Exploration of continuing education strategies for capacity building of research laboratory technicians: a questionnaire-based investigation_West China Medical Journal

Authors：

WU Pengfei , WANG Denian ,  ZHANG Rui ,  LI Weimin

State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China;

Corresponding?author：

ZHANG Rui, Email: zhangrui521@scu.edu.cn; LI Weimin, Email: weimi003@scu.edu.cn

Keywords：

Research laboratory technicians; competency-based; continuing education model; research support

DOI：

10.7507/1002-0179.202505184

Video：

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Objective To investigate the current status and needs of continuing education for research laboratory technicians, and to provide practical evidence for optimizing talent cultivation in research institutions. Methods In June 2025, a self-designed questionnaire “Current Status and Needs of Continuing Education for Research Laboratory Technicians” was distributed online to laboratory technicians across hospitals and universities in China using convenience and snowball sampling. Results A total of 36 valid responses were collected and analyzed descriptively. Most respondents were female, had 1-6 years of work experience, worked in hospital-based research platforms, and held intermediate technical titles. Half (50.0%) had participated in continuing education fewer than five times in the past year, and 80.6% of training was employer-organized. The most lacking training content was cutting-edge experimental techniques (69.4%) and bioinformatics/data analysis skills (63.9%), while the main barrier was work schedule conflicts (69.4%). Key training needs included bioinformatics/data analysis, cutting-edge techniques, core experimental skills, and interdisciplinary competencies. Moreover, 66.7% preferred a blended online-offline training model, and 88.9% agreed that linking continuing education to performance evaluation or promotion would be beneficial. Based on these findings, this study proposed a competency-oriented continuing education model, establishing a competency matrix across three levels—Basic Operation, Technical Application, and Innovation-Driven Decision-Making—to promote practice-oriented learning and incentive reform. Conclusions Talent development in research laboratory platforms urgently needs to prioritize competency enhancement supported by resource integration. This study provides practical guidance and an institutional reference for building a high-level technical research workforce.

Citation： WU Pengfei, WANG Denian, ZHANG Rui, LI Weimin. Exploration of continuing education strategies for capacity building of research laboratory technicians: a questionnaire-based investigation. West China Medical Journal, 2026, 41(4): 647-652. doi: 10.7507/1002-0179.202505184 Copy

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1. Frenk J, Chen L, Bhutta ZA, et al. Health professionals for a new century: transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world. Lancet, 2010, 376(9756): 1923-1958.
2. 中華人民共和國國務院. 國家中長期教育改革和發展規劃綱要(2010-2020 年). (2010-07-29)[2025-05-13].
3. 中共中央, 中華人民共和國國務院. 中國教育現代化 2035. (2019-02-23)[2025-05-13].
4. 吳思思, 黃強. 科研實驗技師規范化培訓體系的探索與建立. 實驗室科學, 2018, 21(4): 181-183.
5. Salas E, Tannenbaum SI, Kraiger K, et al. The science of training and development in organizations: what matters in practice. Psychol Sci Public Interest, 2012, 13(2): 74-101.
6. Ten Cate O. Competency-based postgraduate medical education: past, present and future. GMS J Med Educ, 2017, 34(5): Doc69.
7. 劉侖鑫, 劉宇, 黃科儒, 等. 基于緊密型臨床-基礎結合團隊的研究生培養教學模式改革的探索. 華西醫學, 2022, 37(11): 1701-1704.
8. 陳新宇, 盧青, 蔡虎志, 等. 以“雙導師”制為基礎的研究生培養模式探討——中醫學專業學位研究生的教學思考. 當代教育理論與實踐, 2014, 6(1): 65-66.
9. World Economic Forum. Top 10 emerging technologies of 2024. Geneva: World Economic Forum, 2024.
10. 鮑捷, 陳洪斌, 祝穎. “互聯網+”實驗平臺醫學技師培養及碎片化教學資源合集建構. 吉林醫藥學院學報, 2023, 44(6): 438, 475.
11. 張磊. “線上線下”混合式教學改革在臨床醫學教學中的研究與實踐. 醫學食療與健康, 2020, 18(10): 201-202.
12. Diemers AD, van de Wiel MW, Scherpbier AJ, et al. Diagnostic reasoning and underlying knowledge of students with preclinical patient contacts in PBL. Med Educ, 2015, 49(12): 1229-1238.
13. Stjernquist M. The case method--a new student-activating method in medical education. Lakartidningen, 2001, 98(3): 174-176.
14. 吳佳陽, 李經緯, 趙哲昊, 等. 基于 SWOT-CLPV 模型的后疫情期線上線下融合的探究式-小班化醫學教學模式分析. 華西醫學, 2021, 36(8): 1022-1027.
15. 李宏敏. 我國高校實施小班化教學的問題及解決策略. 大學教育科學, 2009(2): 32-36.
16. Reinertsen JL, Bisognano M, Pugh MD. Seven leadership leverage points for organization-level improvement in health care (Second Edition). IHI Innovation Series white paper. Cambridge, MA: Institute for Healthcare Improvement, 2008.
17. 張旋, 雷玉潔, 孫曉敏, 等. 腫瘤外科“雙導師制”教學模式的構建與實踐. 中國繼續醫學教育, 2020, 12(11): 41-43.
18. 張雪, 楊超, 趙曄, 等. 臨床醫學專業學位碩士研究生培養與住院醫師規范化培訓銜接后師資隊伍建設初探. 中華醫學教育雜志, 2018, 38(6): 907-910.
19. 王海龍, 劉紅麗, 樊衛平, 等. “雙導師”制結合“閉環”式質量監控模式對醫學病原生物學研究生培養初探. 基礎醫學與臨床, 2020, 40(11): 1604-1607.
20. Emanuel EJ. The inevitable reimagining of medical education. JAMA, 2020, 323(12): 1127-1128.
21. Fairén M, Moyés J, Insa E. VR4health: personalized teaching and learning anatomy using VR. J Med Syst, 2020, 44(5): 94.
22. Zitzmann NU, Matthisson L, Ohla H, et al. Digital undergraduate education in dentistry: a systematic review. Int J Environ ResPublic Health, 2020, 17(9): 3269.
23. Burgess A, van Diggele C, Roberts C, et al. Feedback in the clinical setting. BMC Med Educ, 2020, 20(Suppl 2): 460.
24. Branch WT, Paranjape A. Feedback and reflection: teaching methods for clinical settings. Acad Med, 2002, 77: 1185-1188.
25. Davis DA, Mazmanian PE, Fordis M, et al. Accuracy of physician self-assessment compared with observed measures of competence: a systematic review. JAMA, 2006, 296(9): 1094-1102.

West China Medical Journal

Exploration of continuing education strategies for capacity building of research laboratory technicians: a questionnaire-based investigation

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