Volume 40 Number 1 | February 2026 Summary The article highlights how clinical laboratory professionals have suffered from shrinking staff, lost autonomy, and emotional exhaustion. It emphasizes the need for visibility, acknowledging their grief, sacrifices, and unmet needs. By validating their sadness, the author argues, workers can begin to adapt, heal, and reclaim their humanity…
Volume 40 Number 1 | February 2026 Summary This article highlights how medical laboratory professionals extend their impact beyond the lab through community engagement and interprofessional collaboration. By working in pro-bono clinics and educational settings, they enhance patient care, improve specimen quality, foster mutual understanding, and strengthen connections between laboratory scientists, clinicians, students, and the…
Volume 40 Number 1 | February 2026 Summary This article emphasizes that every medical laboratory test represents a real patient whose safety depends on accuracy. It highlights how errors can jeopardize care and stresses accountability, mindfulness, and leadership in fostering a culture where precision and ethical responsibility outweigh speed in the laboratory. Reinforcing a Culture…
Volume 40 Number 1 | February 2026 Summary While physicians are often at the forefront of patient care, diagnostic laboratories serve as the backbone of modern medicine. Medical laboratory professionals, though rarely visible to patients, play an essential role in diagnosing diseases, guiding treatment, and ultimately saving lives. This article emphasizes the importance of laboratory…
Volume 40 Number 1 | February 2026 Summary The author traces her path from clinical laboratory scientist to educator, made possible by federally supported graduate funding. She warns that new federal loan limits could restrict access to advanced degrees, shrinking the pipeline of laboratory educators, harming workforce stability, and threatening the future of clinical laboratory…
Volume 40 Number 1 | February 2026 Summary This article outlines how ASCLS members can advance diagnostic stewardship by submitting evidence-based test utilization recommendations. It traces the evolution from Choosing Wisely to Effective Test Utilization, explains submission criteria and review steps, and encourages laboratorians to help reduce misuse, improve patient safety, and promote high‑value care.…
Volume 40 Number 1 | February 2026 Summary Written in the witty voice of Lady Whistledown, this letter champions the often-invisible clinical laboratory. It calls on leaders to recognize, respect, and care for laboratory professionals, warning that neglect, unrealistic demands, and lack of acknowledgment imperil well‑being, talent retention, and ultimately, patient care. Dispatches from the…
Time is Running out to Stop Lab Cuts and Protect Patient Care | ASCLS Joins 230 Medical Organizations to Urge Congressional Oversight of Changes to U.S. Childhood Vaccine Schedule | Apply for ASCLS Awards and Scholarships | Last Chance for CLEC 2026 Regular Registration Rate | and More Time is Running out to Stop Lab…
Whether you plan to spend a few extra days sightseeing, or you hope to get out during your free time at the 2026 Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC), Bellevue and Seattle have a variety of opportunities to experience the unique culture of the Pacific Northwest. The CLEC Host Committee put together a Guide to Bellevue…
CLEC 2026 Closing Keynote to Build Courage for Meaningful Dialogue in Education The Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) Steering Committee is pleased to announce the Closing Keynote for CLEC 2026 will feature Anu Taranath, PhD, and her presentation, “Getting More Comfortable with Uncomfortable Conversations” on February 7, at 10:30 am Pacific. Conversations about diversity, equity,…