Clinical Lab Director

[MetroPath]

Hello,

How did you guys learn how to become a lab director. I’d like to learn how to manage a lab (answer questions from docs etc, prepare lab for inspection) for extra income but my residency didn’t teach me sh%t about managing a lab. I’m in practice now but have no role in lab directorship yet. Basically didn’t learn much in the way of CP from residency. No hands on learning. Just studied compendium and Osler.

Did you guys just learn on the job (if you were lucky enough to have a job that required you to do that)? Thanks!

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[Med Director New England]

I had excellent CP training, but still feel like a learned a lot on the job over the years.

Do you have any opportunity with your current job to take on CP responsibilities? I am guessing youre in an AP only role in academia. If so the longer you stay there the harder it will be to take on major role in the CP side of things.

Look for opportunities, even in academia you may be able to find something - oversight of smaller satellite labs etc. start small and build. Lots of concepts in running CP labs overlap - even if they are doing different testing.

 

[ucp1980]

To be perfectly honest, the best learning I had in my residency for lab directorship was participating in CAP inspections. And, in practice, I learn more each time I participate in an inspection. That said, much of what I use in everyday directorship is from experience. I have 4 labs I serve as medical director, and while one is a simple histo lab, the others are more complex but the principles are generally the same. There's a good, short book called "How to be a Lab Director" by Philip Dauterman. its nothing complex or comprehensive, but if you're looking for a good baseline, its worth the quick read

 

[wholeheartedly]

ASCP has a Lab Management University certificate program. I know nothing about it other than them sending me stuff about it every once in awhile. I did see a medical director type course in it, but not sure if other content is more geared towards nonmedical managers.