Volume 38 Number 4 | August 2024
Adilene Olvera, MPH, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Today Volunteer Contributor
Has anyone ever wondered if today, in the year 2024, other healthcare professionals still ask this question?
I definitely have! I also wonder what is the current MLS involvement or role in research? Research plays a key role in healthcare, whether it’s for vaccine development or formulating patient care protocols. But who is involved in carrying out these projects? It’s worth diving into this subject, as it contributes to enhancing the overall quality of patient care.
I believe MLS professionals have a lot to offer in the field of research. Interestingly, the last time that major efforts were made to answer this question was in the early 2000s. A 2009 ASCLS task force developed a project to gauge the level of research involvement among MLS professionals. Their findings showed that 32 percent of their participants were involved in scientific research (Laudicina et al., 2011).
As part of my Doctor of Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS) degree requirements, I had the opportunity to develop an impactful research project in something I was passionate about. I am passionate about our field, so I decided to reignite that movement from 2009 by designing an interventional study in which I created an informational video about the MLS field. I used the technology of today to assess the level of awareness, perceived demand, and perceived importance of MLS professionals in research settings among research principal investigators and other research professionals.
This pilot study received responses from a diverse set of participants from all over the world. Over 85 percent of those that were exposed to the informational video found it very helpful in learning about our field. Additionally, the pre and post video analyses reveal a significant increase in perceived importance of different MLS degree programs involvement in research.
One may ask, why? Why strive to place MLS into research? My answer is, because the patients deserve quality results. The doctors and nurses contribute to direct patient care, while research scientists indirectly contribute with their individual knowledge and expertise. The MLS professionals have a strong background in their respective clinical lab sectors. Translational research is described as “bench to bedside” research, and clinical laboratory results contribute over 90 percent of the objective data in patient records (Forsman, 2002; Rhode, 2014), so why not have a clinical expert involved in the research?
It is our responsibility to advocate for our profession, and I hope that this research will have a beneficial effect on the MLS community, research, and overall patient care. Stay tuned for new information on this coming soon.
References
- Forsman R. W. (2002). The value of the laboratory professional in the continuum of care. Clinical leadership & management review: the journal of CLMA, 16(6), 370–373.
- Laudicina, R., Fenn, J. P., Freeman, V., McCoy, C., McLane, M. A., Mundt, L., Polancic, J., Randolph, T., & Shanahan, K. (2011). Research in clinical laboratory science: professionals’ involvement. Clinical laboratory science: journal of the American Society for Medical Technology, 24(4), 235–242.
- Rhode, R. (2014, February 11). The hidden profession that saves lives. Elsevier Connect. https://www.elsevier.com/connect/the-hidden-profession-that-saves-lives.
Adilene Olvera is a Doctor of Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS) Candidate in the Department of Clinical Laboratory Science at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas.