Microscopic training courses

8 followers

0 Likes

Hello all - I have one site that has an MA performing moderate complexity microscopic exams for Wet Mounts, KOH, and microscopic UA. This person will be retiring soon and the newer person hasn't had any microscopic training at all as far as I know. Do any of you know of online programs that will train for microscopic identification? My boss prefers I don't spend 2 weeks+ one on one with the person training (they are in a different town, 45 min away from everyone else). Our local DOH used to have a training program but they no longer offer it, and the MTS site program doesn't look comprehensive enough (medtraining.org).

Thanks!

6 Replies

Anastasia Augustine

Thu Feb 03, 2022 at 7:54AM

Sorry I do not know of any online training program.
Have you reached out to the WA Lab Quality Assurance office and see if they know of any training program?
Can the MA who is qualified right now train her (if you have validated her skills) or does it need to be a official training program?
Maybe look into a MLT program locally and see if they have a class he/she can take.
I know when I worked at a clinic as a MLT in the lab we had AAFP proficiency microscopy cards sent 3x a year and we had to identify them. That might not work for training but would help with making sure they are identifying items correctly. They also have a great book called Physicians Office Laboratory Microscopy Atlas that I would recommend having onsite.
Do you have any sense on the new MA's skill level and willingness to learn this new skill? Are they shadowing the current MA right now and although they cannot report results can they look at the various samples to see what they think?

Erika Deaton-Mohney BS, MT(ASCP), CPP

Thu Feb 03, 2022 at 9:44AM

I was not with the understanding that an MA could perform those tests under CLIA law. I understood the PPM testing personnel to be either a Physician, Midlevel Practitioner or a Dentist.
See the link below:
Provider-Performed Microscopy (PPM) Procedures | CDC

Anastasia Augustine

Thu Feb 03, 2022 at 10:21AM

I was under the impression it was a Moderately Complex license not a PPMP but yes you are right that only providers (MD, DO, ARNP, PA, Dentist) can perform under that license type.

Jill Dwyer

Thu Feb 03, 2022 at 10:43AM

This is a Mod complex license, not PPM. I have reached out to LQA at WA DOH and they weren't aware of anything - they suggested I take a look at MTS program, but that for sure isn't robust enough. I'll speak with the lab manager/director and see how they want to proceed - this is a site that was just recently brought under our larger corporate wing, so they were doing all kinds of testing that we wouldn't allow MAs to do at our other sites. I don't know that it is worth it to keep the Mod ccomplex license. If the providers want to do KOH/UA/Wet mount maybe we can just change over to PPM and they can do it themselves...

Anastasia Augustine

Thu Feb 03, 2022 at 11:45AM

Oh I love integrating clinics. I agree with you and would try and get it changed to a PPMP license. Good Luck!

Lee Ann Roane

Fri Feb 04, 2022 at 9:10AM

CDC has some great lab training courses: Lab Training | CDC
PPM specific one is: CLIA and Provider-performed Microscopy (PPM) Procedures: An Introduction | CDC

Subgroup Membership is required to post Replies

Join POCT Listserv now

Topic	Replies	Views	Participants	Last Reply
Piccolo express Deborah Martuch, MT(ASCP), CPP about 2 years ago	3	248		Deborah Martuch, MT(ASCP), CPP about 2 years ago
Quantra Ashlee Byquist about 2 years ago	5	326	+ 1 more	Ashlee Byquist about 2 years ago
PPM Procedures/Resources Jennifer Toncray about 2 years ago	5	242	+ 2 more	Jennifer Toncray about 2 years ago

Setup Information

Microscopic training courses