Irby Cossette, M.D., Laboratory Medical Director, Deaconess Medical Center
American Board of Pathology, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, FCAP, ASCP
Professional interests: general surgical pathology, hematopathology, transfusion
medicine, clinical pathology
Professional Experience:
• Staff Pathologist, Deaconess Medical Center, Spokane (1975–present)
• Laboratory Medical Director, Deaconess Medical Center (1999–present)
• Laboratory Medical Director, Shriner’s Hospital for Children, Spokane (1991–present)
• Member of Board of Directors, Inland Northwest Blood Center, Spokane (1995–present),
Board Chairman: 2003-2005
• Laboratory Medical Director, Lincoln County Hospital, Davenport, WA (2003),
(1975–2002)
• Laboratory Medical Director, St Luke’s Memorial Hospital (1990–1992)
• Medical Director of Blood Bank, City of Memphis Hospital, Memphis, TN, (1974-1975)
Accomplishments:
• Assistant Professor of Pathology, University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN (1974-1975)
Education and Training:
• Fellowship: Transfusion Medicine/Blood Banking, American National Red Cross,
Washington, D.C. (1973-1975)
• Residency: Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT, (1967-1971)
• MD: McGill University, Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (1967-1971)
• Hobbies include travel, scuba diving and tea
Dennis Small, M.D., Staff Pathologist
American Board of Pathology, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, FCAP, ASCP
Professional interests: gastrointestinal and liver pathology, hematopathology, and
oncologic pathology.
Professional Experience:
• Staff Pathologist, Deaconess Medical Center, Spokane, Washington (2001-Present)
• Laboratory Medical Director, Lincoln County Hospital, Davenport, WA (2003 – Present)
Accomplishments:
• Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society
• Dean’s Scholar Award
• The Dr. V.A. Salvadorini Excellence in Pathology Award
• Outstanding Student in Basic Sciences Award
• L.M.N. Bach Achievement Award in Physiology
• Outstanding Medical Student In Biochemistry Award
• Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
• Golden Key National Honor Society
• Alpha Epsilon Delta Premedical Honor Society
Education and Training:
• Surgical Pathology and Immunocytochemistry Fellow, University of Washington
Medical Center, Seattle, WA (2000-2001)
• Residency, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, University of Washington Medical
Center, Seattle, WA; Training Included Gastrointestinal Pathology Fellowship and
Hematopathology Acting Directorship (1996-2000)
• M.D., University of Nevada, School of Medicine (1991-1994) (1995-1996)
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute/ National Institutes of Health, Research Scholars
Program, Bethesda, MD (1994-1995)
• B.S., Biology with Distinction, University of Nevada, Reno (1991)
• Hobbies: outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing and biking, fitness and
health, travel and woodworking
Karl H. Anders, M.D., Staff Pathologist
American Board of Pathology, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, ASCP
Professional interests: cytopathology, neuropathology, dermatopathology, surgical
Oncology
Professional Experience:
• Staff Pathologist, Deaconess Medical Center, Spokane (2004 – present)
• Chief Pathologist and Director of Laboratories, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center,
Woodland Hills, California (1991 – 2004)
Accomplishments:
• Assistant Clinical Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, UCLA Medical Center,
Los Angeles (1988 – 1995)
• Associated Clinical Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, UCLA (1995 – 2004)
• Clinical Assistant Professor of Pathology, USC School of Medicine, Los Angeles (1991 – 1995)
• Past-President, Los Angeles Society of Pathologists (1998)
• co-authored 2 textbooks, both in neuropathology
• co-authored over 40 original scientific articles and book chapters
Education and Training:
• Fellowship (Surgical Pathology)
• Residency (Anatomic and Clinical Pathology) LAC-USC Medical Center, Los Angeles
• MD: UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles Medical School
• University of Manitoba, Winnipeg Canada
• Hobbies: include Travel, reading and book collecting, hiking, backpacking, fishing and
financial studies
Vann Schaffner, M.D., Staff Pathologist
American Board of Pathology, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, FCAP, ASCP
Professional Interests: gastrointestinal pathology, gynecologic and non-
gynecologic cytopathology, oncologic pathology and medical management.
Professional Experience:
- Staff Pathologist, Deaconess Medical Center, Spokane (2006 – present)
- Associate Professor, Surgical and Cytopathology Division, Department of Pathology,
University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico (2003-2006)
- Staff Pathologist, Lovelace Medical Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico (1999-2003)
- Staff Pathologist and Medical Director of Laboratory, Pathology Consultants, Fairbanks
Memorial Hospital, Fairbanks, Alaska (1992 – 1999)
- Attending Pathologist, Naval Hospital Oakland, Oakland California (1989-1992)
Accomplishments:
- Pathology Education Coordinator & Assistant Residency Program Director, Naval Hospital
Oakland (1989-1992)
- Director, Blood Bank; and Electron Microscopy and Immunohistochemistry, Naval
Hospital Oakland, Oakland California (1989 –1992)
- Lecturer in Gastrointestinal Pathology, University of New Mexico Hospital,
Gastroenterology Fellowship Program and University of New Mexico School of Medicine
(2003-2006)
- Apple for the Teacher Award: Residency Teaching (2005)
- Navy Achievement Medal and Navy Commendation Medal
Education and Training:
- Postgraduate: Certificate in Medical Management, American College of Physician
Executives and Carnegie Mellon-Heinz School of Management
- Internship: Naval Hospital Oakland, California (1984)
- Residency: Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, (1985-1989)
- MD: University of Texas, Southwestern Medical School, Dallas Texas
Hobbies: road bicycling, cross country skiing, hiking/backpacking, cycling for cancer
charities, photography, webmaster of www.schaffnerfamily.com and
www.pathology-services.com