The clinical microbiology laboratory director in the United States hospital setting.

Clinical microbiology laboratory directors come from diverse backgrounds with overlapping but not identical training experiences. Although director responsibilities are defined by CLIA legislation, there is no standardization of job descriptions among hospital or university settings. One job that would make the microbiology director indispensable, if done well, is clinical consultation. Other challenges include attracting and educating future directors, expanding income opportunities through novel business plans and research funding, increasing doctoral-level professional staffing to provide clinical, administrative, educational, and scientific competencies, cooperating with fellow laboratory directors to merge novel technical methods with appropriate clinical interpretation, and participating in the political process to drive legislation toward excellence in patient care. Conversation among medical microbiologists is needed to focus efforts on defining, standardizing, and improving our performance as CML directors.