Laboratory Medicine

Background Laboratory medicine is a complex field that measures biomarkers and microorganisms in bodily specimens or tissues to diagnose and manage diseases. It encompasses multiple disciplines including clinical chemistry, hematology and coagulation, clinical microbiology, clinical immunology, molecular diagnostics, and transfusion medicine. Laboratory medicine is driven by technology that helps define the boundaries among its disciplines. Although laboratory medicine specialists are diverse in terms of their education, training, and career paths, their practice of the profession and their adherence to its guiding principles are similar. The goal is to generate relevant chemical, cellular, and molecular data that can be integrated with clinical and other information and interpreted to aid clinical decision making. Content This chapter describes the evolution of laboratory medicine and examines the international practice of the profession, the disciplines it encompasses, academic and postgraduate training, certification, career opportunities, and the skills and roles of laboratory medicine specialists in both clinical laboratory and industry settings. This chapter also discusses the guiding principles of practicing the profession, which include maintaining confidentiality of medical information, using available resources appropriately, abiding by codes of conduct, avoiding conflict of interest, and following ethical publishing rules.