Enhancing the US clinical laboratory workforce capacity in three stages: local, state-wide, and the mid-atlantic states - this collaborative agreement between the centers for disease control and…

Enhancing the US clinical laboratory workforce capacity in three stages: local, state-wide, and the mid-atlantic states - this collaborative agreement between the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC-P) and the department of medical and research technology (DMRT) at the university of maryland school of medicine in baltimore, maryland is designed to meet three main goals and objectives of the CDC-P. These goals and objectives are to bridge, train, and sustain the laboratory professionals so they are better prepared for the next large scale pandemic or natural disaster. Clinical laboratory professionals and public health laboratory professionals are the two main groups that are targeted to be "bridged" or cross-trained in each other's area of expertise. Additionally, clinical microbiology professionals will be cross-trained with core laboratory professionals. Physician office laboratory (POL) staff who perform point of care (POC) testing will be trained in quality assurance, quality control and laboratory safety, and workforce development participants will be trained in laboratory safety and accessioning. The project is in three phases: year 1 is a pilot study of 10 participants from the university of maryland medical center (UMMC)'S core and microbiology laboratories, 10 laboratory professionals from the maryland state public health laboratory, 10 POL staff and 10 workforce development participants who will be trained at the DMRT student labs. UMMC clinical laboratories and the maryland state public health laboratory are collaborating partners. All training activities will be placed on the CDC-P's online platform onelab and onelab reach for use in years 2 and 3. Year 2 will branch the training to the 40 hospital laboratories in maryland and to another cohort of public health laboratory professionals and workforce development participants. As well as to increase utilization of the CDC-P's onelab and onelab reach online educational platforms. Year 3 will further sustain the training into the mid-atlantic states where all training will occur using the CDC-P's onelab and onelab reach online educational platforms. Cola INC. Will be a collaborating partner and will work with both the DMRT and the CDC-P to assist in curriculum development in year 1 and to develop 2 training videos in year 2. Cola will also sustain the training by reviewing existing CDC-P and new DMRT generated content for all three years of this collaborative agreement.