Training for laboratory medicine in India

Abstract

Laboratory medicine education is crucial in India for enhancing accurate diagnoses, improving clinical decision-making, and ensuring quality patient care, especially in the face of a growing demand for skilled professionals to detect complex diseases like cancer and infectious illnesses. It provides hands-on skills for laboratory technologists, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration among healthcare providers, and helps bridge the existing gap in diagnostic healthcare services, particularly in rural and underserved areas. This education is vital for making laboratory services accessible, affordable, and reliable, ultimately reducing errors, improving health outcomes, and supporting the overall development of India’s healthcare system. This review summarizes the recognized available options, for medical and non-medical professionals, in laboratory medicine, from undergraduate to postgraduate level. Career prospects of the course as well as the major institutions offering the course in India are also summarized.