Training and Clinic Responsibilities of Laboratory Directors and Laboratory Technical Staff in the United States of America

ABSTRACT Training of laboratory physicians and technical staff follows separate tracks in the United States. The training mechanisms are designed to fulfill different requirements, as physicians and technical staff have different responsibilities. Laboratory physician candidates must complete a formal 4‐year medical school education after a 4‐year undergraduate college education. These doctor of medicine graduates will then enter formal residency training in laboratory medicine or clinical pathology alone or in combination with training in anatomic pathology lasting for 3–4 years. Afterward, some may enter further subspecialty training. They need to pass the American Board of Pathology exam and obtain a medical license in the state where they will practice. These laboratory physicians have full credentials as physicians and usually assume the responsibility of the director of a clinical laboratory. There are different mechanisms to train PhD scientists to become laboratory directors, who perform similar functions as laboratory physicians in only a given subspecialty. Laboratory physicians and directors do not usually perform benchtop work, instead dealing with medical, regulatory, operational, and administrative issues, which are specified by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 . Laboratory technical staff does not require a doctoral degree, usually having a bachelor's degree. They usually receive 1–2 years of education in laboratory sciences, and receive both theoretical and practical training before they can perform technical duties in clinical laboratories. Laboratory technicians can also receive certification from an accrediting agency. In summary, the training requirements for laboratory personnel in the United States of America are designed for them to fulfill different clinical responsibilities and to work as a team with complementary roles. Understanding these processes may be beneficial for laboratory personnel in other countries.