Influence of Certification on a Pathology Laboratory Professional's Career Mobility

Objectives Competency in managing laboratory careers is important for retaining and ensuring a well-trained laboratory workforce. The objective of this study was to identify predictors for career advancement in pathology laboratories-specifically, whether the number of certifications obtained affects career mobility beyond what is accounted for with personality, gender, experience, and tenure. Methods Cross-sectional data from nonphysician laboratory professionals were collected through a web-based survey tool. These data were examined in the context of a binary logistic regression model to assess how well independent variables predict career advancement. Results We included 170 responses in the analysis. According to the statistical model, the odds of career advancement is significant-70% higher for every additional certification a laboratory profession obtains (P = .018), with other predictors being equal. Moreover, technologists with an outgoing personality (ie, extroverts) are 178% more likely to be promoted from entry-level positions than are introverts (P = .045), all else being equal. The number of years the employee has been with the laboratory (tenure) also contributes significantly to promotion (P = .012). Surprisingly, gender and industry experience do not contribute significantly to laboratory mobility and advancement, after accounting for the other variables. Conclusions Laboratories should provide incentives for obtaining certifications as a way to improve quality and retain workforce talent.