ASCLS Today

Volume 37 Number 1 | February 2023 The Alpha Mu Tau Fraternity and ASCLS Education and Research Fund, Inc., support the advancement of medical laboratory professionals through scholarships for clinical laboratory science students. Applicants for all scholarships must be ASCLS…

Volume 36 Number 6 | December 2022 Kim Von Ahsen, MHA, MLS(ASCP)CM, SLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President If you’ve had a chance to meet me or hear me speak about my career journey, you’ll know I managed a movie theater before I…

Volume 36 Number 6 | December 2022 Heather Herrington, DVM, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Ascending Professionals Forum Chair Let’s get this out of the way right from the very start—I’m a hypocrite. When I came up with the idea for this article,…

Volume 36 Number 6 | December 2022 Jeremiah Oh, MDxT(AAB), Developing Professionals Forum Secretary, ASCLS-Georgia Developing Professional Director During my time in my academic program, I’ve found that for many students such as myself, topics like patient safety or professional…

Volume 36 Number 6 | December 2022 Miles Tompkins, MLT(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Board of Directors With the challenges that shortages bring to an already exhausted laboratory workforce, it can become easily justifiable for some facilities to grab anyone off the street…

Volume 36 Number 6 | December 2022 Benjamin D. Galvan, MLS(ASCP), CIC, CPH, ASCLS Patient Safety Committee Member As a recent graduate of the Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Sciences Center clinical laboratory science program in 2015, I was rapidly…

Volume 36 Number 6 | December 2022 Diane Davis, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CMSCCMSLSCM, ASCLS-Maryland Board Member and ASCLS Region II Treasurer Accurate reference intervals for transgender patients significantly influence patient safety and are also an ethical obligation of medical laboratory professionals. First,…

Volume 36 Number 6 | December 2022 Carlo Ledesma, MS, MLS(ASCP)CMSHCMDLMCMQLSCM, MT(AMT), ASCLS Diversity Advocacy Council Councilor-at-Large In emergency medical situations involving an exsanguinating patient and the ABO type is unavailable, uncrossmatched group O RBCs is the axiom of clinical…

Volume 36 Number 6 | December 2022 Donna Showers, MS, MT(ASCP), FACHE, ASCLS Region V Government Affairs Committee Chair Healthcare should not be a siloed care delivery model. A well-run healthcare organization has all departments working in collaboration to achieve…

Volume 36 Number 6 | December 2022 Melody Boudreaux Nelson, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM Artificially intelligent clinical decision support systems (AI-CDSS) offer the clinical laboratory a unique avenue for interdisciplinary collaboration in value-based healthcare models. Laboratory data is largely independent values that…

Volume 36 Number 6 | December 2022 Saint Louis University, Quest Diagnostics Team up on Innovative Partnership to Address the Shortage of MLS Professionals Nationwide Amanda Reed, MAE, MLS(ASCP)CM Medical laboratory science, the heartbeat of America’s healthcare system, is in…

Volume 36 Number 6 | December 2022 Elizabeth A. Gockel-Blessing, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM Amanda Reed, MAE, MLS(ASCP)CM Building an online program can put stress on existing information technology (IT) infrastructure. IT infrastructure in this context is defined as the set of…

Volume 36 Number 5 | October 2022 Kim Von Ahsen, MHA, MLS(ASCP)CM, SLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Do you remember the first time you fought for a cause, the first time you learned about advocacy? My mother sure does! She can tell…

Volume 36 Number 5 | October 2022 Claude Rector, MA, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President-Elect ASCLS has long been the preeminent medical laboratory professional organization, in large part due to the contributions of our talented members. However, ASCLS is in the midst…

Volume 36 Number 5 | October 2022 Cheyenne Reyes, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Ascending Professionals Forum Director There are a lot of differing opinions on contract employees, or travelers, in the field of laboratory science. No matter what your view may be…

Volume 36 Number 5 | October 2022 Heather Santaniello, MLS(ASCP)CMMB(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Political Action Committee Trustee, ASCLS Ascending Professionals Forum Councilor-at-Large If you have been to the Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) or the Laboratory Legislative Symposium, then you have certainly seen…

Volume 36 Number 5 | October 2022 The ASCLS Education & Research Fund, Inc., is pleased to announce two new scholarships that will be awarded in 2023. Barbara Snyderman has funded a scholarship called the Snyderwomen Scholarship. It is in…

Volume 36 Number 5 | October 2022 Kerry Toups, MT(ASCP), ASCLS Marketing and Communications Committee Member For the first time in over 20 years, I celebrated Medical Laboratory Professionals Week outside of a clinical laboratory. My former employer set the…

Volume 36 Number 5 | October 2022 James T. Griffith, PhD, ASCLS Past President, ASCLS Government Affairs Committee Advisor As clinical laboratory professionals, we are guardians of certain scientific knowledge, a way of professional practice, as well as an infrastructure…

Volume 36 Number 5 | October 2022 K. Lindsey Davenport-Landry, DCLS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region VI Director There is a continuing need to advocate for our profession—not only for our laboratory community, but also for ourselves. There are Facebook groups saying…

Volume 36 Number 5 | October 2022 Andrea Prinzi PhD, MPH, SM(ASCP) I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Carol Rauch, MD, PhD, adjunct associate professor of pathology, microbiology, and immunology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and an active…

Volume 36 Number 5 | October 2022 S. Renee Hodgkins, PhD, MT(ASCP), DCLS Oversight Committee Member Development of the Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS) has been a long relay race that has passed through many hands. In the document,…

Volume 36 Number 5 | October 2022 Muneeza Esani, PhD, MPH, MHA, MT(ASCP), ASCLS Choosing Wisely Committee The ASCLS Choosing Wisely Committee, in collaboration with the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), has published 10 recommendations for the Choosing Wisely…

Volume 36 Number 5 | October 2022 This recognition celebrates an ASCLS member who has made significant contributions to ASCLS at all levels. This is the eighth year for this award. The recipient will have made significant contributions to ASCLS…

Volume 36 Number 5 | October 2022 Elizabeth A. Gockel-Blessing, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM Amanda Reed, MAE, MLS(ASCP)CM    This is the first in a series of articles addressing 10 questions to consider before you take the “plunge” to start an online…

Volume 36 Number 4 | August 2022 Hassan Aziz, PhD, FACSs, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President, 2021-22 When I was a kid, my dad read me a story about a mouse family. Their names were, Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was…

Volume 36 Number 4 | August 2022 Kim Von Ahsen, MHA, MLS(ASCP)CM, SLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President, 2022-23 I couldn’t have imagined that 18 years ago when I searched the internet for “Iowa + laboratory + professional + organization” that a search…

Volume 36 Number 4 | August 2022 Patient Safety Corner Rose Hanna, DCLS, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, Patient Safety Committee In 2016, Clostridium difficile went through a genus name change based on genotypic and phylogenetic information to Clostridioides difficile.1 C. difficile is…

Volume 36 Number 4 | August 2022 Laura R. Link, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Diversity Advocacy Council Councilor The patient had been feeling “blah” for a few days, with a slight fever (or was it just the June heat?), joint pain…

Volume 36 Number 4 | August 2022 Ali Nussbaum, MA, MLS(ASCP)CM Recently my lab had the opportunity to participate in feedback following the aftermath of an incident that would improve our mission of patient safety for all. A very skilled…

Volume 36 Number 4 | August 2022 Tara C. Moon, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, Clinical Laboratory Science Journal Research and Reports Editor and ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Committee Amber N. Vaughn, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM Maternal mortality is a significant healthcare concern in the United States.1…

Volume 36 Number 4 | August 2022 Carlo Ledesma, MS, MLS(ASCP)CMSHCM, QLSCM, DLMCM, MT(AMT) Magnum Hirschfield, hailed as the father of transgender medicine, pioneered gender studies in the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft (Institute of Sex Research) in Germany, where he cared…

Volume 36 Number 4 | August 2022 Jean Bauer, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region V Director The Greek physician Hippocrates is credited with the saying, “First, do no harm.” While this is not actually a part of the Hippocratic Oath, it is…

Volume 36 Number 4 | August 2022 Stacie Lansink, MS, MT(ASCP) The conversation started just like every other conversation between clinical sites and programs: “How do we attract new MLS graduates?” This time, the conversation ended with a $40,000 sponsorship…

July 2022 Hassan Aziz, PhD, FACSs, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Past President This is a memorable year in the history of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS). This year has been rather interesting for everyone when trying to handle their…

Volume 36 Number 3 | June 2022 Hassan Aziz, PhD, FACSs, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President A former student of mine and a current colleague posted a photo of her new vehicle on social media. It was a very nice vehicle. I…

Volume 36 Number 3 | June 2022 Patient Safety Corner Stacy Walz, PhD, MT(ASCP), ASCLS Patient Safety Committee Chair According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, one definition of the word, community, is “a unified body of individuals, with a common characteristic…

Volume 36 Number 3 | June 2022 Barbara Ann Harvey, MAEd, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Membership Committee It may seem odd for someone who’s spent most of her life roaming from one end of the country to the other to be writing…

Volume 36 Number 3 | June 2022 Deb Rodahl, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Today Editor Community is the theme for this issue of ASCLS Today. Community can be found in the workplace, within the laboratory, or in collaboration with the rest…

Volume 36 Number 3 | June 2022 Beth Warning, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, AHI(AMT), ASCLS Region IV Director Elizabeth Warning, MS MLS How do you begin to explain the community found within ASCLS? When I first became active in the Society in…

Volume 36 Number 3 | June 2022 DeAnne Maxwell, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM, CLEC 2022 Steering Committee Chair Well, it finally happened. We welcomed over 630 educators from across the country at the 2022 Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) in Denver on…

Volume 36 Number 3 | June 2022 The ASCLS Nominations Committee is pleased to present the following candidates for office in the 2022-23 Society year. Candidates selected by the House of Delegates will take office during the 2022 ASCLS, AGT…

Volume 36 Number 2 | April 2022 Hassan Aziz, PhD, FACSs, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Over the years, I have advised hundreds of students. Prospective and current students, as well as graduates, seek my advice on academic and professional issues. Academic…

Volume 36 Number 2 | April 2022 Angela D. Darby, MPH, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region III Director As we begin our third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become clearer than ever that the amazing work of laboratorians in our…

Volume 36 Number 2 | April 2022 Kevin McGuire, MHPTT, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Virtual Learning Steering Committee, ASCLS-Nebraska Awards Chair Fabienne Frederickson once said, “The things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling.” Determining what you are…

Volume 36 Number 2 | April 2022 Tangible, Doable Steps to Make a Difference Judy Garic, MT(ASCP)SC, LSCLS Government Affairs Committee Co-Chair I am a medical technologist with over 30 years of experience, and I was unaware that the American…

Volume 36 Number 2 | April 2022 Cara Bushmaker, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS-Montana Newsletter/Social Media Editor Invisibility. Did we do it to ourselves? Was labeling laboratorians as introverts a valid excuse? Who cares? Maybe we did, maybe we didn’t, maybe you do,…

Volume 36 Number 2 | April 2022 Rodney E. Rohde, PhD, SM(ASCP)CMSVCMMBCM, FACSc, ASCLS and TACLS Mentor Did you know that medical laboratory professionals provide roughly 13 billion laboratory tests each year? Laboratory testing is the single highest-volume medical activity…

Volume 36 Number 2 | April 2022 Daniel Haun, MLS(ASCP)CMH, Chemistry/Urinalysis Scientific Assembly When asked the question in this article’s headline, I first thought, “No way … too routine.” Rethinking, however, I considered the complexity of the task, staff shortages,…

Volume 36 Number 2 | April 2022 Suzanne Butch, MLS(ASCP)CMSBB, DLMCM, ASCLS Leadership Academy Class Coordinator This year the 2021-22 ASCLS Leadership Academy Class began its activities at the ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) in June of…

Volume 36 Number 2 | April 2022 Heather Herrington, DVM, MLS(ASCP)CM, Ascending Professionals Forum Vice Chair The Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh holds an annual event called SciTech Days. It’s an opportunity for students in junior high and high school…

Volume 36 Number 2 | April 2022 Patient Safety Corner Georgia Vega, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Patient Safety Committee “Out of sight, out of mind.” Until recently, that phrase could easily describe laboratorians. As medical laboratory professionals work mainly in the…

Volume 36 Number 1 | February 2022 Hassan Aziz, PhD, FACSs, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Like many industries, healthcare is facing a growing responsibility to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. DEI has been an increasing focus for organizations across…

Volume 36 Number 1 | February 2022 Stephanie Noblit, Esq, MLS(ASCP)CM This article first appeared as a post for the ASCLS Ascending Professionals Forum blog, The Labora-Story. What does it take to be an advocate for the clinical laboratory, or…

Volume 36 Number 1 | February 2022 Alex Shaw, ASCLS Developing Professionals Forum Councilor-at-Large The turn of the 21st century has shifted society to be more inclusive. Our organization has made a considerable effort to promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity…

Volume 36 Number 1 | February 2022 Dana Powell Baker, MBA, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Diversity Advocacy Council Contributor, ASCLS Emerging Laboratory Managers Collaborative Conference Steering Committee Vice Chair Kyle Riding, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Diversity Advocacy Council Contributor, ASCLS Secretary/Treasurer  …

Volume 36 Number 1 | February 2022 Letycia C. Nuñez Argote, MPH, CPH, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Diversity Advocacy Council Vice Chair As a laboratory professional and an educator, I have become more aware of the importance that ideas on diversity, equity,…

Volume 36 Number 1 | February 2022 Lindsey Clark, MPH, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS-Arkansas President-Elect It’s no secret that STEM fields in the United States need a major overhaul when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and the clinical laboratory…

Volume 36 Number 1 | February 2022 Patient Safety Corner Courtney Shrader, MSHS, MLS(ASCP)CM, CPHQ, ASCLS Patient Safety Committee (she/her) Katrina Moreau, MAT, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Patient Safety Committee (she/her)   Patient Perspective “He [physician] had looked at my results for…

Volume 36 Number 1 | February 2022 Carlo Ledesma, MS, MLS(ASCP)CMSHCM, DLMCM, QLSCM, MT(AMT) A pilot study funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Authority (FDA) could provide scientific evidence that can lift the restrictions on gay men/men who have…

Volume 36 Number 1 | February 2022 Stacey Robinson, MS, MLS(ASCP)CMSH, SCYM, ASCLS Region II Director When I think about diversity, equity, and inclusion, I immediately think about the laboratory that I work in. We are a truly diverse group.…

Volume 36 Number 1 | February 2022 Connect and Network with Medical Laboratory Professionals through the ASCLS Mentor Match Stephanie Noblit, Esq., MLS(ASCP)CM, Mentorship Committee Special Advisor It is hard to believe that an idea discussed in a coffee shop…

Volume 35 Number 6 | December 2021 Hassan Aziz, PhD, FACSs, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Our profession is facing difficult times recruiting and retaining the laboratory personnel required to do the work. Even with significant sign-on bonuses and incentives for openings,…

Volume 35 Number 6 | December 2021 Deb Rodahl, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Today Editor Dear Reader, you will notice a clear theme for this issue of ASCLS Today around the topic of professional advocacy. The importance of advocating for our…

Volume 35 Number 6 | December 2021 Constance Stager, MT(ASCP), ASCLS Region IX Director The theme of this issue of ASCLS Today, Professional Advocacy, is one that I have found myself giving quite some thought to lately considering the pandemic…

Volume 35 Number 6 | December 2021 Cindy Johnson MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Past President During my ASCLS presidential term (2019-20), I stressed the importance of advocating for the laboratory profession as well as the professional. I challenged you to find…

Volume 35 Number 6 | December 2021 Christal Lane, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Ascending Professionals Forum Let me set the stage for you … The year is 2020. It’s early in the year, around January. Laboratory professionals in their morning huddles…

Volume 35 Number 6 | December 2021 Pamela Meadows, EdD, MT(ASCP), West Virginia Society for Clinical Laboratory Sciences President Licensure of clinical laboratory professionals is a principal measure that signifies the profession’s focus on quality health care and patient safety.…

Volume 35 Number 6 | December 2021 Rick Panning, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM As a professional organization, ASCLS is well known for its advocacy efforts for the profession with state and federal regulators and legislators. Equally as important is advocacy efforts in…

Volume 35 Number 6 | December 2021 DeAnne Maxwell, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM, CLEC 2022 Steering Committee Chair On a snowy day in February 1994, I boarded a plane bound for Newport, Rhode Island, with fellow Indiana MLS program educators Linda Kasper…

Volume 35 Number 6 | December 2021 Stephanie K. Mabry, MS, MLS(ASCP)CMSCCM, ASCLS Political Action Committee Chair If you’ve ever been to a Joint Annual Meeting or the Laboratory Legislative Symposium, you’ve likely seen the ASCLS Political Action Committee (PAC)…

Volume 35 Number 6 | December 2021 Alex Shaw, ASCLS Developing Professionals Forum Councilor-at-Large As an MLS student and active ASCLS member, I have become more and more aware of the issues that plague the clinical laboratory. There are many…

Volume 35 Number 6 | December 2021 Patient Safety Corner Catherine Otto, PhD, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CMSHCMDLMCM, ASCLS Patient Safety Committee We often think of advocacy within the context of lobbying for personnel licensure in our state legislatures or meeting with our…

Volume 35 Number 6 | December 2021 Angela Tomei Robinson, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM Laboratory professionals are the medical laboratory scientists, laboratory technologists, and technicians who perform and manage the complex laboratory methodology techniques and sophisticated state of the art instrumentation with…

Volume 35 Number 5 | October 2021 Hassan Aziz, PhD, FACSs, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President This year’s Joint Annual Meeting, Lab JAM 2021, with a hybrid combination of in-person and remote plenary and break-out educational sessions, was a huge success. Thanks…

Volume 35 Number 5 | October 2021 Kim Von Ahsen, MHA, MLS(ASCP)CM, SLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President-Elect Last summer, we gathered from our digital spaces for the 2020 ASCLS-AGT Joint Annual Meeting to find a moment of normalcy and a sense of…

Volume 35 Number 5 | October 2021 Claude Rector, MA, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region VII Director In 1979 the Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series over the Baltimore Orioles. During their championship season, the Pirates had a team motto: “We Are…

Volume 35 Number 5 | October 2021 Racheal Nassimbwa, ASCLS Developing Professionals Forum Chair, and Amanda Clapie, ASCLS Developing Professionals Forum Secretary The Developing Professionals Forum (DPF) professionally educates students of medical laboratory science as expressed by the organization’s philosophies,…

Volume 35 Number 5 | October 2021 Effectively Communicate Lab Science for Understanding and Appreciation Joanna R. Ellis, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, CHWI Laboratory professionals’ voices are infrequently heard in public health conversations. Science skepticism and mistrust can influence health behaviors such…

Volume 35 Number 5 | October 2021 Exploring New Career Opportunities in Public Health Heather Kobza, MLS(ASCP)CMMBCM As a student I was always fascinated by infectious diseases. I would find myself reading books like Hot Zone or watching documentaries about…

Volume 35 Number 5 | October 2021 Brandy D. Gunsolus, DCLS, MLS(ASCP)CM A 19-year-old female was transferred to a tertiary academic medical center from an outside facility for persistent hypoglycemia requiring IV D10 infusion. Patient reports the hypoglycemic episodes began…

Volume 35 Number 5 | October 2021 Letycia Nuñez-Argote, MPH, MLS(ASCP)CM In March of 2020, the concerns over deaths due to COVID-19 were on the rise. Then came the travel restrictions, closing schools and venues, wearing masks, and suspending gatherings…

Volume 35 Number 5 | October 2021 Carol Rentas, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Leadership Development Committee Chair What is professional growth, especially as it applies to a medical laboratory professional? It begins with the individual professional. Professionalism is a progression, from building…

Volume 35 Number 5 | October 2021 This recognition celebrates an ASCLS member who has made significant contributions to ASCLS at all levels. This is the eighth year for this award. The recipient will have made significant contributions to ASCLS,…

Volume 35 Number 5 | October 2021 The Developing Professional Leadership Award recognizes a student member who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and who has contributed to the growth and development of the Developing Professionals Forum. The 2021 Developing Professional Leadership…

Volume 35 Number 5 | October 2021 The 2021-2022 Elections were held on June 28 as part of the 2021 ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting. Many thanks to all the candidates who were on the ballot this year!…

Volume 35 Number 5 | October 2021 Pat Tille, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, AHI(AMT), FACSc, AMTF President In 1992, I attended my first national ASCLS Annual Meeting. There was so much going on, I did not even know what to attend to…

Volume 35 Number 4 | August 2021 Maddie Josephs, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President, 2020-21 What an extraordinary year we just had! It was remarkable and memorable for many reasons, good and bad. But the most incredible thing was that we…

Volume 35 Number 4 | August 2021 Hassan Aziz, PhD, FACSs, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President, 2021-22 Today’s healthcare environment is unusually complex and challenging. It is even more difficult due to the pandemic. In times like these, we need strong leadership…

Volume 35 Number 4 | August 2021 Patient Safety Corner Shannon Jongeward, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM “Do more with less.” This adage becomes more and more relevant in the clinical laboratory as the climate of healthcare continues to change. Value-based reimbursement systems…

Volume 35 Number 4 | August 2021 A Tale of Two Patients from Diagnosis Until Now Pat Tille, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, AHI(AMT), FACSc, AMTF President-Elect You may have read about my unexpected diagnosis of COVID-19 and the experience from a personal…

Volume 35 Number 4 | August 2021 Andrew Jones, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM As the COVID-19 pandemic began to materialize in early March of 2020, the medical laboratory community faced countless questions. Many of us asked, “How can we provide testing for…

Volume 35 Number 4 | August 2021 Laboratory Manager Recognized for her Commitment to Patient Care April Nelsen, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Immunology/Immunohematology Scientific Assembly Chair Jennie Riles At Cuyuna Regional Medical Center (CRMC), the commitment to patients and residents is…

Volume 35 Number 4 | August 2021 Mechelle Reeve, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS-Idaho What is joy? Kami McGann is the epitome of joy. And “Choose Joy” became the theme of Hospital Week this year for Valor Health in Emmett, Idaho, where she…

Volume 35 Number 4 | August 2021 Krystal Yu, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Ascending Professionals Forum Secretary, ASCLS Hematology/Hemostasis Scientific Assembly Vice Chair This article first appeared as a post for the ASCLS Ascending Professionals Forum blog, The Labora-Story. Read more from…

Volume 35 Number 4 | August 2021 Ali Nussbaum, MA, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Political Action Committee Vice Chair Does going to Capitol Hill to tell your elected senators and representatives about career-related legislation seem overwhelming or not appealing? Does even reaching…

Volume 35 Number 3 | June 2021 Maddie Josephs, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Diversity and inclusivity initiatives have become more of a priority for many companies and professional organizations. Studies have shown that diversity leads to creativity and improved performance,…

Volume 35 Number 3 | June 2021 Angela Darby, MPH, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region III Director In her recent Golden Globes acceptance speech, Jane Fonda made the following remarks: “There’s a story that we’ve been afraid to see and hear about…

Volume 35 Number 3 | June 2021 Heather Herrington, DVM, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Developing Professionals Forum Secretary A few years ago, I was at a conference that featured a presenter who talked about diversity and inclusion while we were having breakfast.…

Volume 35 Number 3 | June 2021 Kora Freeman and Izabel Hanson Introduction Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a bacterial human pathogen with serious clinical implications. C. canimorsus is known to infect hosts with underlying health conditions and is considered normal flora…

Volume 35 Number 3 | June 2021 Jean Bauer, MLS (ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region V Director In the wake of multiple horrors—the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, the shootings in Atlanta, and the others that we have experienced—we as a…

Volume 35 Number 3 | June 2021 Patient Safety Corner Rose Hanna, DCLS, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Patient Safety Committee Kidney function is best determined by the glomerular filtration rate (GFR); however, it is challenging to measure directly and is not…

Volume 35 Number 3 | June 2021 The ASCLS Nominations Committee is pleased to present the following candidates for office in the 2021-22 Society year. Candidates selected by the House of Delegates will take office during the 2021 ASCLS, AGT…

Volume 35 Number 2 | April 2021 Maddie Josephs, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President In June of 2019, which seems like a lifetime ago, I delivered my president-elect candidate presentation to ASCLS Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) attendees. I discussed the visibility…

Volume 35 Number 2 | April 2021 Deb Rodahl, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM ASCLS recognizes Cheryl Caskey for nearly 20 years of service as ASCLS Today editor. In January, ASCLS President Maddie Josephs posted an item in the ASCLS Open Forum: For…

Volume 35 Number 2 | April 2021 Beth Warning, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, AHI(AMT), ASCLS Region IV Director While we hear about mentoring young professionals within ASCLS, have you considered mentoring even younger individuals who have an interest in a healthcare profession…

Leveraging Social Media to Promote the Profession Volume 35 Number 2 | April 2021 Tera L. Webb, MLS(ASCP)CM, CPHQ, ASCLS Education Scientific Assembly Chair Take a moment to reflect on the medical laboratory profession in the media. When represented in…

A Competition for Cooperation and Learning Volume 35 Number 2 | April 2021 Lisa Hochstein, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region I Director Inter-professional education has become increasingly popular in the health science professions. It is important that students in these professions…

Volume 35 Number 2 | April 2021 Aymen Alsaihati Clinical laboratories are essential to medicine and fundamental to modern research. Laboratory professionals are usually unnoticed and silent due to the fact they are mainly in laboratories and not seen by…

Volume 35 Number 2 | April 2021 Patient Safety Corner Brandy D. Gunsolus, DCLS, MLS(ASCP)CM The COVID-19 pandemic has done many things, including shining a spotlight on laboratory testing like it has never had before. Unfortunately, what it has also…

Volume 35 Number 2 | April 2021 Plans for the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS), Association of Genetic Technologists (AGT), and Society of American Federal Medical Laboratory Scientists (SAFMLS) 2021 Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) are well underway. JAM…

Maddie Josephs, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Few organizations perform advocacy as well as ASCLS. After all, it is one of the Society’s strategic pillars. As the premier organization for medical laboratory professionals, ASCLS clearly has advocacy at the core of…

Sara Oswald, ASCLS Developing Professionals Forum Vice Chair A few months ago, one of my work colleagues was visibly upset when she got off the phone with a provider. The chemistry results for this patient were all out of whack,…

THE EMERGING ROLE OF LABORATORY PROFESSIONALS IN THE COVID-19 RESPONSE Shawn Luby, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM Photo credit: Lisa Ferdinando, U.S. Department of Defense So, what can you tell me about these T-cells I keep hearing about?” This was a question I…

Susan J. Leclair, PhD As with many working couples, my husband and I had an average relationship with our town. We paid our taxes and complained but did little more. After retirement, we started to become more active and thus…

HOW ASCLS-HAWAII MOBILIZED TO SAVE IT Sheri Gon, MPH, MLS(ASCP)CM; Claire Muranaka, MLT(ASCP), ASCLS-Hawaii President; and Kristen Croom, MLS(ASCP)CMMB(ASCP), ASCLS Region X Director The University of Hawaii at Manoa Budget Committee initially recommended eliminating the Medical Technology Program to save…

Terry Kotrla, MS, MT(ASCP)BB, CLEC Steering Committee Chair; DeAnne Maxwell, CLEC Steering Committee Vice Chair; and Dana Powell Baker, MBA, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, CLEC Steering Committee Past Chair CLEC 2021 attendees will have access to more than 40 educational sessions, including…

Stephanie K. Mabry MS, MLS(ASCP)CMSCCM, ASCLS PAC Board of Trustees Chair The ASCLS region with the highest donations receives the PAC-tastic Trophy (top). Individuals who donate $40 or more, receive the annual PAC Pin (above). Many laboratorians see the need…

Stephanie Mihane, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region VIII Director Author Stephanie Mihane advocates for the profession by participating in career fairs. I have decided to take a slightly different approach to advocacy, which is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as “public support…

George A. Fritsma, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM In the June 2020 issue of ASCLS Today, we wrote of the origins and development of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation’s 2012 Choosing Wisely initiative. We likewise described the progress of the ASCLS…

Patricia Tille, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, AHI(AMT), FACSc, ASCLS E&R Fund Vice Chair What student couldn’t use some additional cash to fund his or her education, graduate studies, or research? The ASCLS Education & Research Fund, Inc., (E&R Fund) provides scholarships and…

Maddie Josephs, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the word, virtual, likely had a different connotation to many. I thought of virtual in the context of virtual reality—something that does not physically exist but occurs because of some…

Cheyenne Reyes, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Ascending Professionals Forum Vice Chair Realizing you are in a momentous time in history brings forth a unique sense of self-awareness. Like many others, 2020 has made me question nearly every aspect of my life. Am…

Scott E. Aikey, DHA, MLS(ASCP)CMDLMCM Author Scott Aikey invested in the physical hardware necessary to create a home office space that is defined and conducive to working remotely. On March 12, 2020, I received notice that I should pack up…

Phyllis Ingham, EdD, MLS(ASCP)CM, AHI(AMT), ASCLS-Georgia President Photo credit: Paul Bulai, Unsplash Coping with life as an educator during a global pandemic has reminded me of an expression, “iron sharpens iron.” “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”…

Suzy Jane Gabelmann Author Suzy Jane Gabelmann and her two children all attend separate virtual classes together in their kitchen. Most mornings, my kids and I sit tucked away at our kitchen table, in a makeshift classroom. Pictures of sight…

Suzanne Butch, MA, MLS(ASCP)CMSBBCMCLMCM The 2021 ASCLS Leadership Academy Class began their journey in May. Instead of greeting and getting to know each other face-to-face, the group met virtually for two days and then attended the virtual ASCLS & AGT…

Constance Stager, MT(ASCP), ASCLS Region IX Director The reliance on air travel for healthcare professionals in Southeast Alaska has added barriers to the already complex situation dealing with COVID-19. Photo credit: Steve Halama, Unslpash We have all been impacted by…

ASCLS is rolling out a new and improved Mentorship Program for the 2020-21 Society year. The program pairs up mentors and mentees for one year to create a supportive environment that fosters a feeling of belonging and value as a…

Ian Wallace, MLS(ASCP)CM Throughout our schooling, laboratory professionals are taught the importance of utilizing platelet and white blood cell (WBC) estimates to verify a potential analyzer error or an issue with the specimen tested. However, with how efficient analyzers have…

Maddie Josephs, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Much has been said about the dedication of medical laboratory professionals over the years, and this has only been highlighted during these past several challenging months. I have often said how proud I am…

Beth Warning, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, AHI, ASCLS Region IV Director Meighan Sharp, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS-Michigan Government Affairs Committee Co-chair Most often we hear about resistance to change, where people fear it, run from it, and drag their heels to avoid it. We…

Audrey Folsom, DHSc, MSHS, MT(ASCP) Photo credit: Abdrahim Oulfakir, Unsplash Stress is an inevitable part of life. Some stresses are desirable, such as the birth of a child; some are undesirable, such as the loss of a loved one. Situations…

Laboratory students are facing new issues due to COVID-19, like the transition to online classes, delayed or shortened clinical rotations, and limited access to certification exams. Despite general feelings of uncertainty, many have shown considerable resilience and made the most…

Pat Tille, PhD, MT(ASCP) It is the middle of August and the weather is in the 80s and 90s. There is a global pandemic, so all your interactions are limited only to those you share your household with or close…

BE AN INFORMED VOTER IN 2020 Stephanie Noblit, Esp., MLS(ASCP)CM, Jessica Lawless, MLS(ASCP)CM Photo credit: Tom Arthur 2020 brought forth numerous challenges. Whether you consider dealing with challenges to be fun and exciting, or nerve racking and stressful, this year…

This recognition celebrates an ASCLS member who has made significant contributions to ASCLS at all levels. This is the seventh year for this award. The recipient will have made significant contributions to ASCLS as well as the laboratory field, and…

The Developing Professionals Leadership Award recognizes a student member who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and who has contributed to the growth and development of the Developing Professionals Forum. Nominees for the Developing Professionals Leadership Award were Eykka Gundlach, Minnesota, and…

Maddie Josephs, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President It is an honor and a privilege to serve as the next president of ASCLS. During my candidate speech last year in Charlotte, North Carolina, I addressed the visibility of both our profession and…

Hassan Aziz, PhD, FACSs, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President-Elect Q. There is much to be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, and ASCLS is in a unique position to teach flexibility and resiliency to members who may be just starting in the profession,…

Cindy Johnson, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Past President WOW … what a year it has been! Last year I introduced you to the Johnson Bunch; never imagining that this extremely shy, youngest member of the family would serve as the 2019-20…

Kim Von Ahsen, MHA, MLS(ASCP)CMSLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region VI Director Photo by Tim Mossholder, Unsplash 2020 has been a year of extraordinary challenges—a global pandemic, social unrest, and political uncertainty; however, I believe that it’s also brought a positive focus to…

Kate DeAngelo, MLS(ASCP)CM Being a graveyard employee has many pros and cons. The biggest pro is the glorious seven days off after seven days on. However, overhauling my sleeping schedule from days to nights and back again is undoubtably the…

Kelcey E. Harper, MLS(ASCP)CM I was working the night shift at the hospital after picking up an extra shift. The night shift staffing included one person who covered all departments, including phlebotomy draws for inpatients. After a relatively quiet night,…

Donna J. Spannaus-Martin, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM Photo by Micheile Henderson, Unsplash. Over the next five years, four medical/clinical laboratory science programs will be awarded a little over $9.2 million in Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) Awards by the Health Resources and…

Donna Showers, MT(ASCP), FACHE Lobby noun, plural lob·bies. a group of persons who work or conduct a campaign to influence members of a legislature to vote according to the group’s special interest. verb (used without object), lob·bied, lob·by·ing. to solicit…

Cindy Johnson, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President, 2019-20 Kyle Riding, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Secretary-Treasurer Over the last several months, our ASCLS family has faced an unprecedented global emergency. Laboratory professionals from across the globe have been on the front lines of…

Emilia Marrero-Greene, M Ed, MT(AAB), MLT(ASCP) Author Emilia Marrero-Greene with her daughter and husband. The recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Rayshard Brooks at the hands of police gave rise to important conversations in our nation. The ASCLS…

Terese Abreu, MA, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region IX Director, 2017-20 Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash During my lifetime I have seen many protests, including the one that is in the book I am reading right now, regarding preservation of old…

Cara Bushmaker, MLS(ASCP)CM, 2019-20 ASCLS-Montana President Montana is known as the “Last Best Place.” As I thought about the topic of diversity, I would not have described Montana as a diverse place. I would venture that the feeling I have…

Mary Ann McLane, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Past President Author Mary Ann McLane has been teaching her neighbors in her retirement village about the difference between antibody and molecular tests, as well as teaching them how to use Zoom. Such an…

Meera J. Patel, MS; Subhasis B. Biswas, PhD; and Esther E. Biswas-Fiss, PhD, MB(ASCP)CM* Novel variants of unknown significance are often discovered through genetic testing, which may give rise to the unclear prognosis of pathogenicity. Integration of molecular diagnostic testing…

Cindy Johnson, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Dear ASCLS Family, As I sit down to write this letter, I am reminded daily of the strength and wisdom that have been displayed by all of you as we continue to fight the…

Learning from the Past and De-Weaponizing Disease Miles Tompkins, MLT(ASCP)CM, ASCLS-Oklahoma President, ASCLS Diversity Advocacy Council Chair “I won’t come to your funeral when you die from AIDS.” Despite being almost 25 years since I came out as a gay…

Karrie Hovis, MHS, MLS(ASCP)CM, CQIA Author Karrie Hovis was redeployed to the molecular laboratory to perform the SARS-CoV-2 assay. Monday, March 9, 2020, started like any other weekday. Kids went to school while parents reported to the office. However, the…

Navigating the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in North Dakota Christie Massen PhD, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM The North Dakota Public Health Laboratory staff before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The laboratory capacity expanded during the pandemic through many critical partnerships. Being the laboratory director at the…

George A. Fritsma, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM In February of 2017, George Fritsma and the late Cindy Johns led a Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) plenary session entitled, “Enhancing Laboratory Communication to Reduce Extra-analytical Errors.” The presenters referred to the American Board…

Beth Warning, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, AHI(AMT), ASCLS Region IV Director Linda Gorman befriended author Beth Warning at the 2001 CLEC. Through their friendship, Beth was introduced to more and more opportunities within ASCLS. At one time or another, you may have…

Paula Griswold, PhD, MT(ASCP), and Jessica Dolecheck, PhD Part of soft skills training, ULM College of Health Sciences faculty coordinated professional luncheons where healthcare employers and students interacted for meaningful, social connections. Photo credit: ULM Photo Services Preparing students for…

Courtney Shrader, MSHS, MLS(ASCP)CM, CPHQ Integrating a culture of safety into the clinical laboratory requires hard work and teamwork. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources to help healthcare professionals create or improve the safety culture provided on the ASCLS Patient…

Cindy Johnson, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Merriam-Webster defines visibility as the ability to see or be seen; the quality or state of being known to the public. We have been encouraged by ASCLS passionate past presidents to “Be the Face,”…

Kim Von Ahsen, MHS, MLS(ASCP)CMSLSCM, ASCLS Region VI Director Photo credit: Lewis Ogden As we started the ASCLS 2019-20 year, ASCLS President-Elect Maddie Josephs defined the word visibility in her response to the Candidate’s Question: What is missing within ASCLS…

The ASCLS Nominations Committee is pleased to present the following candidates for office in the 2020-21 Society year. Candidates selected by the House of Delegates will take office during the 2020 ASCLS-AGT Virtual Joint Annual Meeting. Delegates will elect one…

James Hollowell, ASCLS Developing Professionals Forum Vice Chair University of Louisiana-Monroe MLS graduate Jennifer Nguyen at the Spring Into Health event in Monroe, LA. Students used “glitter bug” solution and UV lights to show kids how dirty their hands can…

Kim Alexis Espejo, ASCLS-IL and Region VI Developing Professional Chair The MLS Club at the University of Illinois Springfield participates in campus events to promote the club and advocate for the medical laboratory science profession. Medical laboratory science (MLS), the…

Patient Safety Corner Stacy E. Walz, PhD, MS, MT(ASCP), ASCLS Patient Safety Committee Chair One of the many wonderful resources easily accessible by laboratory professionals, other healthcare professionals, and the general public, is the blog, Lab Testing Matters, sponsored and…

Cindy Johnson, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Many of you have been asked to step into a leadership role that you may not have felt qualified to take on. However, someone had confidence that you could fulfill this role, perhaps with…

Jean Bauer, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region V Director Photo credit: Maciej Ciupa Are leaders born with the ability to lead, or is leadership learned? The answer is both. The road to becoming a leader can start in different ways. Some professionals…

Jessica Lawless, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Ascending Professionals Forum Vice Chair Photo credit: Josef F. Stuefer  As a graduate of Texas A&M University, which has one of the most active alumni organizations in the world, I have always understood the importance of…

Chloe Thompson, MLS(ASCP)CM The symptoms of burnout range from increased cynicism and decreased ability to concentrate on our tasks at hand to disrupted sleep, headaches, and other physical symptoms. Photo credit: Rolf Dietrich Brecher Burnout. We all know the feeling—where…

George A. Fritsma, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM Lt. George Fritsma in 1970 and George Fritsma now. When I joined ASCLS—then the American Society for Medical Technology (ASMT)—in 1970, I was an Air Force first lieutenant directing a lab at Selfridge AFB north…

Lisa Hochstein, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region I Director ASCLS-NY brings continuing education opportunities to all members by holding meetings upstate and downstate in alternate years. In Region I, we have three active constituent state societies. These societies are both large…

Cindy Johnson, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Merriam-Webster defines advocacy as the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal. Advocacy is one of the strategic pillars of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS). The Society works towards…

Jennifer Bushnell, MEd, MT(ASCP) The setting makes no difference, whether business or social. Most of us would agree that a person’s name is one of his or her most valued forms of identity. To use someone’s name correctly is a…

Dana Bostic, MBA, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, CLEC 2020 Steering Committee Chair; and Hassan Aziz, PhD, FACSs, MLS(ASCP)CM, CLEC 2020 Steering Committee Vice Chair Over 500 clinical laboratory science educators, industry partners, and friends from across the country—including around the globe—will come…

Katie Napier, ASCLS Developing Professionals Forum Region IV Representative Katie Napier and fellow students from the University of Cincinnati Medical Laboratory Science program pose in front of the U.S. Capitol during the 2019 Legislative Symposium in Washington, D.C. When I’ve…

Jessica Lawless, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Ascending Professionals Forum Vice Chair Jessica Lawless on Capitol Hill to meet with her congressional representatives during the 2019 Legislative Symposium. In March 2019 I attended my first Laboratory Legislative Symposium. I had been looking forward…

Barbara Snyderman, MLS(ASCP)CM, DLM, ASCLS E&R Fund Vice Chair What student couldn’t use some additional cash to fund his or her education, graduate studies, or research? The ASCLS Education & Research Fund, Inc., (E&R Fund) provides scholarships and grants available…

Kristen Croom, MLS(ASCP)CMMBCM, ASCLS Region X Director ASCLS-Hawaii participates in the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine’s Joint Health Opportunities Conference. Members of ASCLS-Hawaii volunteer at a Girl Scouts STEM Fest. Typically, advocacy is thought of as…

Brandy Gunsolus, DCLS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Patient Safety Committee Vice Chair, ASCLS Representative to the Coalition to Improve Diagnosis The Coalition to Improve Diagnosis hosted an annual in-person meeting November 10-13 in Washington, D.C., where coalition representatives met to discuss what…

Cindy Johnson, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Life-long learning is critical to laboratory professionals maintaining their expertise and advancing in their careers, as well as advancing the profession. ASCLS develops and delivers educational programming to assure that laboratory professionals acquire that…

Beth Warning, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region IV Director Congratulations! You may have just celebrated 40 years as a medical lab professional and are looking forward to retirement. You may be known as the coagulation guru, the “pee queen,” or the…

Brandy Gunsolus, DCLS, MLS(ASCP)CM Medical laboratories are continuously faced with more obstacles. However, the theme is inherently the same: do more with less. I have seen laboratories pinch pennies in an effort to make budget when supplies, shipping costs, and…

W. Jon Windsor, MLS(ASCP)CM Figure 1: A map of endemic areas (in yellow) for A. americanum Imagine all of your absolute favorite foods. Now, what if every time you enjoyed one of those foods, several hours later you were plagued…

Suzanne Butch, MA, MLS(ASCP)CMSBBCMCLMCM The 2019-20 ASCLS Leadership Academy class met for two days before the ASCLS-AGT Joint Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, last June. The group got to know each other while enthusiastically performing group activities, listening to…

Karrie Hovis, MHS, MLS(ASCP)CM, CMP, CQIA The 2021 Tri-State Meeting will be held April 5-8 in New Orleans and will host ASCLS-Mississippi, the Louisiana Society for Clinical Laboratory Science, and the Texas Association for Clinical Laboratory Science. Photo credit: Eric Gross…

Nearly 700 laboratory professionals and colleagues came together in Charlotte, North Carolina, as part of the first Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) of ASCLS and the Association of Genetic Technologists (AGT). This partnership between ASCLS and AGT resulted in expanded educational…

Cindy Johnson, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President ASCLS exists to advance the expertise of clinical laboratory professionals who, as integral members of interprofessional healthcare teams, deliver quality, consumer-focused, outcomes-oriented clinical laboratory services through all phases of the testing process to prevent,…

Maddie Josephs, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President-Elect Q. What is missing within ASCLS or other laboratory professional organizations that limits our ability to recruit and maintain members? A. While I would like to address this issue within ASCLS, I suspect the…

Janelle M. Chiasera, PhD, ASCLS Region III Director Figure 1: The Golden Circle and The Human Brain This past spring ASCLS provided a unique opportunity for members to participate in a leadership book discussion. The book selected for discussion was…

Kathy Doig, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CMSHCM ASCLS and AGT members who played critical roles in negotiating the NCA and BOR merger and who served on the initial Board of Governors of the BOC came together during the 2019 Joint Annual Meeting in…

Eykka Gundlach, Chair I am a student at the University of Minnesota and currently in clinical rotations. I’ll graduate with my BS in medical laboratory science in December. When I’m not focused on schoolwork, I enjoy knitting and spending time…

The Lifetime Achievement Award honors a member who has made remarkable contributions to ASCLS and the laboratory field, and who, by outstanding example, has inspired others. Nominees for the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award were: Cheryl Caskey, Louisiana; John Landis, Michigan;…

Each year, the ASCLS Board of Directors honors those individuals who have made a significant contribution to ASCLS this past year. The following members were recognized with plaques: Candice Grayson, 2019 Chair for CLEC in Baltimore Jillene Collins, 2019 Chair…

Rachel Hulse, EdD, MLS(ASCP)CM ISU’s 2018-19 cohort attending the ASCLS-Idaho 2019 Spring Convention. Members of the ASCLS-Idaho leadership awarding students on their research projects during the scientific assembly session. Membership in professional organizations, such as ASCLS, offers a myriad of…

Cindy Johnson, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, 2019-20 ASCLS President Who would have ever imagined that the extremely shy, youngest member of the “Johnson Bunch” would be your next president of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science? I am truly honored to…

Roslyn McQueen, PhD, CCRC, ASCLS Past President It has been a distinct honor for me to serve as the 2018-19 president of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. I believe in ASCLS and recognize it as an essential organization…

Zac Lunak, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, HTL(ASCP) A histotechnician embeds patient tissue into a mold. Photo credit: Ilka Cole A histotechnician uses a microtome to cut samples of patient tissue. Photo credit: Tech Sgt. Liliana Moreno As medical laboratory professionals, many of…

Floyd Josephat, EdD, MT(ASCP) The clinical education practicum serves as an intricate connector in our journey from the classroom curriculum to real work responsibilities. It has become a key component in both hospital and university-based clinical laboratory science programs. This…

Joshua J. Cannon, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS-PA President This redesigned website serves as a resource for students or recent graduates who are interested in, but know very little about, careers in the laboratory sciences. Have you visited the new and improved…

Maddie Josephs, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President-Elect and Past Region I Director New England ASCLS History At the 2019 ASCLS-AGT Joint Annual Meeting in Charlotte this June, I spoke with several new leaders who asked a variety of questions about the…

Raedean Hiebert, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS-Minnesota 2018-19 President One of the most interesting things about being a member of ASCLS is the people you meet and the stories they tell of their journeys in the profession. Each one of us has…

Mary Ann McLane, PhD, ASCLS Past President Back in 2017, when I received the ASCLS Lifetime Achievement Award, I commented that, “Retirement does not mean that I am dead. You haven’t seen anything yet!” Retirement became a true reality in…

At the 2019 Joint Annual Meeting, ASCLS recognized 22 members who achieved the 50 Years of ASCLS Membership Milestone. This impressive list includes Susan Leclair and Cheryl Caskey, two members who personify the meaning of #Lab4Life. Susan was a founder…

Roslyn McQueen, PhD, CCRC, ASCLS President Throughout the year, my ASCLS Today articles have focused on the theme of ASCEND – Exemplifying Sustainable Excellence in Laboratory Medicine. ASCEND represents the call to action for an organization experiencing change and transformation.…

Stephanie Mihane, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region VIII Director As healthcare becomes more consumer focused, the need for immediate results continues to drive the ever-increasing demand for point of care testing. Photo credit: Philips Communications I have been a point of care…

Beth Warning, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region IV Director The Area Health Education Center (AHEC) organizes the Health Careers Showcase (top) and Health Career Explorer program (bottom) to recruit high school students into healthcare careers, including medical laboratory science. We are…

THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CARE Kim Von Ahsen, MHA, MLS(ASCP)CMSLSCM, ASCLS Region VI Director Doing little acts of kindness are another form of self-care, which is essential to your overall health. I love the ritual of having a cup of coffee…

Carolyn Sabady, PBT(ASCP) Top: Graduates of the ACL Laboratories (AdvocateAurora Health) phlebotomy training program. Bottom: Author Carolyn Sabady is phlebotomy supervisor at ACL Laboratories. There is an urgent need across the country for phlebotomists. According to the Bureau of Labor…

Thanh Nguyen, MLS(ASCP)CM As I researched career opportunities for medical laboratory scientists (MLSs) back in 2016, I found a very disturbing issue. My home state of Nebraska and nearby Iowa were not states with personnel licensure requirements for laboratory professionals.…

Cheyenne Reyes, MLS(ASCP)CM From left: Jessica Lawless and Cheyenne Reyes visited the staff of John Kennedy, senator from Louisiana, during the 2019 Legislative Symposium. My first Legislative Symposium was an experience that I will forever remember. Being able to see…

Justin Hanenberg, MLS(ASCP)CM From left: Justin Hanenberg and Amanda Fulton organized a social gathering for ASCLS-CA at Angel City Brewery during their Oktoberfest celebration. And Justin represented ASCLS-CA at the 2019 Legislative Symposium in Washington, D.C. Major changes are coming…

Roslyn McQueen, PhD, CCRC, ASCLS President The education pillar in our strategic map is supported by strategies to expand continuing education, as well as promote professional development and ethical standards. As I write this article, June is right around the…

Julie Bayer-Vile, MS, MLS(ASCP)CMSCCMMBCM Delegates to the ASCLS House of Delegates (HOD) discuss Society business and governance that is voted on by the HOD during the 2018 Annual Meeting in Chicago. Having been a member of ASCLS for almost five…

IMPROVING PATIENT AUTONOMY OR RISKING PATIENT SAFETY? Brandy D. Gunsolus, DCLS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Patient Safety Committee Member In traditional healthcare, all patients visit their physicians, receive a laboratory order for tests, results are sent to their physicians, and the physician…

Cheyenne Reyes, ASCLS Region VII Developing Professional Representative Photo credit: CDC/ Jim Gathany While completing her degree in medical laboratory science, Cheyenne Reyes worked as a phlebotomist. This gave her a unique perspective of the laboratory through the eyes of…

HAVE IT ALL AT A WASHINGTON STATE SEMINAR Leslie Nakagawa, MLS(ASCP), ASCLS-WA President Coastal beaches, mountain views, and wine country all contribute to the natural beauty of Washington State. Each of the seasons brings out a different type of scenery…

Creating Stronger and Financially-Sustainable Clinics in Haiti Tim Randolph, PhD, MT(ASCP) Randolph World Ministries, Inc., is operated by Tim and Liz Randolph out of their home. They make two annual medical mission trips to Haiti with teams that have included…

Alison Rossdeutscher, MLS(ASCP)CM Case History A 70-year-old male was transported by EMSA to the hospital after falling in his home. The patient had an established diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS). This disease…

Roslyn McQueen, PhD, CCRC, ASCLS President ASCLS is a premier organization whose mere existence enhances the quality of laboratory medicine and the quality of healthcare. We are the “best and the brightest,” yet we still struggle with membership participation. We…

Maddie Josephs, MS, MT(ASCP), ASCLS Region I Director Catie recently completed the MLT program at the Community College of Rhode Island, which changed her life. As an educator, I have an opportunity to meet a wide variety of students, from…

The ASCLS Nominations Committee is pleased to present the following candidates for office in the 2019-20 Society year. Candidates selected by the House of Delegates will take office at the 2019 ASCLS Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. {/textblock_content}[/yee_text_block][yee_accordion onclick_position=”text”…

Joanna Ellis, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, CHWI Future Peruvian laboratory professional with Professor Ellis at the microscope. Francisco James and Jamie Vreeland perform anemia screening in Aco, Peru. From left: Jennifer Pemp, Ashley Wells, Professor Ellis, Ashleigh Graham, and Idahlia Bland in…

Ally Storla, MLS(ASCP)CM ASCLS members volunteer at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C., in the ASCLS booth to introduce kids and adults to medical laboratory science. Science festivals are events designed to spread the excitement and fun…

Roslyn McQueen, PhD, CCRC, ASCLS President As this is my first column of 2019, it is a good time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. In this month’s column, I will share my personal journey to…

Courtney Bennetts, ASCLS Region IX Student Representative Genaro Hernandez, Jr., MLT(ASCP), ASCLS Oregon Student Representative Region IX ASCLS Region IX members gathered at the 2018 ASCLS Annual Meeting in Chicago. ASCLS invests significant resources in student development to provide opportunities…

Floyd Josephat, EdD, MT(ASCP), ASCLS Education Scientific Assembly Chair The CPA program is an advanced-practice program for the medical laboratory science profession with emphasis on the clinical aspects of laboratory medicine. Photo courtesy UAB. Sam Cook mentioned about 50 years…

HOW A NEW SPECTROPHOTOMETER ADDS NEW DIMENSIONS OF LEARNING AND DISCOVERY IN CLINICAL LABORATORY EDUCATION Gerald D. Redwine, PhD, MT(ASCP), ASCLS Chemistry/Urinalysis Scientific Assembly Chair Technology has taken cognition to the highest levels of learning in our labs, especially the…

Terese Abreu, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region IX Director The other morning, I drove down a street I’ve driven down every week for 10 years and noticed a new bakery and deli. I stopped in to check it out and discovered it…

Barbara Snyderman, MLS(ASCP)CM, DLM, ASCLS E&R Fund, Inc., Vice Chair What student couldn’t use some additional cash to fund their education, graduate studies, or research? The ASCLS Education & Research (E&R) Fund, Inc., provides scholarships and grants for students enrolled…

Michelle Moy, MAdEd, MT(ASCP)SC, 2017-18 ASCLS Promotion of the Profession Committee Chair Chicago Public School children received the school supplies donated by ASCLS members during 2018 Annual Meeting. At the 2018 ASCLS Annual Meeting in Chicago, the Society collected school…

Roslyn McQueen, PhD, CCRC, ASCLS President The theme for the 2018-19 ASCLS program year is “Exemplifying Sustainable Excellence in Laboratory Medicine” with ASCEND as the acronym that represents six key target areas. Each ASCLS Today column will be devoted to…

TIPS ON MANAGING YOUR LIFE LIKE A SUCCESSFUL RINGMASTER Kristen Croom, MLS(ASCP)CMMBCM, ASCLS Region X Director Do you ever get the feeling that you are the ill-prepared ringmaster in your very own three-ring circus? Lions and clowns are running around,…

THE STRUGGLE TO FIND BONE MARROW DONORS FOR MULTIRACIAL PATIENTS Amanda Fulton, MB(ASCP)CM This past year I began a new position in the Histocompatibility Laboratory (HLA) at City of Hope. In this new role I search the national and worldwide…

Paula L. Griswold, PhD, MT(ASCP), and Stacy Starks, PhD In today’s world and academic environment, keeping classroom content stimulating while promoting student engagement are challenges faced by professors throughout academia. Classroom interactions need to be engaging and thought-provoking to allow…

Jennifer Bushnell, MEd, MLS(ASCP)CM Diversity is often interpreted as a complex web of issues involving individuals who differ in ethnicity, religion, political beliefs, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, and many other types of attributes. Although some individuals may never agree upon…

Ally Storla, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Georgia President Elect ASCLS Georgia is a unique state society that enjoys strong bonds from longtime members who provide their expertise and leadership experience before passing the torch to the Ascending Professionals. ASCLS Georgia has annually…

Roslyn McQueen, PhD, CCRC, ASCLS President I am excited to begin the 2018-19 ASCLS year under the theme, “ASCEND – Exemplifying Sustainable Excellence in Laboratory Medicine.” The organization will answer the call to action, addressing the critical issues that impact…

Janelle M. Chiasera, PhD, Region III Director The Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued a recommendation to move healthcare institutions toward becoming high reliability organizations (HROs). An HRO is defined as an organization whose clients can count on the organization to…

Deb Rodahl, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Past President It has been my honor and privilege to serve as ASCLS president for the last year. I am a firm believer in the value that ASCLS brings to the clinical laboratory sciences profession…

Maria Rodriguez, MLS(ASCP)CM My high school counselor used to quote Pablo Neruda at the end of every academic year: “Nosotros, los de entonces, ya no somos los mismos.” This quote was his eloquent way of making us reflect on how…

Kristy Andrus, MLT(ASCP)CM My journey to become a licensed, certified MLT has surely been a long and rewarding one. I have been interested in the medical profession since I was a child. The difficulties and challenges I would have to…

The Lifetime Achievement Award honors a member who has made remarkable contributions to ASCLS and the laboratory field, and who, by outstanding example, has inspired others. Nominees for the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award were: Judy Davis, Tennessee; Kathleen Finnegan, New…

Promotion of the Profession Committee Award winners Leon Headley, 50-year member Constituent Society Members of the Year Chicago was the site of the 86th Annual ASCLS Awards Ceremony, made possible by volunteer support of the Awards Committee, awards judges, ASCLS…

Alpha Mu Tau Fraternity provided $45,000 in scholarships to the following students: AMTF Graduate Scholarship: Whitney Strosnider, Virginia Dorothy Morrison Scholarship: Ryan Barry, New York Eleanor Parchman Scholarship: Morgan Fisher, Virginia Ida & May Reilly Undergraduate Scholarship: Mariah Alanis, Oregon…

Scientific Assembly Professional Achievement Award winners Scientific Assembly Professional Achievement Award recognizes outstanding professional achievement of an ASCLS member within his or her chosen academic, scientific, and vocational interest. Laboratory Administration/Consultant/Quality/Accreditation/Industry: J. R. Constance Chemistry/Urinalysis: Dyan Monte Verde Microbiology/Public Health:…

New Professional Leadership Award nominees The Student Forum Leadership Award recognizes a student member who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and who has contributed to the growth and development of the Student Forum. Nominees for the Student Forum Leadership Award were:…

Stephanie K. Rink, MS, MLS(ASCP)CMSCCM, ASCLS PAC Chair Members of ASCLS-MI meet with Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow. For me and many ASCLS members, the Legislative Symposium in Washington, D.C., each March is the most anticipated event of the year. The…

Deb Rodahl, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM, 2017-18 ASCLS President Over the last few months, I have had the pleasure of attending four of our constituent society spring meetings. Our spring meetings are such a great opportunity to experience all the benefits of…

Holly Weinberg, MLS(ASCP)SH, Region Region VIII Director  The Region VIII Leadership Academy (R8LA) graduated our fifth class of Interns at the ASCLS Annual Meeting in Chicago this summer. Now that we’ve been running for a few years, it’s time to…

Bev McCarron, Rutgers University The patient, a quadriplegic with an irregular heartbeat, was set to get a pacemaker when a test came back suggesting he had pneumonia, delaying surgery and lengthening his hospital stay. But when a medical team consulted…

Linda Hickok, MLS(ASCP)CM, Political Action Committee Secretary The ASCLS/Political Action Committee (PAC) is a voluntary nonprofit organization created to provide financial and educational support for the election campaigns of responsible candidates for Congress. All PACs are legal, ethical, and strictly…

Cherika Robertson, MEd, MLS(ASCP)CM Excited. Nervous. Intimidated. Those were my initial feelings upon first arriving in Washington, D.C., for the 2018 Legislative Symposium. I had never thought of myself as being interested in politics, or much less as a lobbyist.…

Kyleigh Ellis, 2017-18 Region VII Student Representative Achieve teaching and academic excellence with the new ASCLS Laboratory Educator Institute. This online institute assists with professional development in critical areas that include education/teaching, administration/leadership, clinical practice, and research. The institute includes…

Rachel L. Alexander, MS, MB(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Molecular Diagnostics Scientific Assembly Vice Chair, Technical Supervisor for MicroGenDX As a 2011 master’s degree graduate of the Texas Tech Health Science Center Molecular Pathology program, I was bright-eyed and eager to begin my…

S. Renee Hodgkins, PhD, MT(ASCP); Jennifer Jones, MLS(ASCP)CM A 43-year-old female presented with syncope one day after routine umbilical hernia repair surgery. A CT scan revealed an abdominal wall hematoma. The patient rapidly progressed to multi-organ failure requiring continuous renal…

Kim Von Ahsen, MHA, MLS(ASCP)CM, SLSCM, Region VI Director It doesn’t take a scientist to figure out that the demand for one’s time is probably the greatest pressure in today’s society. Pressure to work more due to shortages in the…

Cherika Robertson, MEd, MLS(ASCP)CM Clinical laboratory science has a deep history. The Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, Arkansas, is an example of this long running, prestigious history. UAMS…

Lindsey Keill, MLS(ASCP)CMSBB; Stacie Lansink, MS, MT(ASCP); April Nelson, MLS(ASCP)CM; Tiffany Montalvo, MLS(ASCP)CM A 22-year-old female presented to the blood bank to donate blood. A type and screen were performed. The donor typed as B-positive with a positive antibody screen.…

James March Mistler, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS-CNE President, Diversity Advocacy Council Chair When one thinks of LGBT+ rights, one may automatically think of marriage equality, political movements, employment rights, or even education. But one issue that is often overlooked is healthcare.…

Shannon Billings, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, Laboratory Manager, Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center, Las Vegas, Nevada Most mass casualty stories are told from the point of view of the victims or the first responders, the doctors, medics, nurses, or police.  This is…

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Ally Storla, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Georgia President-Elect Debora Ardis, MT(AMT) Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (MLPW) is an exciting time of the year. This year, MLPW will be held April 22 through 28. Every hospital is different and for some, MLPW is…

Marianne T. Downes, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM The American Red Cross reports that in the United States, platelet transfusions are needed every 30 seconds.i This translates into a need of over 1 million platelet units annually. Platelets are clinically useful in a…

Andrea Pitkus, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Informatics Scientific Assembly Vice Chair Informatics is the study of data, and their use. Often, but not always, the data may be in information or computer systems. Health informatics is, therefore, the generation and use…

D. Wayne Wilson, B.S., MT(AMT) Medical laboratory scientists use their acquired scientific knowledge to correlate a patient’s medical history and laboratory results to validate the patient’s diagnosis. The new information presented is influential in interpreting results, as should be the…

ASCLS invites all members to present their research or other relevant findings at the Annual Meeting Poster Competition to be held during the 86th ASCLS Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois. The purpose of the event is to allow ASCLS members…

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Judy Moore, B.S. Current blood banking policies in the United States require screening blood donors for behaviors that might increase their risk of infectious disease and then deferring them if necessary. Donor blood is also screened by serological and nucleic…

Halcyon St. Hill, Ed.D., M.S., MLS(ASCP)CM, FASAHP, ASCLS Diversity Advisory Council Member Diversity and inclusiveness are not just buzz words; they are terms that address the uniqueness of each individual and extend beyond our perceptions of each person. Perceptions are…

Jessica McMahon, Maeve Montesi, Sara Downie As three University of Delaware Medical Laboratory Sciences students, we had no idea what to expect at our first ASCLS Legislative Symposium in Washington, D.C. We were unfamiliar with what lobbying was, how it…

Maria Rodriguez, ASCLS Student Forum Chair  If I received a dime every time I needed to explain what Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) is, I would have more money than Bill Gates. The first 100 times that people asked me I…

Nadine Fydryszewski, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region II Director As we move through the phases of our life, we are constantly challenged with balancing our personal and professional lives. We are often in conflict with regard to all we must do…

Deb Rodahl, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President I am a firm believer in the value that ASCLS brings to the Clinical Laboratory Sciences profession and to the practitioners within this profession. ASCLS has helped shape who I am professionally and personally,…

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Pat Tille Ph.D. MT(ASCP) FACSC Region V Director In 1992, as a young professional I began a journey in medical laboratory science. As a student with a degree in biological science, I was unsure of what I wanted to pursue…

Ally Storla, MLS(ASCP) Social media has changed how we communicate and connect in the information age. We’ve never been able to spread ideas or connect with each other so easily. Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Reddit, Instagram: all of these provide us…

The New Professionals and New Members Forum is showcasing a member who exhibits pride in ASCLS, demonstrates hard work, and has excellent leadership skills. For this issue, we would like to spotlight Gretchen Brocksmith.  Gretchen received her Bachelor of Science…