Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) – Another Valuable Membership for Technologists

This past November, I was lucky to attend the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) annual meeting held in Baltimore, MD. It was the 25th Anniversary of the association and it was interesting to see how it had grown over time. I went to a session moderated by members that had seen AMP in its infancy and it was remarkable to hear how the first meeting was a group of people that could fit in one of the small conference rooms, and how it had grown to offering this meeting for hundreds of people from all around the world. They have been on the forefront of the field of Molecular Diagnostics and have worked hard for many causes affecting those in the field. They discussed important events in the history of the association, such as when AMP, along with other groups, sued Myriad Genetics, Inc, on the practice of gene patenting. Myriad had filed patents for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, and thus they were the only ones who could test those genes for patients. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that genes are products of nature, which cannot be patented, and this has led to an increase in choice for patients. This, among many other activities, is the way AMP continues to impact the field. They even had a Day of Advocacy the day before the annual meeting began when a group traveled to nearby Washington D.C. to visit with lawmakers about current issues.

If you are a technologist working in a Molecular lab, this meeting is, I believe, the most relevant one for any technologist to attend. If you are not a member of AMP, consider this a shameless plug for membership. The great thing about it is that the association really does its best to be for every one of its members. At the annual meeting, there are sidebars for each type of member, from technologist to trainees, to pathologists. I attended a lunch for trainees and technologists that included two speakers that described their journey through their different careers in the field. They were available to speak with after the session as well. I also attended an informal talk on the exhibit floor that explained the tools available for technologists through AMP, such as the technologist list serve, where I can email every technologist on the membership list for AMP if I have any questions or issues. They also described the website that guides techs to different types of certification tests and links to study guides. These were both great places to network with other technologists as well. The best thing about a technologist membership? It’s discounted compared to the pathologist membership – it’s only $75 a year and provides access to an account that has continuing education opportunities, as well as a digital subscription to the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. Besides my membership to ASCP, I believe being an AMP member is key to staying up to date in this amazing field.