For the second year in a row, Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories is the gold team winner in the Artel Pipetting Olympics
Artel's contest, held each year during US National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, challenges laboratory technicians to test the accuracy and precision of their pipetting skills against colleagues and other laboratories.
Because operator variability is a major source of pipetting error, proper technique is critical.
The Pipetting Olympics gives technicians an opportunity to improve pipetting skills while participating in a fun, team-building event.
Of the 39 participating laboratories in the Lab Week 2007 Artel Pipetting Olympics, Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories had the lowest average CV (variability) of 0.34%.
AIT Laboratories and Credit Valley Hospita followed closely in second and third places.
The difference in CVs between the first and third place teams was only 0.12%, a closer differential than last year's winners.
Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories will receive the gold team prize, which is a $300 gift card to be used toward a team lunch.
The Artel Pipetting Olympics was held during the American Society of Clinical Pathology's National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, which is an event that recognises contributions made by laboratory professionals to the healthcare industry.
Technicians at participating laboratories tested their pipetting skills at their facilities using the Artel PCS (pipette calibration system).
Facilities not owning a PCS received a system from Artel to be used during the contest.
Tips on proper pipetting technique, such as pre-wetting and maintaining balanced pressure, were also provided by Artel to all participants.
Participating laboratories were able to manage their Pipetting Olympics in a short period of time due to the PCS's ability to provide immediate volume measurement data.
The PCS also enabled labs to rapidly print and compile the results of each individual's pipetting tests to be sent to Artel for evaluation.
Individual gold medals were awarded to technicians with CVs of up to 0.19%, silver medals to those between 0.20% and 0.49%, and bronze medals to those between 0.50% and 1.00%.
A total of 269 individual medals were awarded including 17 gold medals, 115 silver medals and 137 bronze medals.
39 laboratories and approximately 434 people participated in the Lab Week 2007 Artel Pipetting Olympics.
The University of Georgia led in participation with 24 technicians submitting Pipetting Olympics scores.
Artel will also hold individual and team Pipetting Olympics as well as the first Multichannel Pipetting Olympics at the AACC Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo, 15-19 JUly 2007 in San Diego.
