CMI - Training requirements

Training requirements for the speciality medical immunology

Introduction
It is part of the responsibility of the Dutch Society for Immunology to establish and monitor the level of quality of immunological procedures in the context of laboratory health care. For this purpose, in 1987 the Society drew up formal requirements for training in medical immunology. Medical immunologists work in laboratory health care. Within this discipline they are responsible for diagnostic immunological laboratory tests. This can be defined as the range of tests which are able to provide understanding of the composition and functioning of the patient's immune system, which is important in the diagnosis of immune disorders and may also provide better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms which cause the disorders. The Society considers the following items necessary to shape and maintain a training programme in medical immunology:

1) Formulation and regular updating of the requirements to be met by training programmes in medical immunology and transplantation immunology
2) Monitoring the quality of the training centres and the training programmes
3) Checking whether candidates for the training programme meet the entry requirements, namely recognition by the SMBWO (see below) as immunologists-biomedical scientists, and approval of their individual training plans
4) Testing the knowledge and expertise of the candidates training to become medical immunologists during and at the end of the training programme; recognition of candidates who have completed their training as medical immunologists and registration of their names in the register of medical immunologists
5) Keeping the knowledge and expertise of the registered medical immunologists up to date by providing regular refresher courses
6) Regularly checking that the knowledge and expertise of registered medical immunologists is up to date. This is done at least once every 5 years for the purpose of re-registration.

The Society has set up a Training and Registration Committee and delegated the six tasks outlined above to this committee. The quality of the training centres (under 2) is assessed by the Visitation and Accreditation Committee (CVA) in collaboration with the Training and Registration Committee (COR). These two committees are coordinated by the Medical Immunology Group of the Dutch Society for Immunology. The COR acts on behalf of the Dutch Society for Immunology and is answerable to the Society.

Content and form of the medical immunology training programme
The medical immunology training programme assumes that the trainee has had previous training as a biomedical scientist specializing in immunology, as regulated by the Foundation for the Training of Biomedical Scientists (Stichting tot opleiding van Medisch-biologisch Wetenschappelijk Onderzoeker = SMBWO). The goal of this training programme is to provide scientifically and methodologically trained immunologists with further training in immunological research in medicine and medical biology. It is carried out in the various training centres in the context of the training programme for research assistants. In practice, immunologists recognized by the SMBWO will always already have PhDs. The SMBWO training programme is an excellent basis for the training programme in medical immunology. However, the training programme in medical immunology is completely focused on the acquisition of the specific knowledge and experience required to carry out immunological laboratory diagnostic tests for the benefit of patient care in a responsible way and to direct a laboratory with this task. To perform this task adequately, during the training programme the trainee must acquire broad and thorough knowledge concerning the pathophysiology of the immune system. In consultation with the medical specialists, the trainee must also become familiar with all aspects of immunological laboratory diagnostic tests and with the evaluation of requests for tests and of the results obtained, against the background of other clinical and laboratory findings. In order to function adequately in a hospital laboratory setting both organizationally and in conjunction with colleagues, during the training programme the trainee must also acquire sufficient knowledge of other laboratory disciplines. Finally, the trainee must acquire knowledge and experience of laboratory management in all its aspects.

More information on the education Medical Immunology in the Netherlands see webpage Education.