The purpose of this blog is to examine current issues, practices and personal directions in laboratory medicine. The long-term topic for the blog will be the development of a laboratory consulting business. The active steps of this process as well as references, suggestions from established consultants and stumbling blocks to the process may be discussed. Additional timely topics associated with laboratory medicine will also be explored.

Sheryl Whitlock, MA, MT(ASCP)BB, laboratory coordinator of Student Health Services at University of Delaware in Newark, DE, is a clinical laboratory scientist with more than 30 years of clinical experience in all areas of the clinical laboratory. She received her Bachelor’s degree in medical technology from the University of Delaware and also has a master’s in education from Arcadia University. Sheryl has more than 18 years of experience in laboratory science education at both the Baccalaureate and Associate’s levels.

Her publications include lab manuals in clinical chemistry, urinalysis and blood bank with Delmar/Cengage Publishing, as well as a full-length text, Immunohematology for Medical Laboratory Technicians. Sheryl also has authored online competency units for National Center for Competency Testing and MediaLab Inc. and recently presented a Webinar on “Preanalytical Variables and the Impact on Quality Test Results.”