title: Clinical molecular testing: subspecialty, entry-level or specialist certification?
abstract: Some clinical laboratories require workers who have basic knowledge in molecular techniques (such as fluorescent in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction). Exclusively molecular diagnostic laboratories need workers to be competent in a variety of cutting edge molecular technologies, such as DNA sequencing, array-based comparative genomic hybridization, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and many other techniques. Having only one certification for molecular biology at the entry level, as newly prescribed by the Board of Certification, doesn't accurately define the two very differently trained types of people these differing types of laboratories require. Creating a second molecular certification, at the specialist level, would address this issue positively.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Cytogenetics, Pathgroup, Inc., Nashville, TN 37211, USA. palennon@pathgroup.com
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lennon
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D002568:Certification / Q000592:standards*; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D017056:Medical Laboratory Personnel / Q000592:standards*; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States