Open Pathology Education Network

What Open Pathology Education Network does

Open Pathology Education Network (OPEN) is a nonprofit educational collaborative founded in 2022 and headquartered in Oklahoma City that delivers free, open-access pathology training to trainees, practicing pathologists, and medical students worldwide. The organization's stated mission is to improve human health by lowering barriers to quality pathology education, with particular focus on underserved regions facing pathologist shortages. OPEN is led by Chairman Lewis A. Hassell, MD (University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center), Vice President Dana Razzano, MD, and Executive Officer Chhavi Chauhan, PhD, ELS, supported by a broader faculty of volunteer academic pathologists from institutions including Yale, Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and Emory.

The platform is built on the Open edX learning management system and offers more than 20 course modules spanning foundational histology (HISTO101), an anatomic pathology bootcamp (Path101), and subspecialty tracks in gynecologic, breast, gastrointestinal, head and neck, dermatopathology, genitourinary, lung, pediatric, and hematopathology, plus cytology (urine and gynecologic), mismatch repair testing, and laboratory management. Courses incorporate digital pathology slide libraries curated by the volunteer faculty and are delivered as self-paced modules with periodic Zoom-based case discussion sessions. Specialized trial instruments, including NewPEP pre-test and post-test assessments and an IGCS-branded gynecologic tumor board pre-test, indicate use of the platform for outcomes research and society-affiliated training.

OPEN operates on a donation- and grant-funded nonprofit model; all courses are provided at no cost to learners, with a PayPal donate button as the visible contribution surface and the DAL Family Foundation acknowledged as a past donor. The platform is supported by partnerships with the Digital Pathology Association, Society of Pediatric Pathology, CAP Foundation, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, UPMC Department of Pathology, IGCS, National Society for Histotechnology, ESDIP Alliance, and Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, which provide institutional backing, content contributors, and distribution through professional society channels. The organization reaches learners globally, with documented operating presence in the United States, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Name

Open Pathology Education Network

Legal name

Open Pathology Education Network

Website

https://open-pathology.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Open Pathology Education Network is a nonprofit collaborative that delivers free, open-access online pathology training courses via an Open edX platform, serving trainees, practicing pathologists, and medical students worldwide with a focus on underserved regions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Education

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

MOOC & Open Course Platforms (EDAFAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Open Homework Systems & OER-Integrated Courseware (EDAGAJAH), Healthcare & Clinical Professional Development (CME/CE) (EDAGANAJ), Core Digital Curriculum & Courseware (Full Programs & Units) (EDAFACAA)

Keywords

• Pathology education
• Medical training courses
• Online medical learning
• Digital pathology slides
• Continuing medical education

Headquarters

HQ city

Oklahoma City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: OPEN operates as a nonprofit educational collaborative, funded through donations and institutional support. The platform offers all courses free of charge to learners globally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Open Pathology Education Network (OPEN) provides free, open-access online pathology education courses delivered through an Open edX-based learning management system. The platform offers self-paced course modules with digital pathology slide libraries spanning multiple subspecialties including gynecologic, breast, GI, dermatopathology, head and neck, hematopathology, lung, pediatric, genitourinary, and cytology pathology, targeted at pathology trainees and practicing pathologists worldwide.

Product overview

Open Pathology Education Network (OPEN) is a collaborative project providing free open-source pathology education to improve human health globally. The platform is built on Open edX and offers a comprehensive suite of pathology course modules covering multiple anatomical systems and subspecialties. The portfolio includes foundational courses (Histology Basics, Anatomic Pathology Bootcamp), system-specific modules (GI Path, Head and Neck, Skin/Dermpath, Breast, GYN Pathology, Hematopathology, Lung, Pediatric Pathology, Genitourinary), cytology courses (Urine Cytology, Gyn Cytology), specialized testing modules (Mismatch Repair Testing), and trial assessments (NewPEP Pre/Post-tests). All courses incorporate digital slides and are designed for pathology trainees worldwide, with an emphasis on lowering barriers to quality pathology education in underserved regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OPEN Platform A collaborative online learning platform built on Open edX, providing free open-source pathology education courses to trainees globally. Includes self-registration with email authentication and global free access.
• Basics of Histology (HISTO101) Introductory course covering foundational histology concepts for beginning pathology trainees.
• GI Path 1 (GIPath01) Course covering basics of pathology in the tubular GI tract including esophagus, stomach, small bowel, and colon for beginning trainees.
• Head and Neck Pathology Module 1 (HN01) First module in head and neck pathology covering foundational topics.
• Head and Neck Pathology Module 2 (HN02) Second module in head and neck pathology covering advanced topics.
• GYN Pathology Module 1 (Gyn 01) Basic gynecologic pathology covering histology of vulva, cervix, endometrium, uterus, and ovary, plus basic pathologic processes.
• GYN Pathology Module 2 (Gyn 02) Intermediate gynecologic pathology covering basic and advanced pathologic conditions with digital slide sets.
• GYN Pathology Module 3 (GYN1-03) Advanced course covering esoteric ovarian lesions, gestational trophoblastic diseases, and metastatic disease to the Gyn tract.
• GYN Pathology Module 4 (GYN1-04) Fourth module in gynecologic pathology series.
• Gyn Cytology Module 1 (CYTO2) Course on interpreting gynecologic cytology, primarily cervical-vaginal samples, introducing cytology for cervical cancer screening.
• Urinary Cytology (Cyto1) Basic knowledge of urine cytology for pathology trainees or practicing pathologists.
• Mismatch Repair Testing for Pathologists (IHC-01) Short module exploring biology and techniques of identifying mismatch repair deficiency, including interpretation and testing algorithms.
• Anatomic Pathology Bootcamp Module (Path101/Res01) Introduction to workflows of pathology, study methods, quality assurance, error reduction, and foundational histology review.
• Skin Pathology (Derm01) Neoplastic and inflammatory disorders of the skin with digital images and slide examples, featuring lectures from dermpath leaders.
• Breast Pathology Module 1 (BR01) Introductory breast pathology covering normal and physiologic histologic changes, basic grossing skills, and basic diagnostic entities.
• Breast Pathology Module 2 (BR02) Second module in breast pathology covering advanced topics.
• Hematopathology Module 1 (Hem1) Introductory course for trainees to learn and understand basics about hematopathology.
• Lung Pathology Module 1 (LUNG01) Course covering lung pathology fundamentals.
• Pediatric Pathology Module 2 (PEDS01) Course covering pediatric pathology topics.
• Genitourinary Pathology 1 (GU001) Course covering genitourinary pathology topics.
• Lab Management 101 (LabMan-01) Course covering laboratory management principles and practices for pathology settings.
• NewPEP Trial Pre-test (BC000) Baseline assessment course for the New Pathology Education Paradigm (NewPEP) trial participants.
• NewPEP Trial Post-test (NewPEP02) Progress assessment course for NewPEP trial participants to evaluate learning accomplishments.
• Gyn-IGCS Training Pre-test (GYN0001) Pre-test for participants supporting IGCS gynecologic tumor boards before commencing Gyn modules.

Quantifiable outcome

• Improved access to pathology education in underserved regions

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Digital Pathology AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital Pathology Association (DPA) is listed as a supporter and partner of OPEN, providing organizational backing and credibility to the open pathology education initiative.
• Society of Pediatric PathologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSociety of Pediatric Pathology (SPP) supports OPEN's mission to improve global pathology education and training.
• CAP FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAP Foundation, the charitable arm of the College of American Pathologists, provides support for OPEN's educational initiatives.
• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of PathologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPMC Department of Pathology is recognized as a supporter and partner, contributing to OPEN's collaborative educational mission.
• ESDIP AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerESDIP Alliance (Digital Pathology Association) is listed as a supporter and partner organization.
• Ohio State University Wexner Medical CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio State University Wexner Medical Center is acknowledged as a supporting partner organization.
• National Society for HistotechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSH is listed as a partner supporting pathology education efforts.
• University of OklahomacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center is a key institutional partner, with faculty members including Dr. Lewis Hassell (Chairman) serving as OPEN leadership and course directors.
• International Gynecologic Cancer SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGCS partners with OPEN for gynecologic cancer pathology training modules, including pre-test assessments for tumor board support.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP): Established academic pathology society delivering continuing education, courses, and academies across pathology subspecialties. Comparable to OPEN as a higher-education/CME provider for pathologists, but with broader institutional scope and paid programming.
• Medscape Education: Large-scale online medical education platform offering CME/CE activities across specialties, including pathology. Comparable to OPEN as a digital-first, free CME/CE destination for clinicians, though operating at much broader medical scope.
• American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP): Clinical pathology society providing certification, CE/CME, and educational resources across laboratory medicine. Comparable to OPEN's audience of practicing and trainee pathologists seeking professional development content.
• College of American Pathologists (CAP): Major pathology professional organization offering accredited CME, education, and certification programs for pathologists. Overlaps with OPEN's CME and board-prep use cases and is also a current partner/supporter of OPEN, anchoring the same learner base.

Direct peers

• Pathology Outlines: Long-standing pathology reference and education website covering diagnoses, images, and board-prep material for pathologists worldwide. Comparable to OPEN as a free, online-first pathology knowledge resource serving practicing and trainee pathologists.
• PathPresenter: Digital pathology education and case-sharing platform featuring whole-slide imagery and structured courses for trainees and practicing pathologists. Closest direct competitor to OPEN's slide-library-driven, online pathology learning model, including both free and paid tiers.
• PathElective: Online pathology elective and rotation platform providing structured digital pathology coursework for medical students and residents. Directly comparable to OPEN in target audience (trainees) and self-paced online delivery format.
• K-Path Academy: Online pathology training initiative offering structured case-based learning and courses for pathology trainees. Comparable niche peer to OPEN, focused on accessible digital pathology education with similar target learner segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/YourPlatformTwitterAccount
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer/sharer.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/open-pathology-education-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Open Pathology Education Network