Consulting

Job Responsibilities:

Internal consultants provide expertise within the institution that employs them. External consultants generally provide contractual services for a number of clients. Responsibilities can include specialization in one or more of the following:

• Operations management
• Education of healthcare professionals and patients
• Human resources management
• Regulatory compliance
• Financial management
• Information systems
• Quality improvement
• Safety

Examples of qualifications needed to perform this job:

• Clinical experience
• Business knowledge
• Interpersonal and communications skills
• Leadership abilities
• Problem-solving skills
• Resourcefulness
• Marketing skills

Additional education needed:

Most individuals in these positions have extensive experience and/or continuing education in their particular area of expertise.

Where to look for employment:

Local newspapers and professional journals or newsletters (ASCLS, Advance)

Networking within professional organizations

Human resources department of hospitals, private laboratories and other institutions

Testimonial:

"In a consulting business each client presents different challenges and needs. Many clients need help in preparing for inspections. Others need technical oversight because the testing personnel are not formally educated in laboratory science. My education and experience in clinical laboratory science has prepared me to help these clients improve the quality of laboratory service they are providing. I have benefited from these associations as well in that it has exposed me to settings other than the large hospital laboratory with which I am most familiar."

Sherry Miner
Partner, The Laboratory Consultants, Inc. of Illinois
Springfield, IL