FDA's National Curriculum Standard Development and Training Delivery and Development (U18)

Project Summary/Abstract
The purpose of this proposal from the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), in
partnership with the Association of Food and Drug Officials, the National Environmental Health
Association and the International Food Protection Training Institute, is to develop and deliver
competency-based, comprehensive and integrated training for regulatory laboratory scientists,
adhering to the requirements of FDA’s National Curriculum Standard. Laboratory data and
information create knowledge and are key to the ability of regulators to make valid, evidence-
based decisions. Coordinated training across disciplines and spanning a professional career
from entry level to leadership is a key component in building the Integrated Food Safety
System.
APHL will employ an industry-accepted instructional design process to:
• Complete competency build out of the laboratory curriculum framework
• Develop, distribute and analyze a needs assessment to determine gaps in knowledge
• Create new content to support the curriculum standard
• Vet existing training by mapping to the competencies and integrating into the
curriculum
• Develop appropriate training opportunities in support of a blended approach to training
• Develop a training action plan and introduce this in a staged approach
These efforts will create a cadre of regulatory scientists with standardized competence in their
discipline, thereby facilitating long-term improvements to the national food safety system.
Achieving these objectives will require extensive collaboration and coordination among the
partner organizations, with federal partners, and with a range of subject matter experts.
Measurement of success will be against stated metrics, refined in consultation with the funding
agency.
This proposal is a new collaboration submitted by APHL, AFDO, NEHA and IFPTI to work in
concert with the Office of Training, Education and Development at FDA. Associations that
represent, support, and guide state and local agencies and laboratories are in a unique position
to effectively and efficiently advance the goals of FSMA and other mandates. The organizations
have a responsibility to educate and train their members and to put forth practice guidelines
that define the field. Leveraging their collective experience will enable the completion of a
national competency and curriculum framework for regulatory laboratory personnel.