WHAT IS CLINICAL CHEMISTRY?

Clinical chemistry is what goes on when you have your blood tests done at the doctor’s office, and it also involves medical testing performed on other human fluids. Basically, clinical chemistry is medical testing that uses chemical processes, with those results applied to evaluating patient health.

Today, clinical chemistry plays an essential role in disciplines such as cardiac care, cancer testing, prenatal testing, diabetes management, infectious disease testing, maternal care, blood banking, genetic testing, and customized medicine. 

AACC represents not only the medical professionals who perform these analyses, but also the innovators who design, manufacture, and sell the devices utilized in clinical laboratory science. Advances in laboratory testing made by AACC members enable physicians to make earlier diagnoses, tailor individualized therapy for patients, and develop improved disease management strategies. 

MEMBERSHIP

Nearly half of AACC members hold doctoral degrees, typically PhD and/or MD. Fifteen percent have MS, MA or MBA degrees; 27% have BS or BA degrees. AACC members come from 105 countries, with 28% of the membership residing outside the U.S.

AACC is subdivided geographically into 22 local sections. Members can also choose to join any of the 13 divisions segmented according to areas of interest. The association is governed by a Board of Directors that is elected by the membership.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

AACC conducts a comprehensive government affairs program, maintaining communication between our members, Congress, the Executive Branch, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other federal agencies with a stake in the clinical laboratory.

MEETINGS

AACC sponsors dozens of scientific conferences each year, the largest and most prestigious of which is our Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo. First held in 1949, this educational meeting and technology exposition is the leading event in the clinical laboratory profession, attracting nearly 20,000 participants in 2007.

Our Clinical Laboratory Expo is the world’s largest trade fair dedicated exclusively to clinical laboratory science, with over 1,900 booths and more than 700 participating companies.

AACC also sponsors the Arnold O. Beckman Conference; the Oak Ridge Conference on Advanced Analytical Concepts for the Clinical Laboratory; Laboratory Automation conferences in the U.S., Europe, and SE Asia; the Clinical Chemistry Review Course; and a host of audioconferences and webinars on clinical, regulatory, and management topics.

PUBLICATIONS

AACC issues six periodicals, and is also a major publisher of books on clinical laboratory science and practice.

Clinical Chemistry
AACC’s peer-reviewed, flagship publication is the most-cited journal in the field. It’s available in print as well as online. Readers can earn continuing education credits by studying selected articles each month.

Clinical Laboratory News
Features in-depth analysis of scientific and regulatory developments affecting clinical laboratories with in-depth articles on important new developments in lab testing.

Clinical & Forensic Toxicology News
Provides practical and timely information on the clinical, forensic, technical, and regulatory issues faced by toxicology laboratories.

AACC also offers the online publications AACC eNews, Government Affairs Update, and Clinical Laboratory Strategies.

In addition to periodicals, AACC Press publishes numerous books and reference guides for clinical laboratorians, medical libraries, and students of laboratory medicine. AACC Press publishes an average of ten books a year, and we currently offer over 300 titles through our catalog.

EDUCATION

AACC offers career information and accredited continuing education in clinical laboratory science using publications, meetings and distance learning technology. We also sponsor the Commission on Accreditation in Clinical Chemistry (COMACC), which is an independent non-profit organization that accredits training programs in clinical chemistry at the masters, doctoral, and postdoctoral levels.

Student Research Awards
Students with accepted abstracts are encouraged to present their scientific research at AACC’s Annual Meeting during the student mixer/poster contest. The awards are funded by AACC’s Van Slyke Foundation.

Student Travel Grants
AACC’s Van Slyke Foundation funds travel grants to students to help them defray the cost of attending the AACC Annual Meeting. Students must have authored an accepted abstracts describing their research.

Genzyme Intel International Science and Engineering Fair Award
The Van Slyke Foundation also honors high school students who display an outstanding science project at the Genzyme Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

SPECIAL FEATURES AND PROGRAMS

Awards and Grants
AACC recognizes and celebrates outstanding contributions through a strong awards program. Most awards go to individuals in the field of laboratory medicine, but some, such as the lectureship award, are often given to noteworthy people from other disciplines. AACC presents twelve awards each year with financial support from the clinical laboratory industry. For information on award winners and how to nominate deserving lab professionals, go to the AACC Awards web site

Van Slyke Foundation
The Van Slyke Foundation (VSF) is AACC’s philanthropic program. Its purpose is to encourage excellence in science and raise interest in the practice of clinical laboratory medicine.

GLOBAL INITIATIVES

One of AACC’s strategic initiatives is to advance the international presence of the association and develop programs that support the global laboratory community. To that end VSF administers an International Travel Grant program, as well as an AACC Membership Grant program funded by generous contributions from longtime AACC member Dr. Jerry Gallwas and his wife Sandy. In addition, Gallwas award winners are offered professional resources such as books, magazine subscriptions, and conference registration at no charge or at reduced price.