Volume 38 Number 3 | June 2024
Jean Bauer, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Board of Directors
How do we train tomorrow’s medical laboratory science students? To understand how to train them, it’s important to know how students learn. I had an opportunity to visit with the students at the University of Minnesota (UMN) in the Medical Laboratory Sciences Masters (MMLS) program. We discussed why they went into this field, how academic material has been presented in their pre-college and college years, as well as how they study.
The reason they chose medical laboratory science has not changed since the time many of my colleagues and I were in school—students enjoyed their science lab courses in high school or early college courses, but didn’t want to spend another four years (or more) in medical school; or they wanted to work in healthcare, but with less face-to-face time with patients. Many of them had not heard of the profession before starting college, graduated with a science degree, discovered the program on campus, and then enrolled in the MMLS program offered by the UMN’s Medical Laboratory Sciences Program.
The methods by which MLS students are taught has changed greatly. The education of medical laboratory scientists has traditionally been a combination of lectures, performing tests in a student laboratory, followed by clinical rotations in a hospital laboratory. This foundation gets the student ready to be a member of the laboratory team, pass their certification, and perform testing accurately and precisely on patients without supervision. With additional tools, educators can provide much more than the fundamentals.
“Beginning at the college level … these upcoming professionals will be taking a huge step forward in being recognized and called upon for the knowledge and essential professional expertise they bring to the healthcare team to provide good patient care and patient safety.”
A number of the classes in UMN’s MLS program are taught by the “flipped classroom” method. With this method, students learn the basics on their own time by listening to prerecorded lectures, which allows for class time to be spent on singular or group activities, such as case studies and real time feedback. It is a shared learning responsibility. One of their favorite in-class activities is Kahoot. Kahoots are interactive quizzes in which the students log in on their mobile devices and then compete against one another as multiple-choice questions are shown on the screen.
Students’ note-taking and studying have also changed. Primarily, they use computers to take and study notes, study flash cards (quizlet.com), etc., but return to using pencil and paper to emphasize concrete concepts. Hematology and microbiology slides have been digitally scanned, so students can get on a “virtual microscope” from home to review slides or do homework.
Following the discussion with the students, I had an opportunity to talk with a few instructors in the MLS program regarding the method(s) they utilize to educate these future laboratorians.
One of the current professors in the program, Jennifer Brown, PhD, graduated from the UMN MLS program a number of years ago. From student to professor, she has seen the progression in teaching the material from writing on the chalkboard to overhead projector to PowerPoint to the current didactics being taught in person and recorded. The recorded lectures allow students to view the material again on their own time.
Another online method being utilized, Scenario Based Learning Environment (SaBLE), was developed by Stephen Wiesner, PhD. SaBLE provides the students with the basics of a topic given in an online lesson first, followed by a series of questions and a selection of answers to choose from based on their evaluation of the information provided. The program then tells them if they are correct or to try again. Students can repeat the program as many times as they wish. While past learning was not very interactive, this method has changed to being an interactive “gaming” process to engage students and create a more dynamic learning environment. It also allows time for new or other information to be taught during class time. Ultimately, students are learning the subject matter in smaller segments over a period of time. There are other programs available in the marketplace, such as StoryLine, MediaLab, etc., each with variations in how material is presented, some being more interactive than others.
Improving student writing is done using TurnItIn software within the course management system, which allows students to identify errors in their writing and correct them before turning in their work. Student writing will continue to evolve, and with AI being utilized in other healthcare professions, it may be a part of the future in educating laboratorians.
The last stop was an unexpected tour of the UMN Health Sciences Education Center. This is an amazing seven-floor building. Throughout the building there are:
- study rooms that have computer set up capabilities hooked to large flat screens for students to interact with each other
- study spaces for students to interact with walls for writing formulas on
- a “standard” lecture hall with two rows of tables stretched across each tier; each spot allows the student to connect their computer, includes a microphone to respond or ask a question, and space for students to turn around to interact
- lecture rooms with tables, microphones, and flat screens to be able to interact with the lecturer or present to the rest of the room
- study areas for interprofessional disciplines to interact
- rooms for yoga, quiet prayer time
- simulation of all areas of the hospital, including an ambulance
- a free “makerspace” office for 3-D printing, sewing, etc.
- a virtual reality room where students can go to visualize a 3D image of the blood vessels, muscles, and nerves of the arm before their first phlebotomy experience.
It is an incredible facility that enhances and enriches the ability to learn, whatever health care occupation you are studying. It is fostering the “team concept” of working together for the betterment of patients utilizing the latest technology.
The laboratory has always been a vital part of patient care. In the past, students in other healthcare professions had little opportunity to interact with MLS students or learn about the laboratory’s role in healthcare. As one student said, we need to claim space as the experts in our field. Much of the work we do is unknown by other healthcare professionals, and physicians need to be educated about laboratory medicine. Beginning at the college level, with an enriched education and interacting with other healthcare majors, these upcoming professionals will be taking a huge step forward in being recognized and called upon for the knowledge and essential professional expertise they bring to the healthcare team to provide good patient care and patient safety.
I’d like to thank Dr. Donna Spannaus-Martin and the UMN students and staff that spent time with me for this article.
Jean Bauer is recently retired and formerly worked as the Laboratory Director for Open Cities Health Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.