Laboratory professionals who need a primer on the inner workings of liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) should sign up for AACC’s new certificate program, “Introductory Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry for the Clinical Laboratory 2016,” developed in cooperation with AACC’s Mass Spectrometry and Separation Sciences Division.
Participants in this 10-course program will learn about the basics and essentials of LC-MS/MS, and how it’s applied in laboratory medicine. “This is an introductory program and was designed with beginners in mind. It does not require any prerequisites on LC-MS/MS,” the program’s faculty chair, Y. Victoria Zhang, PhD, DABCC, told CLN Stat.
“That being said, anyone who wants to gain a general understanding of this technology, and/or evaluate the platform for in-house use can benefit from this program,” said Zhang, director of the clinical mass spectrometry and toxicology laboratory at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York. Medical technologists, lab supervisors, clinical chemistry fellows, pathology residents, laboratory directors, and financial and human personnel management teams all should feel comfortable taking this course.
Zhang was responsible for designing the program, assembling the faculty team, organizing the review process, and ensuring the quality of the program. “I feel very fortunate and privileged to work with a group of talented and dedicated colleagues on this program. Each course was developed by one dedicated faculty member and reviewed twice by two different faculty members on the team,” she said.
Each of the courses takes 1-3 hours to complete and includes a lecture, reference materials and a quiz. Some include reading assignments and practical exercises.
The courses cover the gamut of MS-related topics from basic lab techniques and MS-grade reagents and internal calibrators to high-performance LC, sample preparation, and results. “At the end, we include the financial justifications and personnel training competency program needed by managers and supervisors to move forward with this technology in their own laboratory,” Zhang said.
Zhang and her colleagues designed the program so participants develop a deeper understanding and greater appreciation of the LC-MS/MS platform, and gain confidence in their daily MS operations. “Thirdly, I hope participants will gain insights into the strategic decision-making process on bringing and enhancing clinical applications of this platform into their local communities or hospitals for the betterment of patient care,” she said.
“Introductory Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry for the Clinical Laboratory 2016,” is worth 12 ACCENT credits. Register online to get a full-scale review of MS applications and techniques.