College of American Pathologists and Seoul National University Host Microbiology Education

Contact: Aaron Osborne
Phone: 1-847-832-7030
Email: aaosbor@cap.org

SEOUL—In an effort to foster laboratory quality and further advance the evolving field of clinical microbiology, the College of American Pathologists (CAP), in partnership with the Seoul National University College of Medicine (SNUCM), will host a daylong educational course for approximately 150 pathologists and laboratory professionals at the Seoul National University Hospital Nov. 18.

The event, “Be-All and End-All in Clinical Microbiology,” will feature seven speakers on a variety of topics within the field of medical science that focuses on the study, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.

Daniel Rhoads, MD, FCAP, will give three presentations on topics including antimicrobial testing challenges and the rising practice of molecular microbiology testing. He is a member of the CAP Microbiology Committee, which works to provide the most up-to-date expertise and information on emerging technologies and quality assurance in the field.

“The practice of clinical microbiology is changing, which is exciting,” says Dr. Rhoads. “As a field, we are looking for faster and more accurate ways to identify microbes causing infection and to more quickly recognize which antimicrobial therapies would be best to use in each patient's situation.”

While Dr. Rhoads will be teaching attendees about CAP guidelines and best practices, he also expects to collaborate with and learn from other attendees and presenters at SNUCM’s department of laboratory medicine.

He says, “I always look forward to interacting with pathologists and clinical microbiologists that take care of patients that are a half a world away from me and my patients in Cleveland, Ohio; and I look forward to hearing about the challenges that they are facing and the advancements that will overcome them to help us to help patients.”

Taek Soo Kim, MD, assistant professor in the department of laboratory medicine at SNUCM and one of the organizers of the event, agrees that advancements in next generation sequencing and mass spectrometry discussed at the Nov. 18 event are ultimately for the good of the patient.

“It is well known that 70% of clinical decisions are based upon laboratory test results,” says Dr. Kim. “However, the half-life of medical knowledge is known to be only 18 to 24 months—continuous education in the field of laboratory medicine is important to maintain the quality of test results, leading to safe patient care.”

To help ensure quality, SNUCM has hosted annual workshops for the past 30 years, according to Dr. Kim. In addition to educational opportunities, he also cites the laboratory’s CAP accreditation as an important step in maintaining SNUCM’s position as a top health care facility.

Dr. Kim says, “As a leading national hospital in Korea, our institution is participating in numerous international clinical trials—CAP accreditation is an assurance that the test results from our laboratory are of high quality.”

The CAP has board-certified pathologist members and laboratory professionals from all over the world inspect and accredit more than 8,000 laboratories to ensure quality practices, testing accuracy and safety for patients. It also supplies proficiency testing to over 20,000 laboratories worldwide as a way for them to self-assess their equipment and diagnostic testing performance.

The CAP hosts a range of international educational symposiums throughout the year, including an upcoming partnership with the Taiwan Society of Clinical Pathologists in Taipei Nov. 23.

As the world’s largest organization of board-certified pathologists and leading provider of laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. For more information, read the CAP Annual Report at cap.org.