Volunteer for an ASCLS committee, attend a free webinar, get ideas for Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, save the date for the 2023 ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting, apply for undergraduate and graduate CLS scholarships, and more.
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.
Free ASCLS Webinars
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
Lessons in Civility: Preparing the Future Workforce
April 4, 1 pm ET | Virtual
Speaker: Missy Sparks, PhD
Description: Hurtful workplace behaviors depress performance, increase burnout and turnover, and jeopardize patient relations. There is a critical gap in our education systems that, if addressed, could positively affect students career outcomes and increase respect in the workplace. What is the gap? Lack of training on positive workplace behaviors. To help prepare students for the workplace of the future, educators must include education on positive workplace behaviors and laboratory professionals must model these positive behaviors.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize the hidden cost of workplace incivility on workers, patients/customers, and businesses.
- Apply the “Broken Windows Theory” to make the case to elevate the conversation about rude, discourteous, and offensive conduct with students.
- Discuss how businesses are approaching closing the gap.
- Describe tangible strategies educators can implement to increase positive workplace behaviors.
Instruction Level: Basic
These P.A.C.E.®-accredited webinars are free for ASCLS members ($10 for non-members and customers). Preregistration is required. If you can’t attend live, register anyway—those who pre-register will receive access to the webinar recordings.
ASCLS is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program.
Upcoming Events
Ask Me Anything: Ideas to Celebrate Lab Week!
March 12, 7 pm ET | Virtual
Are you looking for new or improved ways to celebrate Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (April 23-29, 2023)? From activities you could do inside your lab to reaching out as an educator to promote the profession to contacting government representatives to obtain an official proclamation, these panelists have done it all! Come prepared with questions, and let’s make this Lab Week the best one yet.
Panelists will include:
- Celia Figueroa, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, Medical Technologist in Microbiology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago
- Kathryn Golab, MLS(ASCP)CMSHCM, Hematology Technical Specialist at Wisconsin Diagnostic Laboratories at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin
- James A. Payne IV, AHI(AMT), CPT(NHA), Medical Laboratory Assisting and Phlebotomy Instructor at the WEMOCO Career and Technical Education Center in Spencerport, New York
- Kerry Toups, MLS(ASCP), MLT and Phlebotomy Instructor at Fletcher Technical Community College in Schriever, Louisiana
The Developing and Ascending Professionals Forums host bi-monthly Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions on a variety of career-related topics to help answer all your burning questions. View a playlist of previous career advice AMAs on the ASCLS YouTube channel.
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 on March 20.
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 deadline for 2023 JAM poster presentation abstract submissions is fast approaching. 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 Sunday, March 19.
Travel and Registration Scholarships Available for 2023 Joint Annual Meeting
Deadline: April 15
The Ascending and Developing Professionals Forums will collectively award over $10,000 in travel and registration scholarships to Ascending and Developing Professionals attending the 2023 Joint Annual Meeting (JAM), either in-person or virtually. The exact breakdown of these grants will be determined by the number of applicants and their preference of attendance. Apply by April 15!
8th Annual ASCLS Lab Week Run
Nearly 1,200 people have already signed up for the annual ASCLS Lab Week Virtual Run. 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 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.
Scholarships for Undergraduate and Graduate CLS Students
Applications Due April 1
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.
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.
CLEC 2023 Biggest Attendance Yet
ASCLS welcomed more than 650 educators from across the country at the 2023 Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC)—432 in New Orleans and 221 online, March 2-4. Whether attending in-person or virtually, CLEC attendees shared their successes, learned from each other, and were inspired by connecting with their community of fellow educators. View photos from the event.
Attendees have been sharing about their experiences in the ASCLS Connect communities and on social media:
- “This was my second year attending CLEC. It’s an amazing experience and a learning opportunity. Such a fantastic way to collaborate and brainstorm with other educators from all corners of the country.”
- “It was such an eye opening experience. I have so much material to work with to make my classes more interactive and interesting for my students. Thank you!”
- “Today in class, MLT instructors used some of the learning tools introduced to them at the Clinical Laboratory Educator’s Conference. Jeopardy was a huge success and students loved it!”
- “It was an excellent time to network, have fun, and develop new and exciting ways to help our students be successful as future laboratory professionals!”
- “It was so uplifting to see ‘old friends’ and to make new ones as well. So, I begin this Monday morning rejuvenated, with a full heart, and many new ideas and strategies to share with my students.”
- “CLEC was amazing! I made some great connections, learned many helpful lessons, and got some awesome ideas for our program!”
CLEC also included 21 industry partners who showcased innovative technologies, textbooks, and other educational materials for the educators—both in the exhibit area in New Orleans and in their virtual booths.
The ASCLS Education & Research Fund, Inc., virtual silent auction raised nearly $3,500 for medical laboratory science scholarships and research grants.
The CLEC Steering Committee is eager to evaluate feedback from this conference and see what changes they can make as they start planning for CLEC 2024 in Las Vegas, February 22-24.
Voices Under 40
Spotlight: Jesse L. Day, MHA, MLS(ASCP)CM, Nashville, Tennessee
Jesse is the founder/executive director of the former National Coalition for the Advancement of Laboratory Professionals (NCALP) and a cell therapy scientist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Jesse serves ASCLS in many ways, most notably as the current ASCLS-Tennessee president and ASCLS Ascending Professionals Forum vice chair. He has also served as a councilor-at-large in the ASCLS Developing Professionals Forum and on the Scope of the Practice Position Paper Task Force. He has been an active laboratory professions advocate (#Labvocate) in person and on social medial platforms since he joined ASCLS as a student in 2018. 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.
Do you know a deserving individual that should be featured for the upcoming membership year? Submit your Voices Under 40 nominee by March 15.
Local Events
Save the dates for upcoming spring meetings.
Louisiana Society for Clinical Laboratory Science & ASCLS-Mississippi Bi-State Meeting
March 30-April 1
Monroe, Louisiana
ASCLS-Michigan Annual Conference
April 2-4
Southfield, Michigan
ASCLS-Virginia State Meeting
April 7
Norfolk, Virginia
Iowa ColLABoration
April 11-12
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Minnesota Clinical Laboratory Collaborative
April 12-13
Mankato, Minnesota
Ohio Collaborative Laboratory Conference
April 12-14
Westerville, Ohio
ASCLS-Montana 2023 Annual Spring Meeting
April 13-15
Butte, Montana
ASCLS-Wisconsin State Convention
April 18-19
Brookfield, Wisconsin
ASCLS-New Jersey Spring Seminar
April 20
Somerset, New Jersey
ASCLS-Alaska, Oregon, and Washington Joint Spring Meeting
April 20-21
Virtual
ASCLS-Missouri Conference and Exhibits
April 20-21
Springfield, Missouri
Florida Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Spring Symposium
April 22
Lakeland, Florida
ASCLS-North Dakota Spring Symposium
April 27-28
Minot, North Dakota
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 Open Forum, ASCLS President Kim Von Ahsen shared Time to Start Thinking About Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (MLPW) Proclamations.
- In the Clinical Laboratory Educators Forum, members gave examples of hands-on activities to introduce high school students to the field of laboratory science.
- Also in the Clinical Laboratory Educators Forum, members discussed Content for Teaching Bacteriology to Today’s MLS.
- In the Open Forum, a member asked about accepting Outside Lab Orders.