Digital Commons Network^™

Does Registration Of The Medical Science Workforce Deliver A Competent Profession?, Tony Badrick, Andrew St John

Tony Badrick

Many countries, including the UK, USA, New Zealand and countries within the EU, require registration (alsocalled licensure or certification) of the various non-medical professional groups that work in pathology laboratories. No such registration exists in Australia but many Australian medical laboratory scientists see registration of their profession as a holy grail which, when obtained, will lead to greater respect and an improved career path. In this paper we explore the real and perceived benefits together with the costs of registration, and describe the relationship between continual professional development (CPU) programs and competence. Rather than accepting the notion that registration per …