title: Teaching pediatric laboratory medicine to pathology residents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laboratory data are essential to the medical care of fetuses, infants, children, and adolescents. However, the performance and interpretation of laboratory tests on specimens from these patients, which may constitute a significant component of the workload in general hospitals and integrated health care systems as well as specialized perinatal or pediatric centers, present unique challenges to the clinical pathologist and the laboratory. Therefore, pathology residents should receive training in pediatric laboratory medicine.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Children's Health Improvement through Laboratory Diagnostics, a group of pathologists and laboratory scientists with interest and expertise in pediatric laboratory medicine, convened a task force to develop a list of curriculum topics, key resources, and training experiences in pediatric laboratory medicine for trainees in anatomic and clinical pathology or straight clinical pathology residency programs and in pediatric pathology fellowship programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on the experiences of 11 training programs, we have compiled a comprehensive list of pediatric topics in the areas of clinical chemistry, endocrinology, hematology, urinalysis, coagulation medicine, transfusion medicine, immunology, microbiology and virology, biochemical genetics, cytogenetics and molecular diagnostics, point of care testing, and laboratory management. This report also includes recommendations for training experiences and a list of key texts and other resources in pediatric laboratory medicine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical pathologists should be trained to meet the laboratory medicine needs of pediatric patients and to assist the clinicians caring for these patients with the selection and interpretation of laboratory studies. This review helps program directors tailor their curricula to more effectively provide this training.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Pathology, Department of Pathology, Primary Children's Medical Center and University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City 84113, USA. theodore.pysher@intermountainmail.org
authors.forename: Theodore J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Pysher
authors.forename: Philip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Bach
authors.forename: Sharon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Geaghan
authors.forename: Marilyn S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Michael
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authors.lastname: Laposata
authors.forename: Gillian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lockitch
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brugnara
authors.forename: Cheryl M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Coffin
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pasquali
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rinaldo
authors.forename: William L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Joe C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rutledge
authors.forename: Edward R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Ashwood
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Blaylock
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: A Wayne
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Meikle
authors.forename: Sherrie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Cathy A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Petti
authors.forename: Beverly B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: Ronald L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Woods
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000193:education*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D013663:Teaching