2006 Bethesda International Consensus recommendations on the immunophenotypic analysis of hematolymphoid neoplasia by flow cytometry: recommendations for training and education to perform clinical flow cytometry.

As clinical flow cytometry practices continue to expand and immunophenotyping for leukemia and lymphoma becomes more widespread, the need for defined guidelines for training of medical professionals is imperative. Standards of expected knowledge and skills are necessary to ensure reliable test results as well as provide direction to those who are considering adding flow cytometry to their clinical laboratory practice. Before now, no clear guidelines have been established for defining the areas of responsibility, education and training standards, and credentials that would be required to perform clinical flow cytometry for leukemia and lymphoma. As part of the 2006 Bethesda Consensus conference, a committee was formed to address this need and provide recommendations for training and education. The committee included laboratory professionals from private, public, and university hospitals as well as large reference laboratories that routinely operate clinical flow cytometry laboratories with an emphasis on lymphoma and leukemia immunophenotyping. This document represents the work of the committee. Categories of work responsibility are defined and the requisite education, training, and credentials, as well as measurement methods for assessing competency for each area of responsibility are provided. Additional recommendations are included that promote creating a specialty certification in flow cytometry, establishing benchmarks for training technologists and interpreters, and offer suggestions for minimum levels of experience to direct a clinical flow cytometry laboratory.