College of American Pathologists Laboratory Management

Leading a laboratory or medical practice requires skills not always taught in medical school or residency—and if you aspire to lead effectively, then your education must be more than scientific and medical skills. That’s why the College of American Pathologists (CAP) offers working pathologists the vital educational support they need to build financial, operational, and managerial skills for success.

Your Path to Leadership Starts With the CAP

CME is pivotal for your ongoing growth, and we offer a variety of resources that cater to various subspecialties and skillsets. However, if you’re looking to take the next step in your career, our laboratory management programs can help you grow into a leader, no matter what professional path you choose.

Essentials of Laboratory Management


Begin your journey to leadership here. Empowering you to bridge the gap from learning to leadership, Essentials of Laboratory Management helps you develop the critical management and operational skills you need for success—all from one source fit to your schedule, learning style, and career path:

  • Access flexible online courses and bite-sized modules 24/7
  • Customize your learning experience based on your existing knowledge and needs
  • Choose from a variety of courses that matter most for your specific responsibilities

Save 10% when you purchase three or more courses in this series!
CAP members save even more. Find out how to join the CAP.

Available Courses (Online):

New! Essentials of Successful Laboratory Inspection and Accreditation

Gain an in-depth understanding of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) regulations.

New! Managing Risk to Build a Culture of Quality

Learn how to identify risks, report and manage incidents, and create a safer laboratory environment

New! Developing Successful Teams

Learn principles of effective team leadership and best practices for managing a team.

Planning and Executing New Test Systems

Understand the elements needed to evaluate, plan, and execute new tests and equipment in a variety of laboratory environments.

Critical Communication Practices for Laboratory Leadership

Learn strategies and techniques to promote constructive, uplifting conversations with your team or your clinical colleagues.

Managing Laboratory Operations

Gain insight into staffing qualified personnel, coordinating teams, assessing test system logistics, and more.

Building a Quality Management System

Develop a laboratory management program and understand laboratory quality improvement.

Pathology Business Fundamentals


The ever-evolving health care landscape requires pathology practices to employ specific non-clinical practice management skills. No matter your practice setting, managers must be informed, agile, and ready to respond to changing conditions. The Pathology Business Fundamentals program equips pathologists and practice managers with the essential tools needed to manage business operations.

This series allows you to select which topics you want to learn and earn 0.5–0.75 CME credit per course, or 4.5 CME for the entire series.

Save 10% when you purchase the entire series of eight courses!
CAP members save even more. Find out how to join the CAP.

Available Courses (Online):

Relative Value Units: Understanding the Basics

Learn how relative value units quantify physician work, practice expense, and more.

How Pathology Practices Get Paid

Identify the different relative value units, coding mechanisms, and payment models that ensure your practice gets paid.

Fundamentals of Revenue Cycle Management

Understand the key elements of your revenue cycle and the fundamentals of billing.

Analysis and Interpretation of Billing Reports

Effectively bill and collect for all the services your practice provides.

Basic Practice Cost Analysis

Apply a systematic approach to defining and calculating costs for tests, supply, and labor, and to managing your profitability.

Basic Contracting and Fee Analysis

Put your understanding of revenues, costs, and workflow management into action as you analyze a payer contract.

Capacity Management and Workflow Planning

Understand how workflow impacts financial health, and how to apply revenue generation and cost management concepts to your practice.

Basic Budget Development

Put your understanding of the Pathology Business Fundamentals series to work in creating a budget for an example practice.

Laboratory Medical Direction


Even if you've already learned how to manage your section or lead your projects, growing into the inspirational leader of your laboratory or practice brings a new set of responsibilities and challenges that may require more education. Laboratory Medical Direction, written by and for medical directors, is for pathologists who have recently become or want to be medical directors. This comprehensive program offers multiple formats to meet your needs.

Online Courses Only

For individuals with laboratory management responsibilities.

Components:

  • Seven online CME courses

Online Courses and Workshop

For credentialed pathologists or individuals with laboratory management responsibilities

Components:

  • Seven online CME courses
  • Expert-led 1.5-day in-person workshop
  • Certificate of Completion

Upcoming Live Workshop: Sign up now for April 10-11, 2025.

Save 10% when you purchase all courses in this series together!
CAP members save even more. Find out how to join the CAP.

Available Courses (Online):

Getting Your Message Across: Effective Communication Strategies

Apply communication strategies for disclosing errors, consulting clinical colleagues, and dealing with difficult conversations.

Successful Laboratory Leadership: Taking Action and Getting Results

Gain an understanding of how to broaden your sphere of influence for the benefit of patient care and laboratory needs.

Driving Excellence: Tools and Strategies for Managing Quality

Learn how to build a quality management program around the 12 Quality System Essentials.

Achieving Regulatory and Accreditation Compliance

Learn how to delegate tasks, perform proficiency testing, provide clinical consultation, and more to address CLIA and CAP LAP requirements.

Improving Patient Outcomes: Managing Risk and Reducing Errors

Learn the key elements of compliance and how to adapt a compliance plan in accordance with the Office of Inspector General guidelines.

Working Together for Success: Key Strategies for Building Teams

Understand basics of creating, leading, and managing teams and learn leadership strategies for conflict resolution and meeting effectiveness.

Good Laboratory Decisions for Better Patient Care

Explore several aspects of laboratory services, including reporting, choosing a reference lab, analyzing test utilization, and validating new tests.

Additional Resources

Help your practice thrive and grow with the CAP's practice management resources. Topics range from contracting, negotiating, and revenue cycle management to current trends and evolving performance measures.

Please contact education@cap.org with questions.