LMP launches new Digital Laboratory Medicine Library to advance postgraduate education
Programs: Postgraduate, Agile education
A pleomorphic liposarcoma by Dr. Shahd AlMohsen for the LMP Art Competition 2023
By
Jenni Bozec
The Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology (LMP) at the University of Toronto has launched a newly rebuilt Digital Laboratory Medicine (DLM) Library, marking an important step forward in the department’s approach to postgraduate education and digital innovation.
The DLM Library is a secure, online repository of de-identified, high-resolution digital laboratory images such as scanned and stained slides, paired with concise case descriptions. Designed specifically to support education in pathology and microbiology, the platform brings together modern digital infrastructure with LMP’s long-standing strengths in laboratory medicine teaching.
At launch, access to the DLM Library is limited to users with a University of Toronto UTORid. The initial rollout focuses on establishing a high-quality, sustainable educational resource for residents and postgraduate trainees within the university community.
A defining feature of the DLM Library is its resident-centred design. Cases are contributed by postgraduate trainees and faculty and undergo a quality assurance review. This review confirms that patient identifiers have been fully removed, images are appropriate for teaching use, and accompanying descriptions are suitable for a postgraduate educational context.
“This initiative is about investing in the future of education in laboratory medicine. It creates a shared resource that will grow over time, supports peer-to-peer learning, and reflects the expertise and curiosity of our trainees,” said project lead, Dr. Carlo Hojilla.
The DLM Library also strengthens LMP’s digital teaching ecosystem by providing a centralized, curated collection of cases that can be drawn upon across training programs. High-resolution, zoomable images allow learners to engage with material in ways that closely reflect real-world diagnostic practice, while maintaining strict standards for privacy and professionalism.
The library was launched to residents during Resident Appreciation Week, underscoring the central role residents play in shaping LMP’s educational environment. By contributing to and learning from shared digital resources, residents help build a lasting legacy that will benefit future cohorts of trainees.
As the DLM Library continues to develop, it stands as a tangible example of LMP’s progress toward its strategic goals: fostering innovation, supporting high-quality education, and preparing the next generation of laboratory medicine professionals through forward-looking teaching approaches.
