Clinical laboratory immunology: an indispensable player in laboratory medicine.

OBJECTIVES

Clinical laboratory immunology affects practically every aspect of medicine. Accordingly, appropriately trained, board-certified clinical laboratory immunologists are key contributors to the diagnosis and management of patients with various immune-mediated conditions. This review highlights the availability of postdoctoral level training programs for clinical laboratory immunology and identifies possible career tracks.

METHODS

Fundamental elements for doctoral level clinical laboratory immunologists are identified and the critical components of diagnostic immunology training as well as career opportunities in and out of academia are described.

RESULTS

Relative to other disciplines in laboratory medicine, little emphasis has been given to clinical laboratory immunology in medical, graduate, and postgraduate training. Formal postgraduate fellowship programs and board certification examinations are available, yet there remains a significant lack of awareness in the medical education community about the value and necessity of training in this field.

CONCLUSIONS

It is anticipated that sharing this knowledge will increase awareness of the discipline of clinical laboratory immunology at the postdoctoral level with implications for the practice of laboratory medicine.