Last chance to register for CLEC 2023 at the regular rate, submit ASCLS Award nominations, volunteer for a national committee, sign up for a free webinar on Patient Blood Management, save the date for the 2023 JAM, and more.
Last Chance to Attend CLEC 2023 at the Regular Registration Rate
March 2-4 | New Orleans, LA, or Virtual
Today, February 10, is the regular registration deadline for the 2023 Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC). Register now for your last chance to save.
The CLEC Steering Committee has created an educational program targeting so many hot topics educators have been discussing lately—the need for simulations and issues with clinical placements, recruitment and retention challenges, and interesting ways to enhance student learning. CLEC is the best gathering to share, discuss, and be inspired with ideas for change.
CLEC 2023 will be held March 2-4 at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana. To provide you flexibility to participate in CLEC in the format that best fits your personal circumstances, you have the option to attend CLEC either in New Orleans or virtually through the streaming device of your choice, wherever you are.
All educational sessions will be streamed live and recorded. Both in-person and virtual registrants will have access to all session recordings for 30 days after the event—more than 40 hours of P.A.C.E.®-approved credit—as well as additional virtual content provided in the conference app.
2023 Awards Nominations Due Feb 15
Do you know someone who would be a good candidate for an ASCLS award, grant, or scholarship? The ASCLS Awards Committee encourages members to submit nominations for the following awards by next Wednesday, February 15.
- Ascending Professional Leadership Award
- Developing Professional Leadership Award
- Lifetime Achievement Award
- State Society Website Award
- State Society Publications Award (for both print and web-based publications)
- Scientific Assembly Professional Achievement Award
- Scientific Research Award
- Theriot Award (for media and equipment development)
Details for applying for these awards and the link to submit applications are on the Awards and Scholarships webpage. Questions can be addressed to the Awards Committee at awards@ascls.org.
Nominating a worthy member for one of these awards is a great way to recognize the valued work of our dedicated members and to honor them at the Awards Ceremony at the 2023 Joint Annual Meeting, June 26-30, in Providence, Rhode Island.
Scholarships Available for Undergraduate and Graduate CLS Students
The Alpha Mu Tau Fraternity and ASCLS Education & Research (E&R) Fund, Inc., support the advancement of medical laboratory professionals through graduate and undergraduate scholarships for clinical laboratory science students.
The E&R Fund is pleased to offer two new scholarships this year:
- The Snyderwomen Scholarship will award $1,500 to a current ASCLS member who is a deserving MLT that has matriculated into an MLS program.
- The ASCLS Past Presidents Scholarship will support a current ASCLS member who is a graduate student (in a master’s or doctoral program) with a $2,000 scholarship.
Applicants for all scholarships must be ASCLS members. Applications are due by April 1. Learn more about eligibility requirements and download the application.
Volunteer for ASCLS Committees
Apply by March 27
Applications are now open for national committee appointments with terms beginning in July 2023.
Volunteers on national committees are critical to achieve and advance the ASCLS mission. And passionate members like you, who serve on them, are the WHY AND HOW we continue to keep our organization moving forward. Learn more about national committees, including position descriptions and committee charges.
Diversity within the volunteer ranks makes ASCLS stronger. A mix of new and experienced professionals on all of the committees rejuvenate the organization with fresh ideas while those who have served ASCLS in various capacities over the years bring a wealth of society knowledge. All levels of laboratory and ASCLS experience are encouraged to apply.
ASCLS utilizes an online system that matches volunteers with positions. Adding yourself to the volunteer pool is as easy as 1-2-3.
- Log in to the ASCLS Connect and fill out your regular member profile.
- Review all of the open volunteer opportunities.
- Apply for the opportunities where you think you can make the biggest contribution.
The application deadline for the 2023-24 Society year volunteer opportunities is Monday, March 27, but your profile will be used throughout the association year to fill other volunteer opportunities as they arise.
ASCLS looks forward to you finding a national committee that matches your passion and talents.
Upcoming Events
Free Webinar – Patient Blood Management: The Why, or Better Yet, Why Not?
March 23, 1 pm ET | Virtual
Speaker: Carolyn D. Burns, MD
Description: The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged all member states to implement Patient Blood Management (PBM) as the global standard of care. PBM is evidence-based practice which includes management of anemia, optimization of hemostasis, and utilizing multidisciplinary strategies to provide better patient outcomes with a truly patient-centered approach. PBM cannot be successful without a multidisciplinary team. Laboratory professionals possess a special skill set which augments PBM practice and must be a part of a comprehensive PBM program.
Learn about PBM and how you are poised to play a key role in solidifying PBM at your institution.
Learning Objectives
- Discuss the risks of transfusion, the pillars of PBM, and the concept of Blood Health
- Describe the current state of the science regarding restrictive transfusion practice as part of PBM
- Recognize the role laboratory professionals play within a comprehensive PBM program
Instruction Level: Intermediate
This P.A.C.E.®-accredited webinar is free for ASCLS members ($10 for non-members). Preregistration is required. If you can’t attend live, register anyway—those who pre-register will receive access to the webinar recording.
ASCLS is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program.
Save the Date: 2023 ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting
June 26-30 | Providence, Rhode Island or Virtual
Plans for the 2023 ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) are well underway. Again this year JAM will offer flexibility with two attendee options—in-person and virtual. Registration opens in March.
In-Person Attendance: JAM will be held at the Omni Providence Hotel and Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island. In addition to the educational program, poster presentations, industry partner exhibits, and networking activities, you’ll also receive access to all recorded JAM educational sessions for 30 days after the event, providing you with about 60 hours of P.A.C.E.®-approved credit.
Virtual Attendance: You will have access to the nearly 60 educational sessions, either streamed live or recorded; industry partner virtual activities; virtual poster presentations; and virtual networking events. You will also have access to all recorded JAM educational sessions for 30 days after the event. You get to choose which sessions and events you want to attend live and which recordings you will view later when the time is right. Create a personalized JAM experience that fits your life.
Submit a Poster Presentation Abstract for the 2023 JAM by March 19
The 2023 JAM poster presentation abstract submissions are currently open! Make an impact on the future of medical laboratory science by sharing your research and case studies with peers from across the nation.
All accepted primary poster presenters will receive $75 off registration for the meeting. Additionally, a poster and oral presentation competition will award cash prizes. This year all posters will be presented in a digital format for viewing by both the in-person and virtual attendees. Poster authors will have the opportunity to present posters in-person or virtually. The deadline for abstract submissions is March 19.
8th Annual ASCLS Lab Week Run
Early Bird Registration for the annual ASCLS Lab Week Virtual Run ends next Wednesday, February 15. Step out of your labs and into your communities to help spread the word about the medical laboratory profession and have fun with friends and co-workers.
This virtual race can be run at any time during Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (April 23-29, 2023) and can be run anywhere. Participants can walk, use a treadmill, run outside, or even ride a bike to complete the 5K distance (or 3.1 miles).
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.
Thank you to our 2023 Lab Week Run Platinum Sponsors Cerus and SEKISUI Diagnostics.
Participate in the Annual Student Paper Award Competition
Deadline: April 1
The Clinical Laboratory Educators Forum (CLEF) Student Paper Award Competition is currently accepting submissions for MLS/DMS/CGT/MLT student-authored research papers and case studies.
- Student research papers should address scientific as well as applicable educational, technical, administrative, consulting, and management studies.
- Case studies should address any unusual, interesting, and unique manifestation of a disease etiology, pathology, clinical syndrome, complications, and prognosis known or unknown.
The award for the top research paper and the top case study is a $500 cash prize and free registration to attend the 2023 ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting (in-person or virtually). Learn more.
Busy January Featured Engaging Virtual Events
PRISM: Pride · Respect · Inclusion · Support · Momentum
The ASCLS Diversity Advocacy Council (DAC) hosted the third annual PRISM: Pride · Respect · Inclusion · Support · Momentum January 16-18. PRISM was created to celebrate the Glenda Price Diversity in Leadership Award and ignite discussions regarding diversity in the profession and the inequities in our healthcare system.
This year PRISM focused on inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities within DEI initiatives, specifically within the medical laboratory profession. Activities included a Candid Conversation with Perry Scanlan, Dynamic Discussion with Thomas Burke, and a virtual book club of Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body.
The PRISM Online Fundraiser raised about $1,100 for the Glenda Price Diversity in Leadership Award. The fundraiser included a challenge to “Vote” on which color Letycia Nunez Argote, chair of the DAC, would dye a streak of her hair. Violet won!
Thank you to everyone who participated by donating silent auction items, bidding and voting, and by generously donating money directly to the award.
2023 Emerging Laboratory Managers Collaborative Conference (ELMC2)
A record number of more than 220 medical laboratory professionals attended the third annual Emerging Laboratory Managers Collaborative Conference (ELMC2), held virtually January 20-21.
The event was specifically designed for laboratory professionals in leadership roles or hoping to transition into management and included 22 sessions on topics such as, workforce recruitment and retention, eliminating workplace toxicity, the Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS), building strong interdisciplinary relationships, and more. Attendees also had the chance to network and talk with presenters and other attendees in virtual breakout rooms in between sessions.
Attendees found the experience to be extremely valuable and shared the following feedback:
- “Having spoken with a number of staff members who participated in the conference, everyone was thrilled with the content offered. Statements like, ‘I didn’t even mind that it was on a Saturday,’ were heard repeatedly … It was thoughtful, thought provoking, energizing, and invigorating.”
- “Great resources recommended. I already bought four books.”
- “The topics covered were very wide ranging, which was great.”
- “Despite being virtual, the environment felt warm and inviting.”
ELMC2 participants will continue to collaborate and learn throughout the year with a mentor program, an online community discussion forum, and additional webinars.
If you missed this year’s ELMC2, on-demand session recordings will be available to purchase in March through labucate.org. Also, save the date for next year’s ELMC2, January 19-20, 2024.
Mid-Year ASCLS House of Delegates Meeting
ASCLS held its third, mid-year virtual meeting of the ASCLS House of Delegates on January 15. The House engaged in a number of important discussions, which included the following.
- Legislative Update: 117th Congress Recap and 118th Congress Preview
- Constituent Society Health Assessment and Benchmarking, including next steps for improving volunteer leader experience and structures
- Regional Alignment Exercise Results
- ASCLS Scope and Criteria for Exclusion of Meeting Sites
- Sense of the House: Position Paper on Social Determinants of Health
Local Events
Save the dates for upcoming spring meetings.
ASCLS-Virginia State Meeting
April 7
Norfolk, Virginia
Iowa ColLABoration
April 11-12
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Ohio Collaborative Laboratory Conference
April 12-14
Westerville, Ohio
ASCLS-Missouri Conference and Exhibits
April 20-21
Springfield, Missouri
Florida Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Spring Symposium
April 22
Lakeland, Florida
Kentucky Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Spring Meeting
April 28
Richmond, Kentucky
ASCLS-Colorado & ASCLS-Wyoming Clinical Laboratory Collaborative Conference
May 4-5
Denver, Colorado
ASCLS-New York Spring Seminar
June 16
Rochester, New York
Connect: The Community Conversations
ASCLS Connect is an invaluable way to ask questions, share feedback, and stay connected with your community of laboratorians. Here are some of the recent discussions you may have missed:
- The Membership Committee posts “Membership Mondays” questions each week to spur discussion and get to know fellow ASCLS members. A recent question was:
- In the Immunology/Immunohematology Scientific Assembly, members shared examples of in-house serology rotations.
- In the Clinical Laboratory Educators Forum, members discussed challenges placing MLT students for their microbiology rotations.
- Also in the Clinical Laboratory Educators Forum, members examined removing topics from curriculum/teaching.
- In the Open Forum, members discussed a recent article that focused on burnout in the profession.
Key Dates
CLEC 2023 Regular Registration Deadline
February 10
ASCLS Awards Deadline
February 15
Lab Week Run Early Bird Registration Deadline
February 15