Darren Whittemore: Aspiring Astronaut Turned Dermatopathologist

Apr 08, 2021 at 11:54 pm by pj


Darren Whittemore, DO, is U.S. Board Certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and Dermatopathology. He completed his fellowship in Dermatopathology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and his Anatomic and Clinical Pathology residency at the combined US Air Force Wilford Hall Medical Center/Brooke Army Medical Center Program in San Antonio, Texas. Darren’s subspecialty experience and ability to diagnose alopecia cases make him a valuable asset to the PathologyWatch team.

PathologyWatch, a full-service digital pathology solution, boasts a highly capable roster of doctors, tech experts, and healthcare leaders.

Whittemore’s path to PathologyWatch has been anything but typical. With a bachelor of science in aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering from San Diego State University, he’s the kind of person you’d expect to see running the International Space Station, not helping patients with their skin health. We sat down with Whittemore to learn more about what brought him to practice medicine and what he loves about his work.

Why did you choose a career in medicine?

“While part of the aerospace engineering program as an undergraduate, I came to appreciate the completion of a project, which doesn’t always happen in the real engineering market,” says Whittemore. “I was drawn to watching a project come full-circle. That’s what helped me decide to move toward a career in medicine. Those plans were confirmed when I got an Air Force scholarship for pathology at one of the biggest AF academic centers at the time.”

Whittemore completed his anatomic and clinical pathology residency at the US Air Force Wilford Hall Medical Center/Brooke Army Medical Center program. He completed his fellowship in dermatopathology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston before serving in the US Air Force as a general pathologist and dermatopathologist for over 12 years.

What are you continuing to strive for in the world of dermatopathology?

“The innovation emerging from this field has a global impact,” shares Whittemore. “Technology has the power to bring together experts and students, breaking down barriers and extending our reach to smaller clinics in rural areas.”

The team at PathologyWatch shares this mission, hoping to streamline processes, create stronger partnerships between specialists and clinics, and increase global access to dermatologists, pathologists, and dermatopathologists. PathologyWatch allows practitioners the opportunity to manage their workflow in a digital environment, allowing for more doctor–patient interaction.

“I am fortunate to be surrounded by individuals who are committed to helping dermatology clinics deliver industry-leading care to their patients,” said Whittemore. “That’s why I chose a career in dermatopathology: to make a difference.”

PathologyWatch is the groundbreaking leader of digital dermatopathology services. Through these services, dermatology clinics, hospitals and laboratories can improve operational efficiency by speeding up workflow and enhancing patient outcomes by utilizing the PathologyWatch expert professional team and partner laboratory services. This can facilitate best-in-class reads and, in some cases, enable additional revenue to the practice by in-housing pathology. With an intuitive and easy-to-implement digital pathology solution – including access to top-tier dermatopathologists and a streamlined clinical workflow that interfaces directly into the EMR – PathologyWatch brilliantly combines state-of-the-art technology and clinical decision-making to deliver unprecedented patient care. For more information, please email info@pathologywatch.com or visit us at pathologywatch.com.

Sections: Feature Profiles