The Department of Quality Assurance and Laboratory Management was established as part of the institutional restructuring of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences when it became an independent entity for teaching and clinical services in 2011. This evolution led to the formation of the School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, integrating five departments—Medical Microbiology, Medical Parasitology, Clinical Chemistry, Immunology and Molecular Biology, and Hematology alongside the Unit of Quality Assurance and Laboratory Management. Staffed by academics ranging from graduate assistants to associate professors, the Unit provided courses such as Introduction to Medical Laboratory Science, Quality Assurance, Professional Ethics, and Health Laboratory Management for BSc Medical Laboratory Science students and clinical laboratory methods courses for medical and health science undergraduates. It also contributed to Master’s programs in Hematology and Clinical Chemistry by offering management and leadership courses. The Unit achieved a significant milestone in 2020 by developing a curriculum for a master’s degree in clinical laboratory management and quality assurance, leading to its elevation to a full-fledged department. The program admitted its first five students in 2021 and has four enrolled. It offers advanced courses including Advanced Quality Assurance, Advanced Health Laboratory Management, Health Laboratory Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Clinical Laboratory and Public Health Institute Attachment, a Seminar on Current Topics in Clinical Laboratory Management and Quality Assurance, and a Master’s Thesis. Today, the department comprises ten academic staff members actively engaged in teaching, research, and community services.
Teshiwal Deress (MSc)
Head, Department of Quality Assurance and Laboratory Management.