The 2023 Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) will offer more than 40 educational sessions focused on educational theory, delivery, and format; program management; meeting the needs of students; and much more. The program is designed to give you tools and take-aways that you can bring home and implement in your program.
Below is a sampling of sessions that will address some of the issues you may experience in your program. Access the full list of educational sessions to learn more about the dozens of valuable learning opportunities.
Focus on Students Paired Presentation:
The Difficult Task of Teaching Soft Skills
Kristen Pesavento, EdD, MLS(ASCP)CM Loyola University Chicago
Laboratory educators have mastered the ability to teach scientific disciplines but may not fully address the additional interpersonal skills needed to thrive in a workplace environment. Incorporation of opportunities to facilitate the importance of communication, emotional intelligence, and leadership, students can harness the competencies necessary to not only lead in the lab, but in all healthcare.
The Toxic Effect: Addressing Toxicity in the Academic Environment
Dana Baker, MBA, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, The University of Kansas Medical Center
Toxic learning environments can have a negative impact on students as it relates to psychological and emotional safety. Issues such as conflict, frustration, and stress can result from the toxicity experienced in some academic settings. In this session, we will discuss toxic classroom culture and explore strategies to mitigate toxicity when encountered in the learning environment.
Implementation of Game Based Learning in the MLS Curriculum to Increase Student Engagement
Krystina Angelini, MS, SM(ASCP)CM, Radford University Carilion
Jennifer McBride, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, Radford University Carilion
The rigor of the MLS curriculum challenges students to amass large amounts of knowledge and skills within a relatively short time frame, which can lead to student burn out and brain fatigue. This session describes the creation and implementation of active learning strategies in the form of common childhood games to reinforce curricular concepts and increase student engagement.
Developing a Program Evaluation Plan
Janice Conway-Klaassen, PhD, MLS(ASCP)SM, FACSc, University of Minnesota
Program evaluation plans are essential tools for assessment of professional program effectiveness for accreditation and institutional analysis, as well as internal program development. This session will provide a practical approach to the evaluation process, implementation, and reflective analysis to “close the loop” for program quality.
Troubleshooting a Troubling Result: Transforming Case Studies into Immersive Learner Experiences
Shawn Luby, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM University of North Carolina
Interactive case studies offer learners the opportunity to explore unexpected values in clinical testing without the necessity of generating results in a student laboratory setting. The presenter will guide participants through the development of an interactive case study in immunology where learners troubleshoot a questionable result and experience the impact of resolving unexpected clinical values.
Strategies for Increasing Your Program’s Enrollment
Takara Blamires, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, University of Utah
Karen Brown, MS, MASCP, MLS(ASCP)CM, University of Utah
The shortage of laboratory professionals in the workplace continues to be a significant concern. Laboratory science programs can positively impact this shortage by providing more graduates. But how can programs increase enrollment? This session discusses operational changes and recruitment initiatives one program implemented to expand student enrollment.
Developing Best Practices for Simulation in Laboratory Education
Tamera Alpaugh, PhD, MLS(ASCP), University of Minnesota
Lorna Ruskin, EdD, MLS(ASCP), University of Minnesota
Use of simulation in lab education has accelerated due to workforce shortage and clinical placement challenges. While other disciplines have developed sim standards, they don’t align with sim use in lab education. Developing simulation best practices for laboratory sciences (design, implementation, and evaluation) is recommended to provide students with relevant, quality, and transferable experiences.
Focus on Case Studies Paired Presentation:
Altogether Now! Early Introduction of Case-Based Learning for Success in Clinical Chemistry
Cristy Creighton-Moss, MBBS, MLS(ASCP)CM, Andrews University
Clinical chemistry is (arguably) one of the most content-dense areas in the laboratory, with its inclusion of biochemistry, physiology, and pathology. And some students struggle to integrate didactic information with clinical scenarios. Engage students early and often with case-based, active learning strategies intended to improve retention and strengthen neural networks necessary for retrieval of information.
Teaching Case Studies in Immunohematology
Marianne Downes, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM
Original, open-access and Creative Commons licensed immunohematology case-studies will be presented and shared. Additionally, we will discuss ideas for adapting fair-use materials for use to multiple levels of students (MLT, MLS, and graduate).
CLEC 2023 will be held March 2-4 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Registrants have the option to attend in-person or virtually. Register by January 6 to get the early bird rate and save $100 off the onsite/late registration rate.