You can’t get enough of a good thing — especially when the aforementioned “good thing” is an innovative certificate program designed at filling laboratory management training gaps and elevating laboratory professionals.
Building on the success of their original Lab Management University (LMU) program, the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and the American Pathology Foundation (APF) have announced the launch of a second on-demand laboratory management certificate program, Lab Management University Advanced (LMU Advanced). 
“The original LMU curriculum was made available in March 2013, and grew out of research conducted by APF and ASCP about the gaps in training that exist in laboratory management leadership among pathologists, laboratory professionals and pathology residents,” explained ASCP President William G. Finn, MD, FASCP. “Together, we conducted extensive research and held conversations with pathology residency program directors nationwide and found that new pathologists lacked basic management skills.”
The result was a LMU’s foundational level of courses across six core competencies:
– Leadership
– Personnel Management
– Operations
– Financial Management
– Path Informatics
– Compliance
Period of Growth
In two years’ time, that original LMU fundamentals program burgeoned to close to 7,000 participants worldwide, providing laboratory professionals, pathologists and residents alike with the foundation and practical skills they need to elevate their careers with real results. Now, with more than 600 students who have completed the foundational program, LMU has also marked the “graduation” of the first cohort of students.
“With a sense of excitement and urgency, LMU students have asked, ‘What’s next?'” explained Finn.
The answer to that question is LMU Advanced. In April, ASCP and APF launched this second on-demand laboratory management certificate program, which includes 10 online courses on advanced laboratory management topics.
Portfolio Development
In addition, LMU Advanced also includes an innovative 15-credit Portfolio Development course, which will guide participants through the creation, set up, and deployment of their own web-based professional portfolio to illustrate their capabilities and achievements. The portfolio course will include guidelines and resources to help participants complete their portfolio projects, which could run a wide gamut – from developing a budget to creating a quality management plan.
Participants may wonder why they need a portfolio, especially if they are happy with their careers and don’t plan to change jobs in the near future. This is a common misconception about portfolios. Although having a portfolio is imperative for a job search, a professional portfolio can be a valuable personal professional assessment tool.
“With the addition of the portfolio course, LMU Advanced participants will not only take their laboratory management skills to the next level, but they will also come away from the program with a work product to prove their expertise,” said Finn.
From Knowledge to Application
LMU Advanced faculty member Amy Wendel Spiczka, SCT(ASCP)CMMBCM, HTLCM, manager of anatomic pathology in the department of laboratory medicine and pathology at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., believes this certificate program inclusive of the portfolio development will translate coursework into hands-on action.
“The certificate of completion assures that participants incorporate all of this rich knowledge into sound leadership and management practices,” she said. “To develop full leadership capabilities, LMU Advanced participants will move beyond ‘knowing’ to knowledge application.”
John Baci, MBA, C-PM, pathology department director at Boston Children’s Hospital and another LMU Advanced faculty member, added, “The laboratory world provides a wide variety of personnel in leadership roles with unique management challenges that are rarely addressed in traditional management training programs. The LMU Advanced curriculum will provide much more targeted management training for the clinical lab environment.”
The LMU Advanced program will be available to APF and ASCP members for $499. Participants can earn 25 CE credits and a certificate when they complete 10 Advanced courses, the Portfolio Development course and a post-test.
