Laboratory Medicine Specialization Teaching and Training in Italy with a Glance to Some European and Non-European Countries

The Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research has recently reformed the medical schools of specialization in accordance with a series of EC Directives. Four different curricula have been defined into the class of “Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine”, respectively: Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Pathology, and Microbiology & Virology. Each curriculum is based on a scheme of 300 credits, that includes formal educational activities) and practical activities distributed on a five years’ period. The four curricula share a common course of either formal or practical activities. Main training and professional objectives are in favour of: a) the principles of appropriateness and of evidence based medicine, b) the acquisition of either on-the-bench experience and practice, or skills in organizing and managing the laboratory activities and personnel c) the understanding of data and phenomena relevant to the patients in a clinically oriented vision, d) the ability to translate research results into diagnostic advantages, e) the values of humanism and ethics. When comparing the Italian curriculum with some European and non-European curricula in Laboratory Medicine, many similarities are apparent: above all, the medical pertinence of the profession is increasingly affirmed in favour of a consultancy role to be played by the specialist in Laboratory Medicine at the clinical level. Main conclusions: a) the education, skill and expertise required for laboratory specialists regard now a broad variety of issues, b) these embrace not only technical, scientific and organizational aspects, but even the ability to develop consultative capacities in different diagnostic areas, c) moreover the implicit translational aspects in the profession require the adoption of innovative and multifaceted curricula.