Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-06-02-.02 - FACULTY REQUIREMENTS FOR MEDICAL LABORATORY TRAINING PROGRAMS

(1) Medical Director/Advisor

(a) The following programs shall have a medical director/advisor:

1. Medical Laboratory Technologist Program

2. Medical Laboratory Technician - Associate Degree Program

3. Medical Laboratory Technologist Specialty Program

4. Special Analyst Program

(b) Qualifications:

1. The medical director/advisor shall be a physician who is certified in clinical pathology by the American Board of Pathology or the American Osteopathic Board of Pathology or who possesses qualifications which are equivalent to those required for such certification (Board eligible) and shall be licensed to practice medicine in Tennessee.

2. The medical director/advisor of the Program for Training Medical Laboratory Specialties shall meet one of the minimum qualifications of Medical Laboratory Director, as set forth in Rule 1200-06-01-.20. The program he/she directs must be related to his/her training. Special analyst training programs must comply with this rule.

(c) The director of the Program for Training Medical Laboratory Specialties shall meet one of the minimum qualifications of Medical Laboratory Director, as set forth in Rule 1 20006-01-.20 of the regulations governing the Tennessee Medical Laboratory Act. The program he or she directs must be related to his/her training.

(2) Program Director/Education Coordinator. Each Program shall have a Program Director or Education Coordinator. The Program Director may also serve as the education coordinator. In the case of a program for the training of medical laboratory specialties, the medical director may serve as a program director.

(a) Program Director.

1. A program director is defined as the responsible licensed technologist based in a university, community college, or hospital program who meets the following criteria:

(i) Has a faculty appointment either in the approved academic institution or an affiliated institution.

(ii) Has documented evidence of continuing education in technical and educational methodologies to provide adequate and appropriate training in the areas of curriculum design and teaching techniques for medical laboratory personnel.

(iii) Has the major responsibility for directing the educational program.

(iv) Is a licensed technologist with a master's degree or doctoral degree.

(v) Has at least three (3) years experience in a clinical laboratory, including teaching experience acceptable to the Board in a clinical laboratory under the supervision of a licensed physician who meets the qualifications of Medical Laboratory Director as set forth in Rule 1200-06-01-.20 promulgated pursuant to Tennessee Medical Laboratory Act.

(vi) Is free from service responsibilities to accomplish his/her teaching, educational, and administrative responsibilities with the medical or specialty director of the program.

2. In consultation with the medical director for the specialty, the education coordinator, and the faculty, the program director is responsible for overall direction of the program.

(b) Education Coordinator.

1. Education Coordinator is defined as the responsible licensed technologist serving as liaison between the program administration and other institutions involved in the clinical experience.

2. The education coordinator shall be at least a licensed technologist and have a baccalaureate degree plus three (3) years of experience in a clinical laboratory

3. The education coordinator must be sufficiently free from service responsibilities to accomplish teaching, educational, and administrative responsibilities.

4. The education coordinator will share responsibilities with the program director for the organization and operation of the program, including classroom and laboratory instruction.

(c) Instructor (Classroom and Clinical) Credentials.

1. All instructors of medical laboratory subjects shall be licensed medical laboratory personnel or have met the education requirements of not less than those required in these Rules for a medical laboratory technologist. Credentials for qualification must be submitted on forms supplied by the Board. The Board may query instructors during the on-site inspection. Such information gained from an instructor may be used in the determination, approval, or denial of the training program's application if there is a doubt about his/her knowledge of a subject.

2. Instructor Student Ratio: In the clinical laboratory training facility(ies), the number of licensed qualified personnel must be adequate to meet both service and teaching responsibilities. It shall be the responsibility of the medical and program directors to insure that the number of instructors is adequate to provide appropriate instruction in all areas of the program. When students are present in the laboratory, a licensed technologist shall be present and shall be responsible for supervising their education.

(i) For classroom didactic instruction, there must be a student-faculty ratio of no more than 30:1.

(ii) Student laboratories must have a student-instructor ratio of no more than 10:1.

(iii) Clinical laboratory experience (internship) must not exceed a ratio of two students to one (2:1) qualified instructor in any rotation area.

(iv) Student experiences at different clinical sites must be comparable to enable all students to achieve entry level competencies.

(d) Advisory Committee.

(1) There must be an advisory committee composed of individual(s) from the community of interest (i.e. pathologists, other physicians, scientific consultants, academic professionals, administrators, practicing clinical laboratory scientists/medical technologists, practicing clinical laboratory technicians/medical laboratory technicians and other professionals) who have knowledge of clinical laboratory science education.

(2) Responsibilities: The advisory committee of the program shall have input into any aspect of the program/curriculum with regard to its current relevancy and effectiveness.

(3) The medical or specialty director/advisor shall share with the program director and/or education coordinator the responsibility for the organization and operation of the program including classroom and laboratory instruction. The medical or specialty director should be available for orientation and available as a student advisor for clinical problems as needed. The medical or specialty director shall give a minimum of one (1) lecture to each class of students.

(4) The division of responsibility and authority between the medical or specialty director and program director or education coordinator within each institution shall be clearly established in writing.

Notes

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-06-02-.02

Original rule filed October 26, 1979; effective December 10, 1979. Repeal and new rule filed January 7, 1997; effective March 23, 1997. Amendments filed October 3, 2014; effective January 1, 2015. Amendments filed January 13, 2022; effective 4/13/2022.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 4-5-204, 68-29-105, and 68-29-110.