Residency Training in Laboratory Medicine at VA Connecticut

The VA-1 rotation provides the resident with the opportunity to practice Clinical Pathology in the setting of an integrated Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service. Residents cover all sections of the clinical laboratories rather than a single section as in the more specialized rotations, and also have the option to interact more closely with the Anatomic Pathology laboratories. This allows the resident to gain a broader view of patient diagnostic services, providing an experience similar to that in general pathology practice.

Resident Duties and Responsibilities on the VA-1 Rotation include:

• Understand appropriate use of blood products and esoteric testing.
• Learn to interpret molecular diagnostic tests, Lyme disease results, and antibody screens.
• Evaluate transfusion reactions.
• Learn to assess and discuss test methodology and evaluate application of new technology.
• Utilize and critically evaluate medical literature.

The VA-2 rotation provides specialized experience in the mycobacteriology laboratory and the virology laboratory, and a specific laboratory of the resident's choosing for bench and administrative experience. In addition, residents have the opportunity to assume formal graduated responsibility with senior level duties, including quality assurance activities, laboratory inspection and accreditation preparedness, utilization review and other clinical, scientific, and management-oriented projects.