof. Sampane-Donkor becomes the first to receive the FRCPath award via the research track and also the first scientist to hold the award. Based on the strength of Prof. Eric Sampane-Donkor’s scholarship, the Royal College of Pathologists decided to award him FRCPath via the expedited route of the College, which is reserved for outstanding candidates.
Prof. Eric Sampane-Donkor is a Professor of Bacteriology and Global Health, and Head of the Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School. He holds a PhD in Medical Microbiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a PhD in Public Health from the University of Iceland. He undertook postdoctoral studies in Microbial Genomics at the University of Cambridge. He has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed articles, 76 of which he was a lead or corresponding author. He has received many research grants and is currently the PI of a 5-year NIH grant, focused on unravelling the impact of vaccination on the population biology of pneumococcus with regard to children with sickle cell disease in Ghana.
In response to his FRCPath award, Prof. Sampane-Donkor indicated that “this is testimony to the fact that research of UG faculty can compete with research anywhere in the world”. The FRCPath award ceremony will take place in London early 2023.
