LabU Frequently Asked Questions

Authorware Player I downloaded the Player, but when I open a course and click on one of the lessons, all I see is a big gray "M" in the background. What should I do? Do all of the courses require that an Authorware Player be downloaded? I was able to see the courses at my desk, but I am at a different computer now and I don't see the course content. What should I do? I am trying to download the Player, and I just keep seeing a bouncing red ball. Why doesn't the download work? Lab Director Program If I complete the Lab Director Program, will I be qualified to direct a Moderate Complexity Lab? How many credits are in the program? Must I complete them all? How long will it take me to finish the Lab Director Program? How many assessments must I take? When do I have to complete the courses?

System The course seems slow. Why do I get knocked out of the course and out of the Internet? Can I get the courses in a printed format? I got a message that the "ActiveX control may be good or bad." Should I proceed? Student Information How can I register if I don't have MasterCard or VISA? I haven't received my certificate. What should I do? Why did I receive a CEU Certificate when I requested a CME Certificate? I registered for a course, but I don't see how to start the course. What should I be looking for? My computer is painfully slow, and I just cannot complete the course. Can I get a refund?

Authorware Player I downloaded the Player, but when I open a course and click on one of the lessons, all I see is a big gray "M" in the background. What should I do? The Authorware Player is not working because it was downloaded into the wrong directory. Do the following to ensure the Player is in the right directory: First: Connect to the Internet Minimize the browser window Open Internet Explorer Second: Go to www.cola.org/download.html Follow the download instructions Close the window with a bouncing red ball Click on "Login" to log in to the site Click on "My Courses" to view your courses Do all of the courses require that an Authorware Player be downloaded? No. Be sure to read the last line of the course description to see if it requires the Authorware Player. You only need to load the player one time on each PC you use.  I was able to see the courses at my desk, but I am at a different computer now and I don't see the course content. What should I do? Download the Authorware Player onto each computer you use to view the courses. However, you only need to do it ONCE for each PC. I am trying to download the Player, and I just keep seeing a bouncing red ball. Why doesn't the download work? The bouncing red ball signifies that the Authorware Player has completely downloaded. Close the window with the bouncing red ball. Close the window that offered the Authorware Player. Continue to register for the courses you want. Lab Director Program If I complete the Lab Director Program, will I be qualified to direct a Moderate Complexity Lab? LabUniversity's Lab Director Program provides the 20 Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits in laboratory practice and director responsibilities specified by CLIA as necessary for physicians who do not qualify by training or experience to become a laboratory director of a moderate complexity laboratory. You may complete the program if you are not a physician, but it will not qualify you to be a laboratory director. How many credits are in the Program? Must I complete them all? The Lab Director Program includes 20.5 credits. To meet the CLIA requirements you must complete all the courses in this program. Course CMEs or CEUs QC in the Clinical Laboratory, Pt. 1: Bringing a New Test System On Line 3 QC in the Clinical Laboratory, Pt.2:The Basics of Quality Control 3 CLIA '88 Requirements for the Medical Laboratory 2 OSHA Safety Requirements for the Medical Laboratory 4 Practical Proficiency Testing 3 Laboratory Personnel Requirements 3 Quality Assessment Basics 1.5 Laboratory Director Responsibilities 1 How long will it take me to finish the Lab Director Program? One indication of the time requirement is the number of CMEs or CEUs awarded to each course. Completion times vary from student to student in this self-directed Program. Courses contain links to useful websites that you may spend more time investigating. How many assessments must I take? Each of the eight courses has one to three graded assessments. You need a grade of 80% or higher to successfully complete each course. Your final grade is the average of the assessments taken for the course. Should you need to, you can complete any assessment a second time, and the final grade for that assessment is the latest grade. When do I have to complete the courses? If you registered for an individual course in this program, you have 90 days to complete it. If you registered for the whole program, you have 365 days to complete all the courses. System The course seems slow. Why do I get knocked out of the course and out of the Internet? The problem may be with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the connection speed. Ask yourself these questions: Do I have difficulty getting any other websites to appear? Do I lose my Internet connection on other websites, too, and have to dial in to the Internet again? You may need to call your Internet Service Provider if you are experiencing overall difficulty with the Internet. They may give you guidance on deleting cookies, temporary Internet files, and History. If you are using a dial-up connection, they may be able to advise you of additional new phone numbers that might be faster. Can I get the courses in a printed format? Unfortunately, no. Our courses are designed for on-line delivery. COLA does offer many educational products in hard copy format that you may find useful. Visit the COLA Store for these products. I got a message that the "ActiveX control may be good or bad." Should I proceed? If you are running Internet security software, you may get a message that an ActiveX component will run if you proceed, and that this could be good or bad. We do use ActiveX controls on our web site, and we consider them to be safe. Student Information How can I register if I don't have MasterCard or VISA? You can mail a check, or send a purchase order by mail or fax to COLA. Immediately upon receipt, we register you for the desired courses, and e-mail your Student ID and Password. Mail your check or purchase order to: COLA 9881 Broken Land Parkway, Suite 200 Columbia, MD 21046-1195 USA Fax: 410-381-8611 I haven't received my certificate. What should I do? When you enrolled in LabU, you selected one of several choices for certificate type. If you selected a Certificate for Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits, check the course description to make sure that the course is approved for CME ccredits. If it is approved for CME credits, a certificate will automatically be mailed to you in four to six weeks. If you selected a Certificate for Continuing Education Units (CEU) and the course is not yet set up to allow you to print your own, one will automatically be mailed to you in four to six weeks. If you selected a Certificate for CEUs and the course has an option to print your own, and you don't have a printer, e-mail a request for the certificate, including your student ID, to labuniversity@cola.org. If six weeks has elapsed, and the Certificate has not arrived, perhaps we sent it to an incomplete address. Please call us at 800-981-9883, x 590 to verify your address. Why did I receive a CEU Certificate when I requested a CME Certificate? Some of our courses are not accredited by the University of Wisconsin Medical School for Continuing Medical Education (CME) Category 1 credit towards the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. You were sent a CEU Certificate because the course has been approved for Continuing Education Units (CEU) in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program. You can check the course description to see if a course is approved for CME credits. I registered for a course, but I don't see how to start the course. What should I be looking for? You should have received an email with login instructions. You can also login to www.cola.org and view your account info. Each course you are registered for is listed under "Student History." Click on the login link next to the course title to start the course. My computer is painfully slow, and I just cannot complete the course. Can I get a refund? If you are unable to access a course, you can request a refund. Send an e-mail to LabUniversity@cola.org or call the Help Desk at any time for assistance of any kind.  Help Desk: 800-981-9883 (x 590) [ 9:00 AM to 5 PM EST]