[Drivers licence for the doctor's lab]

In Switzerland a general practitioner as well as a specialist needs a qualification to be entitled to do laboratory tests in their private offices and take advantage of health insurance funding. This qualification is reached by accomplishing the so called FAPL-course (FAPL = Fähigkeitsausweis Praxislabor). The course was introduced in 2003 and is expanding year by year. Up to 480 practitioners are thus educated per year, mostly in Luzern for the German speaking region, but also in Lausanne for the French speaking and in Locarno for the Italian speaking participants. Managing a laboratory in a medical office requires a wide knowledge concerning preanalytics including the correct sampling of body fluids, analytical techniques, the correct use and the limits of testing procedures. Furthermore postanalytical interpretations imply a good understanding of statistics. In addition legal regulations have to be respected. These topics are partially communicated using an e-learning platform and partially in a two day practical course.