Membership Renewal Season Begins, Free Webinar on Diabetes Diagnosis, Volunteer Opportunities, and more.


Membership Renewal Season

ASCLS Membership Renewal 2022-23ASCLS has already begun the 2022-23 membership renewal season. Thank you to the over 850 members who renewed early, saving the Society significant funds that would have been spent on paper mailings.

For those of you who have not yet renewed, paper notices will arrive by mail in the next few weeks. Renew your membership by July 31 to ensure access to your membership benefits and to maintain your continued membership status. Thank you for your support of ASCLS, and we look forward to another year of medical laboratory community and connections.

 

Free Member Webinar

Diabetes Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention: The Past, Present, and Future

Wednesday, May 25, 1 pm EDT

In this session, we will review current laboratory practices used in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and associated metabolic conditions. We will also explore new diagnostic tools and preventative therapies to reverse the epidemic trend in the United States.

Learning Objectives

  1. Generalize the recent trend in diagnosed diabetes mellitus cases, including contributing factors such as COVID.
  2. Review current classification of diabetes mellitus, American Diabetes Association’s diagnostic criteria and testing methods.
  3. Describe emerging diagnostic tools, therapeutics, and preventative treatments for pre-diabetes, diabetes, and its related disorders.

Minh Kosfeld and Carol RentasSpeakers: Minh Kosfeld, PhD, MLT(ASCP)CM, Saint Louis University, and Carol A. Rentas, PhD, MEd, MT(ASCP)SCCMMBCM, George Washington University

Instruction Level: Intermediate

Register now.

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.

 

ASCLS Survey of Attitudes toward Research Activities and Perceived Barriers

Deadline: May 31

The ASCLS Enhance Research and Scholarly Activities among ASCLS Members Taskforce is collecting data that the laboratory community can use for the strategic promotion of research activities among laboratory professionals. Please participate in the survey by May 31.

You may also forward the survey to laboratory professional colleagues so that data is collected for all laboratory positions.

This survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. ASCLS has taken special measures to ensure your privacy and the privacy of your laboratory. Your responses are strictly confidential. No individual level data will be analyzed, and only aggregated data will be reported. Thank you for taking the time to complete it and pass it on. The survey will remain open through May 31.

 

Critical Survey on Vacancy Rates Closes May 31

ASCLS strongly supports the efforts of the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) to provide critical information on wages and vacancy rates. This several decade investment and effort on the part of ASCP to conduct and publish its ASCP Wage and Vacancy Surveys is an invaluable resource for the profession and is looked to by industry and government as a key benchmark. This year, ASCP is conducting the 2022 vacancy portion of the research.

The survey results will be only as good as the responses. If you are a laboratory director/manager/supervisor/lead, please take the time to fill out the survey yourself. It’s okay if more than one person from an institution fills it out. ASCP has mechanisms for integrating the data. If you are NOT a laboratory director/manager/supervisor/lead, you still have an important role to play. Please forward this link to your laboratory professional colleagues who are responsible for hiring or staffing so they may fill in vacancy data information for their specific department.

The vacancy survey will remain open until Tuesday, May 31, 2022, Midnight Pacific Time.

As always, ASCP has taken special measures to ensure individual privacy and the privacy of laboratories. Responses are strictly confidential. No individual level data will be revealed, and in the final survey report, all information will be aggregated.

This survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

 

Developing and Ascending Professionals Forums Seeking Officer Nominations

Deadline: May 31

Would you like to take on a leadership role in the Developing Professionals Forum (DPF) or the Ascending Professionals Forum (APF)? Or do you know someone who would make an excellent fit? The DPF is seeking its next chair, vice chair, and secretary, and the APF is seeking its next vice chair and secretary. All applicants must be ASCLS Developing or Ascending Professional members as of February 28, 2022.

Submit your applications by May 31, 2022.

Developing Professionals Chair Responsibilities—one-year term (full responsibilities are listed in the Guidelines for Governance):

  • Serves as a voting member of the ASCLS Board of Directors (BOD).
    • Requires travel to the ASCLS BOD Fall Meeting on September 25, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Sunday before Legislative Symposium).
    • Requires participation in the ASCLS BOD Interim Meeting (virtual) in Spring 2023.
    • Requires travel to the June 26-30, 2023, Joint Annual Meeting in Providence, Rhode Island.
  • Works with the vice chair, secretary, advisor, and other members to complete the charges for the year.
  • Must host and participate in monthly conference calls of the DPF that will be determined based on the availability of the DPF Leadership Council.

Developing Professionals Vice Chair Responsibilities—one-year term (full responsibilities are listed in the Guidelines for Governance):

  • Assists the chair and secretary in any activities and functions related to the forum.
  • Works with the chair, secretary, advisor, and other members to complete the charges for the year.
  • Stands in for the chair if he/she is unable to complete his/her duties.
  • Must participate in monthly conference calls that will be determined based on the availability of the DPF Leadership Council.

Developing Professionals Secretary Responsibilities—one-year term (full responsibilities are listed in the Guidelines for Governance):

  • Assists the chair and vice chair in any activities and functions related to the forum.
  • Works with the chair, secretary, advisor, and other members to complete the charges for the year.
  • Records the proceedings of all meetings of the DPF.
  • Must participate in monthly conference calls that will be determined based on the availability of the DPF Leadership Council.

Ascending Professionals Vice Chair Responsibilities—one-year term, three-year commitment (full responsibilities are listed in the Guidelines for Governance):

  • Assists the chair and secretary in any activities and functions related to the forum.
  • Works with the chair, secretary, advisor, and other members to complete the charges for the year.
  • Stands in for the chair if he/she is unable to complete his/her duties.
  • Must participate in monthly conference calls that will be determined based on the availability of the APF Leadership Council.
  • Make an effort to attend the Laboratory Legislative Symposium and the ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting.
  • Transitions to chair of the forum after their term as vice chair, then to past chair and members of the ASCLS Board of Directors in their third year.

Ascending Professionals Secretary Responsibilities—two-year term, may serve two terms (full responsibilities are listed in the Guidelines for Governance):

  • Assists the chair and vice chair in scheduling any activities and functions related to the forum
  • Works with the chair, vice chair, past chair, advisor, and other members to complete the charges for the year.
  • Record the proceedings of all meetings of the APF.
  • Must participate in monthly conference calls that will be determined based on the availability of the APF Leadership Council.
  • Make an effort to attend the Laboratory Legislative Symposium and the ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting.

 

Diversity Advocacy Council Volunteer Opportunities

logo dac verticalThe ASCLS Diversity Advocacy Council (DAC) is seeking nominees for the position of vice-chair. The vice-chair serves in the absence of the DAC chair. The vice-chair assists the chair in the discharge of their duties and functions in the capacity of program chairperson.

The vice-chair serves a one (1) year term beginning and ending with the ASCLS House of Delegates Meeting, held this year on June 30, 2022. The vice-chair will succeed to chair in their second year, then past chair in their final year of the three-year commitment.

Learn more and submit your nominations by May 31, 2022.

The DAC is also looking for volunteers to serve as councilors for the 2022-23 year. Councilors assist the officers to fulfill the charges of the DAC. Volunteer by August 1, 2022.

 

2022 Joint Annual Meeting Provides Extensive Educational Program and Flexibility

2022 Joint Annual Meeting logoJune 26-June 30 | Grand Rapids, Michigan

The ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) is the premier gathering of medical laboratory professionals to share our knowledge, research, and best practices, as well as reconnect with friends and colleagues in the medical laboratory community. The educational program will provide you about 60 hours of P.A.C.E.®-approved continuing education. Scientific sessions span Chemistry/Urinalysis to Microbiology/Public Health, Hematology/Hemostasis to Molecular and Biochemical Genetics, Phlebotomy to Generalist/Interdisciplinary, and much more.

The 2022 JAM will again offer flexibility with two attendee options—in-person and virtual. Sign up by June 10 and save.

In-Person Attendance: JAM will be held at the Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 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. JAM organizers and partners are committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for conference attendees, utilizing best practices and guidance provided by the CDC and local health officials. In-person attendees will be required to adhere to posted policies related to preventing the spread of COVID-19 which will include requiring proof of vaccination, wearing masks, practicing proper hand hygiene, and maintaining social distance. In-person conference registrants will have the option to convert to a virtual registration at any time.

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 busy schedule.

 

Travel and Registration Grants Available for 2022 Joint Annual Meeting

Deadline: May 15

The Ascending Professionals Forum and the Developing Professionals Forum will collectively award over $10,000 in travel and registration grants to Ascending and Developing Professionals attending the 2022 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 May 15!

 

Call for CLEC 2023 Session Proposals

Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) presenterThe Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) Steering Committee is currently accepting session proposals for CLEC 2023. The submission deadline is June 11.

CLEC 2023 will be held March 2-4 in New Orleans at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans. Presenters and attendees will have the option to participate in-person or virtually, and all confirmed speakers will receive registration discounts.

As part of the evaluation survey for CLEC 2022, attendees were asked for recommended topics or session ideas for the CLEC 2023 program. If you, or someone you know, would be interested in presenting one of these topics or something similar, be sure to send in your proposal.

 

2022 Medical Laboratory Professionals Week

2022 Lab Week Run photos

About 1,700 people participated in the sold out 7th Annual ASCLS Lab Week Run and raised about $50,000 for ASCLS Developing and Ascending Professionals scholarships and travel grants. Thank you to our Platinum Sponsors AUDIT MicroControls, COLA Inc., and The Binding Site and to everyone who participated and shared your photos and race times. Congratulations!

ASCLS members in Delaware, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin, among others, had governors or mayors sign proclamations that April 24-30, 2022, is Medical Laboratory Professionals Week.

ASCLS hosted Lab Week Live on Facebook, where four talented ASCLS members shared their passions for gardening, drawing, Egyptian dance, and yoga to give everyone a chance to have fun and try something new.

Many more of you helped to shine a spotlight on the vital role of medical laboratory professionals through social media and celebrations in your organizations. Thank you for sharing your stories with colleagues, friends, family, and the general public!

 

New Episode of Off the Bench Podcast

Off the Bench PodcastSubscribe to the Off the Bench Podcast for discussions on scientific and not-to-scientific ideas in laboratory medicine. New episodes drop the last Friday of each month.

On the April 29 Lab Week episode, hosts Sophia Chandrasekar, Galina Dronova, and Justin Hanenberg spoke to Pat Jones, recently retired medical laboratory professional, and reflected on written responses from additional new retirees Janice Conway-Klassesen, Deb Rodahl, and Charlie Weinzierl. They took a journey through the lab of yesteryears, as well as what the lab might look like in the future. All four sages gave advice to all future and upcoming laboratorians included in the description.

Subscribe to the podcast through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify.

 

Voices Under 40

Spotlight: Galina Dronova, MT(ASCP), Minneapolis, Minnesota

Galina is employed by M Health Fairview where she is a principle trainer. M Health Fairview is a healthcare company that represents the collaboration among three separate entities: the University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota Physicians, and Fairview Health Services, the third largest healthcare organization in Minnesota. In Galina’s role at M Health Fairview, she is a principle trainer for EPIC LIS and in the summer of 2021 supported her third EPIC “go live” event for the company.

Galina has been a scientific assembly director for ASCLS-MN. In association with ASCLS, Galina has served on the Minnesota Clinical Laboratory Collective Planning Committee as ASCLS co-chair and publicity chair. She served on the Region V Leadership Academy Planning Committee after having graduated from the 2020 ASCLS National Leadership Academy where she served as the project manager for their Off the Bench Podcast Project. 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.

 

Welcome New Member

Tavanna PrinceTavanna Prince, MS, MT(AMT), MLT(ASCP), Forney, Texas

Tavanna introduced herself in the #IamASCLS-Introduce Yourself Community: “My name is Tavanna (like Savannah but with a T, or you can just call me T :) ) I’m born and raised in Texas, Dallas to be exact! I received my Bachelors in Biology and then went on to obtain my Masters Biotechnology. I then went back to school to be a Med Tech. While in graduate school, I worked in several different labs: pathology, andrology, and toxicology. I stayed in tox for a while and eventually became a lab manager. After a while, I wanted to do more and decided to go back to school so that I could become certified and I’m so glad that I made the decision! With my combined experience, I’ve been able to do so much and I’m looking forward to seeing what else is in store for me. Currently I operate/manage labs, and I have a small business that is dedicated to meeting the needs of healthcare professionals. We offer medical scrubs, medical supplies, and courses. Looking forward to expanding that and gaining more molecular experience on the lab side. Interested in potentially trying for a PhD! Looking forward to connecting with you all! So glad to be here!” Connect with Tavanna.

 

Local Events

Come together with medical laboratory professionals in your local area, either online or in-person, for CE and networking.

ASCLS-Kansas & ASCLS-Missouri Joint Meeting
June 2-3, 2022
Olathe, Kansas

59th Annual Intermountain States Seminar (IMSS)
October 6-8, 2022
Jackson Hole, Wyoming

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:

Download the MemberCentric App on your mobile device to get the community conversations and more in the palm of your hand.

 

Key Dates