Improving Training in Laboratory Medicine

In this issue of Clinical Chemistry , we publish a proposal for curriculum content of residency training in laboratory medicine and for evaluation of resident competency (1). The proposal was developed by the Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists (ACLPS) and covers residency training in all areas of laboratory medicine. Why have we chosen to publish this curriculum? Why did we publish the entire document, rather than just the portion related to clinical chemistry? Why is the curriculum important to the readers of Clinical Chemistry —particularly PhD and MD laboratory directors?In a broad sense, the first reason for publishing the document is that it represents a comprehensive, well-written template for curriculum content for training of residents in laboratory medicine. Because Clinical Chemistry is a leading journal in laboratory medicine, we know that many of those individuals who are responsible for training pathology residents are among our readers and are members of AACC, which publishes the journal.Now is an important time to address the curriculum of residency programs. As the authors of the curriculum document clearly state in their introduction, the field of laboratory medicine and training in pathology have changed dramatically since the last consensus recommendations were published in 1995 (2). At that time, routine molecular diagnostics was just beginning, the clinical use of pharmacogenomics was only being hinted at, “proteomics” consisted of 2-dimensional gels and serum protein electrophoresis, point-of-care testing was primarily portable glucose meters, and electronic medical records existed only in the VA system. Simultaneous to this explosion of knowledge and technology, the length of residency training in pathology was decreased by 1 year for both combined anatomic pathology/clinical …