EFLM Project “Exchange of Practical Knowledge and Skills in Laboratory Medicine” – EFLMLabX

BACKGROUND: In many laboratories/institutions of the European Federation for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) there is a need to acquire additional practical knowledge and skills in different fields of Laboratory Medicine (LM). Until now, there were no possibilities, in official and open ways, to find the link to such additional but very important education, which may be obtained in other laboratories in the country or abroad. The aim of this EFLM project is to create and operate a network of medical laboratories willing and able to offer practical training in various fields/aspects of Laboratory Medicine. METHODS: We conducted the survey among EFLM members, with the aim to identify the EFLM members’ needs and possibilities to offer different practical training in laboratories in the country or abroad. We created the EFLMLabX website portal within the main EFLM website for offering, searching the practices and establishing direct contacts between applicants and providers institutions. RESULTS: According to the very positive survey results (146 responses) about needs (128) and interest to offer different practices (87) on the field of LM, that we have obtained from EFLM National Societies (28) in 2015, we noted a great interest for training and exchange of practical knowledge and skills in LM amongst EFLM countries. In January 2018 we have launched EFLMLabX portal. Since now we have already 13 providers/partners institutions, from 10 different countries, which offer 17 different practice positions. Four practices are already ongoing and two were already finished. CONCLUSIONS: With this project, according to obtained higher level of knowledge/experience on different field of laboratory diagnostics of general professional population (of EuSpLM), better networks between professionals, experts, and scientists we will gain higher general quality of our profession.