Introduction

We are in an era, where investigations are being directed towards revealing derangements of biomolecular events that lead to ill-health and disease. We also see that techniques of diagnosis are being sharpened to be a sensitive and specific, made simple and cost-beneficial. Technological developments and innovations originate in the technologically developed world and with time take root in developing countries. It is an undisputed fact that, we in Sri Lanka, depend solely on foreign technology in diagnostic Clinical Biochemistry, despite us having an enormous potential for developing our own technology to suit our setting.

In the field of Clinical Biochemistry, which is an important discipline in Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine, there is a phenomenal expansion of inputs which cannot be realistically absorbed in to the local health-care delivery system as it exists today. If we were to absorb the new developments into our health care delivery system, we will need to have appropriately educated personnel armed with proper training, to look out for newer innovations, evaluate the feasibility of adopting them in our country setting and be capable of convincing the decision makers about their relevance. Without a challenge or a contest, we should agree that our laboratory-based diagnostic services can be further improved and must be improved to face a new era of health care.

Our universities put out graduates who have the potential for developing the desired skills and attitudes for developing our laboratory-based Diagnostic Services, provided, they are given the education and direction they are expected to possess. The education and training should focus on developing Clinical Biochemists with evaluative, innovative, creative capabilities, in addition to arming them with relevant knowledge. We must ensure that the proposed MSc is not another degree certificate but it means capabilities.