The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and American Pathology Foundation (APF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate in the development and delivery of pathology laboratory management educational services.

“ASCP is dedicated to delivering a progressive educational portfolio for pathologists and laboratory professionals,” ASCP president John E. Tomaszewski, MD, FASCP, said during the President’s Reception at ASCP’s 2010 Annual Meeting in San Francisco. “APF brings considerable expertise in laboratory management. Together we can deliver high quality programs to a wider audience.”

“It’s a natural partnership,” said APF president David C. Hoak, MD, FASCP. “Pathology and laboratory medicine can only benefit from this collaboration.”

Under the terms of the MOU, APF will conduct its 2011 meeting in conjunction with ASCP’s 2011 Annual Meeting in October in Las Vegas. During that meeting, APF will conduct a cobranded Annual Meeting track, providing laboratory and practice management education for practicing pathologists, residents, and fellows in training programs, as well as practice managers. These continuing medical education programs will be cosponsored by APF under ASCP’s direct provider status with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). APF will also provide laboratory management questions for ASCP’s Resident-In-Service Examination (RISE), as it has done during the past three years.

APF, ASCP, and the Association of Pathology Chairs/Program Directors Section (APC/PRODS) have already taken the lead in developing a curriculum for laboratory management. Over the past year, a group of volunteers from the three organizations drafted a Laboratory Management Curriculum and Competencies, which was presented at the July 2010 APC/PRODS Annual Meeting in Seattle. The curriculum is designed for pathology residency programs and may be tailored to suit individual program needs. The document is available here.

Hoak said the MOU between APF and ASCP will also provide the framework for both organizations to explore additional future educational products and services, jointly developed and cobranded, for the benefit of their respective memberships.

Source: American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and American Pathology Foundation (APF)