Learn about the latest webinar, Fall Board of Directors Meeting highlights, multiple opportunities to volunteer for ASCLS, 2020 Laboratory Legislative Symposium registration opens, and more.
ASCLS Monthly Webinars
Learn How to Increase the Value of Laboratory Services with Lab 2.0
Join us for this month’s webinar, The Value of Our Values: How Current & Future Value-Based Initiatives Have the Power to Transform the Laboratory Profession, today, December 5, at 8 pm Eastern.
This webinar will examine the “Lab 2.0” model of laboratory operation that places emphasis on value over volume of testing. Current practices seeking to increase the value of laboratory services will be discussed, along with identification of opportunities for additional value-based initiatives. Considerations of how value-based operations could help address current professional challenges, such as the workforce shortage, will be explored.
Webinar Details
- 1.0 Hour of P.A.C.E.® Credit
- Free for ASCLS Members (Non-Members: $10)
- Sign up online – Note: If you can’t attend the live webinar, the recording will be provided to all registrants.
- Instruction Level: Intermediate
Speaker:
- Brooke Solberg, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM
ASCLS is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program.
Watch the Labvocate Webinar Recording
If you missed the October 3 webinar, Labvocate: Amplify Your Voice for Your Profession and Your Patients, you can access a recording of the one-hour webinar. It provides a great overview of advocacy.
You can also watch a portion of the webinar focused on the legislative/regulatory process. Stephanie Noblit, JD, MLS(ASCP)CM, explains the differences between legislation and regulation, including helpful, lab-specific examples of the difference between the two arenas.
Using CVENT for Your State or Regional Meeting
If you are interested in using Cvent for managing registration at your state or regional meeting, join us December 12, at 6 pm Eastern, for a free demonstration. ASCLS currently offers special pricing for constituent societies. Learn how this meeting management platform can assist you. Register before December 12.
Fall Executive Board Meeting
The ASCLS Board of Directors met virtually for its fall meeting on November 1 and engaged in strategic discussions centered around themes that ASCLS officers and executive staff developed after reading reports submitted to the Board. These discussions included the following actions.
- To address concerns from constituent societies about succession planning, recycling of leaders, and burnout, expanding the role of the House of Delegates (HOD) was brought forward. The Board approved the creation of a task force charged with reviewing the role, duties, and scheduled meetings of the HOD.
- One of the best ways the Society can efficiently use its resources to offer valuable member services is to leverage the expertise of our members and their ability to develop impactful continuing education. The Board approved a new Virtual Learning Steering Committee that will identify educational gaps or topics and develop an annual plan/calendar of virtual education that addresses those gaps or topics.
- The Board will investigate acquiring standardized platforms for various services, such as website hosting, as a way to provide meaningful services to the constituent societies.
- The Board approved Grand Rapids, Michigan, as the site of the 2022 Joint Annual Meeting.
- The Board approved transitioning the Choosing Wisely Task Force into a standing committee to continue the task force’s mission of providing laboratory-related recommendations to the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Volunteer Opportunities
Be Part of the New Virtual Learning Steering Committee
The ASCLS Board of Directors has created a new committee that will lead the Society’s efforts in virtual learning, which includes webinars and webcasts, as well as courses delivered through the ASCLS Learning Management System. The new group will be responsible for coordinating with virtual learning initiatives already underway within other volunteer leadership groups.
The duties of this new committee are:
- Identify educational gaps and topics and develop an annual plan/calendar of virtual education that addresses those gaps or topics.
- Marshall the volunteer talent of subject matter experts on laboratory, scientific, and policy issues to partner with experts on educational design and delivery.
- Recommend strategies and structures to committees and task forces within ASCLS that may produce virtual learning on their own.
Learn more and sign up by December 13.
Call for Nominations
The Nominations Committee is seeking qualified members interested in serving in an elected position beginning in June 2020. If you or someone you know should be nominated, contact Nominations Committee Chair Rebecca Rogers by January 31, 2020.
- President-elect (3-year commitment, automatically succeeding to President and Past President)
- Region Directors for Regions II, IX, and X (3-year term)
- Judicial Committee (two positions, one 5-year term and one 2-year term)
Learn more about each position’s eligibility requirements and duties.
Recruit the Next Generation of Lab Professionals
We are looking for volunteers to help with the ASCLS booth at the 2020 USA Science & Engineering Festival, April 23-26 in Washington, D.C., the nation’s largest celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Setup is Thursday, April 23; Sneak Peek Friday is April 24, where students and teachers experience the festival before the general public; and the festival is Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26.
The ASCLS booth will feature hands-on, lab-centered activities to inspire attendees to learn more about medical laboratory science. While this is a worthwhile and amazing opportunity, there is not a budget for volunteers to travel to the event, so we are looking for volunteers who may live in the area or have the resources to travel to Washington, D.C., on their own.
If you would like to help in any way or would like more information, please contact Charlotte Romain by January 31, 2020.
Leadership ROI
Watch a video interview with Kyle Riding, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, assistant professor, medical laboratory sciences, at the University of Central Florida and ASCLS secretary-treasurer, as he describes how volunteering for ASCLS has developed his leadership skills.
“I do not think that I would be anywhere in my career beyond the entry level spot that I started in—that everyone starts in—if it wasn’t for ASCLS.”
Discover your potential. Get involved.
Education and Research Funding
Apply for the I. Dean Spradling Graduate Research Grant by December 15
The ASCLS Education and Research Fund offers the I. Dean Spradling Graduate Research Grant, designed to support graduate student clinical/medical laboratory science research. The grant is sponsored by Scott and Sumner Spradling in memory of I. Dean Spradling, founder of Infolab, Inc.
Each winner is awarded up to $2,200 in support of their research investigation. The deadline to apply is December 15. Read more about eligibility and requirements.
Membership Engagement Contest
ASCLS Lab-O-Lanterns
Congratulations to Leah Ade (Lab=Life Pumpkin) and Shannon Jongeward (Donate Blood Pumpkin) for winning the October “Lab-O-Lantern” Membership Contest. Thanks to everyone who participated. View more of the photos submitted this year—we have some creative laboratorians out there!
Thank My Lab People!
It’s that time of year to give THANKS for the ASCLS members making a difference every day! From now until Christmas, tell us which ASCLS members you are thankful for and why (post in the Open Forum or on social media). Each person you mention will be entered into a drawing for a $20 gift card! Be sure to include the hashtags #IamASCLS, #Lab4Life, and #ThankMyLabPeople in your post.
Happy holidays to all ASCLS members, and thanks for all you do!
Medical Laboratory Professionals Week
5th Annual ASCLS Lab Week Run
Step out of your labs and into your communities to help spread the word about the medical laboratory profession by participating in the ASCLS Lab Week Virtual Run.
A virtual race, unlike a traditional race, can be run at any time during Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (April 19-25, 2020) and can be run anywhere. Participants can walk, use a treadmill, run outside, or even run in another race concurrently to complete the 5K distance (or 3.1 miles). Virtual races can be completed with a group of friends or solo—whichever way gets you moving!
Race packets will go on sale January 1 with Early Bird Pricing of $30 available through February 29. New this year we’re offering a group price of $25 each if ordering five or more packets. Each race packet will include a finisher medal, race bib, and four safety pins. A race t-shirt will also be available for separate purchase. All proceeds go to grants and scholarships that help medical laboratory professionals attend ASCLS meetings, lobby representatives for the profession, and become future leaders in the field.
ASCLS Voices Under 40
Spotlight: Hollie Bearce, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, Ketchum, ID
Hollie is the laboratory supervisor for a critical access hospital laboratory. She manages a dynamic team that provides 24/7 laboratory services for the hospital in addition to three outpatient draw stations. Hollie is responsible for personnel management, scheduling, assessing competency, ensuring accreditation standards are met, evaluating proficiency testing, interfacing with providers, managing the budget, system meetings/committees, and conflict resolution.
Many of Hollie’s professional and personal opportunities she attributes to being an active member of ASCLS. She is motivated to stay involved with the Society because it provides peer mentorship, networking, political involvement, professional development, volunteer opportunities, and continuing education benefits. Hollie often feels that she has her “ear to the ground” and enjoys being able to share the knowledge that she gains with her co-workers. Read more.
ASCLS Voices Under 40 honors ASCLS members who have shown exceptional commitment to the Society, the laboratory profession, and their community at large at a younger age in their professional career. Each month we spotlight one of the shining voices who were selected from many nominations across the country.
Events
CLEC 2020 Early Bird Registration Ends December 28
The 2020 Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) program was designed to provide you with tips and tools that you can bring home and implement in your program, as well as to stimulate dialogue about your most pressing issues.
From innovative learning strategies and activities to clinical rotation experiences and enhancements to meeting the needs of your students to professional advancement and growth, CLEC 2020 sessions will address the challenges educators face everyday.
CLEC 2020 will be held February 27-29 at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Save $100 off onsite registration with Early Bird rates available through December 28.
If you’re planning to make a visit to Walt Disney World® Resort part of your CLEC travel plans, we’re excited to offer CLEC attendees specially priced Disney tickets, good for use from February 20-March 7. Learn more about the ticket options and get tips on planning your visit.
2020 Laboratory Legislative Symposium Registration Open
The annual Laboratory Legislative Symposium gives you the chance to travel to Washington, D.C., with medical laboratory professionals from seven laboratory organizations and make our concerns known inside Congress.
The event includes a full day of briefings on political issues affecting the laboratory profession and practical training on how to be an effective advocate. Participants will learn how to “lobby” as they prepare to meet with members of Congress and their staffs on Capitol Hill the next day.
The 2020 event will be held March 16-17 at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town in Alexandria, Virginia. Register by February 7 and save $100 off the onsite rate.
Add your upcoming events to the ASCLS Events Calendar:
- Visit http://connect.ascls.org/home.
- Sign in.
- Navigate to your state society’s community.
- Click on the Events Tab.
- Click on the green Add Event button in the upper right.
Connect: The Community Conversations
Check out the recent discussion threads on ASCLS Connect and join the conversations:
- In the Open Forum members shared memories of two longtime ASCLS members who recently passed away, Samuel Chafin and Leon Headley
- In the Laboratory Administration/Consultant/QualityAccreditation/Industry Community, members gave advice on employee drug screens and naming convention of techs, as well as annual competency for techs.
- In the Generalist Community, members discussed pregnancy test quality control.
- The Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality Community makes frequent blog posts with helpful resources and information.
Download the MemberCentric App on your mobile device to get the community conversations and more in the palm of your hand.
Key Dates
I. Dean Spradling Graduate Research Grant Deadline
December 15
CLEC 2020 Early Bird Registration Deadline
December 28