Much of the controversy over training in diagnostic testing between internship training centers and universities results from the implicit producer-consumer relationship which exists between them. A collaborative relationship is proposed as an alternative, in which the training activities of universities and internship centers are seen as convergent rather than sequential, and universities and internship centers are related to each other through a closed loop feedback system. Assessment is conceived of as serving three different functions, and it is further proposed that allocation of responsibility for training in each of these functions between universities and internship centers should be based on the special facilities and competencies of their respective staffs. (Author)