A clinical laboratory management elective for pathology residents

Many practicing pathologists, particularly those in private settings, function as managers. Their responsibilities may not only involve directing the successful activities of laboratory personnel, but often require a level of accountability to hospital administrators or business managers. Traditional training programs focus on technical competency and devote little time, if any, to preparing their graduates for the management aspects of their careers. In response to this need, a 1-month elective was designed for senior pathology residents at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. The cumulative experiences of a large academic pathology department and its successful commercial laboratory venture provided a real-world supplement to a curriculum founded in basic business management principles.