Promotions 2023: Q&A with Elizabeth Demicco

What is your role in LMP?

I am a staff pathologist at Mount Sinai Hospital, specializing in Bone and Soft Tissue Pathology and a graduate faculty member in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology.

I supervise trainees in both research and clinical bone and soft tissue pathology.

My academic research focuses on prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers in soft tissue sarcoma, with a particular interest in solitary fibrous tumors, and molecular-histologic correlations.

Why did you pursue an academic career?

Academic pathology provides a challenge, and I pursued this career because I knew I would never be bored in it. Nearly every day we see rare and newly described entities, and these provide endless opportunities to expand my knowledge and learn about the fascinating biology of these rare tumors.  

What does this promotion mean to you?

It is an acknowledgement of my contributions to the field of sarcoma research, and I hope that it can inspire other women faculty to seek promotion as well to get the recognition they deserve. 

If you can go back, what advice would you give your younger self?

Set aside time to work on the projects that are meaningful to you, and don’t get stressed about the little things.  

What advice would you give faculty who would like to apply for promotion?

Get involved in collaborations as early as you can, seek connections within your field who have mutual interests and are willing to work with you.

Working on projects (be it teaching or research) that excite you will allow you to be much more focused and productive. Be interactive and engaged with leaders in your field, and present at meetings to get your name out there.

Attend the promotion workshop held by the department, and follow the advice provided. Start collecting and organizing your documentation for the dossier early.

How did you manage your time in putting your dossier together considering your multiple priorities?

I was fortunate in that I had done much of the work for the cover letter and statement parts of the dossier for my 3 year faculty review (which had been delayed a year due to the pandemic), so I had a solid foundation to start work on the rest of dossier from. The pandemic further helped in delaying some research projects and courses I was involved in, and reducing clinical case volume on our service, which allowed me to devote a block of time to just working on the dossier without other interruptions. 

Find out more about promotion

Promotion guidelines: to Associate Professor and Professor

Contact lmp.hr@utoronto.ca if you are a faculty member in LMP and want to learn more about the promotion process, workshops, and more.