Chicago, April 6, 2015— The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and the American Pathology Foundation (APF) today announced the launch of a second on-demand laboratory management certificate program, Lab Management University (LMU) Advanced. LMU Advanced is an innovative program designed to help pathologists and lab professionals take their laboratory management skills to the next level.

“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.”

LMU Advanced will include 10 online courses on advanced laboratory management topics. It will also include an innovative 15-credit Portfolio Development course, which will guide participants through the creation, setup, and deployment of their own web-based professional portfolio.  

“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,” added Dr. Finn.

“The certificate of completion assures that participants incorporate all of this rich knowledge into sound leadership and management practices,” says LMU Advanced faculty member Amy Wendel Spiczka, SCT (ASCP)^CMMB^CM,HTL^CM, Manager of Anatomic Pathology in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. “To develop full leadership capabilities, LMU Advanced participants will move beyond ‘knowing’ to knowledge application.”

The portfolio course will include guidelines and resources to help participants complete their portfolio projects, which could be developing a budget or creating a quality management plan.

“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,” says LMU Advanced faculty member John Baci, MBA , C-PM, Pathology Department Director at Boston Children’s Hospital. “LMU and now the advanced curriculum of LMU 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. Visit www.ascp.org/lmu to learn more.

“It’s a win-win for both the employer and the employee,” added Baci. “As an employer, this special LMU training and education can provide a wonderful career advancement tool for management-oriented personnel, who will undoubtedly be most appreciative of this educational opportunity.”

“No matter what size laboratory you’re involved in, many pathologists and laboratory professionals are likely to be involved with the business side of laboratories. LMU Advanced can help them develop their business acumen to help them succeed as successful lab managers.  ASCP works cooperatively with other clinical organizations to provide pathologists and lab professionals with opportunities to learn grow and share,” concluded Dr. Finn