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 together next month in Orlando, Florida, for the 36th Annual Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference. We are elated to serve as chairs for this upcoming meeting, and on behalf of the 2020 CLEC Steering Committee, we are thrilled about this upcoming annual conference, February 27-29.
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| The CLEC 2020 Program includes more than 20 poster presentations. |
“The CLEC 2020 program is full of diverse, thought-provoking sessions designed to inspire educators and to impart positive take-aways that can be applied at your respective academic institutions.”
The committee worked hard to put together a dynamic program filled with sessions to inform and inspire meeting attendees. This annual event is the premier educational conference for faculty, administrators, directors, advisers, and others in clinical laboratory science education. Whether this is your first time attending CLEC or you are an experienced CLEC attendee, we endeavored to create a program that offers a variety of sessions that will cater to the needs of all attendees.
We heard requests from previous attendees for more content related to program directors, first-time instructors, and clinical site placement, to name a few. These topics (and more) are reflected in the full program available online.
WHAT’S NEW
New Educator’s Workshop (NEW). We are excited that NEW will be offered on Thursday, February 27, in the morning before CLEC begins. This two-and-a-half-hour workshop will address some of the pressing needs of those new to educator positions in clinical laboratory science-related programs. Presented by the ASCLS Committee for Education Programs and Initiatives (CEPI)—a subcommittee of the ASCLS Education Scientific Assembly (ESA)—NEW is designed to assist early-career educators with their transition from the clinical laboratory into teaching roles within academia and support their professional development. NEW attendees will have the opportunity to engage with presenters and fellow educators via interactive presentations, discussions, and peer-to-peer learning activities.
Session Formats. In an effort to accommodate the scheduling of more dynamic sessions, the Steering Committee opted to transition from 90-minute plenary sessions to 60-minute session blocks. The program includes a number of speed learning session blocks, made up of three 20-minute speed learning presentations. The goal of the speed learning format is to highlight innovative topics and to pair relevant content within the allocated session block. The number of general sessions has been limited to further diversify the session offerings for the overall CLEC program.
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| A session at CLEC 2019 included a team-building exercise. |
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| CLEC attendees are encouraged to ask questions and interact with presenters. |
Networking Bubbles. So long, Luncheon Round Tables. Hello, Networking Bubbles! We will have designated rooms available during our Friday lunch slot to allow for networking and conversations to take place. We recognize the importance of building (and maintaining) relationships with fellow clinical laboratory educators from across the country and beyond.
Networking opportunities, such as the Networking Bubbles, are built into the CLEC program to provide attendees the chance to further engage with your CLEC family members and to meet new colleagues.
Closing Keynote—Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Jerrihlyn McGee, DNP, RN, CNE, the first vice chancellor for diversity, equity, and inclusion from the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. McGee serves as the chief diversity officer and her responsibilities include coordination of diversity-related initiatives for all three schools at the University of Kansas Medical Center (School of Health Professions, School of Medicine, and School of Nursing) across all three campuses located in Kansas City, Salina, and Wichita in the state of Kansas. She has been nationally recognized as an expert on cultural competency and workplace civility.
WHAT’S NOT NEW
CLEC is still the premier annual educational event for clinical laboratory science educators. This is the place to be for development of innovative teaching techniques, tools to enhance instructional skills, resources for managing change in an ever-changing profession, learning the latest trends and educational strategies, and of course networking with fellow educators. The CLEC 2020 program is full of diverse, thought-provoking sessions designed to inspire educators and to impart positive take-aways that can be applied at your respective academic institutions.
We are excited and look forward to seeing everyone at CLEC 2020 in the most magical place on Earth! It is our hope that this meeting will be an engaging experience shared by all attendees. Believe us when we say that this is the meeting you do not want to miss, and CLEC is the place to be.
Online registration is currently open through February 13; you may also register onsite. See you in Orlando!
Dana Bostic is assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences at the University of Kansas Medical Center School of Health Professions in Kansas City, Kansas.
Hassan Aziz is associate dean for academic, faculty, and student affairs, interim chair of the Department of Diagnostic and Health Sciences, and professor of medical laboratory science at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Health Professions in Memphis, Tennessee.