Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage Relief Act Introduced in Congress | Get Ready for #LABtober | Call for Nominations for National Positions | New Clinical Laboratory Science Journal Editors Appointed | Participate in a Medical and Public Health Laboratory Education Financing Study | Upcoming Events
Labvocate Action Alert: Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage Relief Act Introduced in Congress
On September 25, 2024, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) introduced the Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage Relief Act of 2024, which would add medical laboratory professionals to the National Health Service Corps and provide grants to accredited institutions to train more clinical lab staff. This legislation will support patients by helping to address the current national shortage of clinical lab professionals.
All medical laboratory professionals are strongly encouraged to spread the word and take action to secure support from their representatives and senators.
Over the decade, there are expected to be about 24,200 job openings each year, primarily due to the need to replace workers who retire or leave the field. According to the most recent data from the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), around 4,246 students graduated from accredited MLS programs in 2022. Approximately 4,380 students graduated from MLT programs. Learn more.
Medical Laboratory Professionals Advocate for the Laboratory Workforce and Patient Care at the 2024 Labvocate Symposium
On September 30, more than 100 medical laboratory professionals representing six organizations joined together in Alexandria, Virginia, and virtually for the 2024 Laboratory Legislative Symposium. ASCLS, the American Medical Technologists (AMT), American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Association of Genetic Technologists (AGT), National Society for Histotechnology (NSH), and the Philippine Association of Medical Technologists-USA (PAMET-USA) hosted the event where attendees learned about the legislative issues impacting medical laboratories and how to be labvocates and make their voices heard on Capitol Hill.
The day-long program included presentations, special guest speakers, and tips on how to speak with members of Congress. On October 1, attendees met with their respective members of Congress to advocate for bills and issues discussed the day before.
The Symposium focused on two key legislative issues:
- Medical laboratory workforce shortage, including advocating Congress to allocate funding to alleviate the personnel shortage.
- The history of PAMA, its affect on laboratory reimbursements, and the importance of passing the Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act (SALSA).
Read about the experience of first-time attendee Carly Preston, ASCLS member from Louisiana.
Get Ready for #LABtober
As we reach half a year away from Lab Week, ASCLS will again host #LABtober, October 20-26, to help celebrate medical laboratory professionals all year round.
How to participate: Check out the calendar of daily prompts, and post visual content (photo, illustration, etc.) inspired by the prompt on Facebook or Instagram. Be sure that your images are HIPAA compliant. Tag #LABtober and @ASCLS on Facebook or @iamascls on Instagram so we can see all the fun you’re having. We look forward to seeing your creativity!
Save the dates for the 2025 Medical Laboratory Professionals Week: April 20-26.
Call for Nominations for National Positions
Nominations Due January 15
The Nominations Committee is seeking qualified members interested in serving in an elected national position (term to begin on June 12, 2025). If you or someone you know should be nominated, contact Nominations Committee Chair Tripat Kaur by January 15, 2025.
- President-elect (three-year commitment, automatically succeeding to President and Past President)
- Secretary/Treasurer (one position, three-year term)
- Director (three positions, three-year term)
- Judicial Committee (one position, five-year term)
- Nominations Committee (five positions, two-year term)
Learn more about each position’s eligibility requirements and duties.
New Clinical Laboratory Science Journal Editors Appointed
The ASCLS Board of Directors recently appointed new volunteers to serve as editors for Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) Journal. Dr. Cathy Otto is the new editor-in-chief. She is joined by four new associate editors: Dr. Tara Moon, Dr. Letycia Nunez-Argote, Dr. Michelle Parent, and Dr. Juan Rojo. Congratulations to all, and many thanks for their time and dedication to move the journal forward.
Participate in a Medical and Public Health Laboratory Education Financing Study
The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and the ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) are conducting a survey about the cost and financing of your laboratory training/education program, as well as information about your role as a laboratory professional and your background.
In order to be eligible to participate, individuals must be an adult (defined as age 18 or older in the United States, except in Alabama and Nebraska where you must be at least age 19 to participate and Puerto Rico where you must be at least age 21 to participate) meeting at least one of the following criteria:
- Currently employed in the United States as a laboratory professional working in a medical laboratory or a public health laboratory on either a full-time or part-time basis
- Currently employed in the United States as an educator in a laboratory education/training program, on either a full-time or part-time basis
- Currently enrolled in any type of laboratory education/training program (e.g., a certificate program or a program that offers associate-level degrees, bachelor’s-level degrees, etc.)
- A laboratory professional who is currently enrolled in any type of non-laboratory education/training program
Your responses will be anonymous, and no personally identifiable information will be collected. The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Take the survey by Monday, October 21, Midnight Pacific Time.
It is critical that clinical laboratory professionals and students take the time to share their experiences to make the data collected as useful as possible in addressing the workforce shortage.
Upcoming Events
PRISM Movie Night: The Healthcare Divide
Sunday, October 20, 3 pm ET
The ASCLS Diversity Advocacy Council (DAC) invites you to attend a viewing of the documentary, The Healthcare Divide, to watch it together virtually with other ASCLS members.
In the documentary, FRONTLINE and NPR investigate the growing inequities in American healthcare exposed by COVID-19. The Healthcare Divide examines how pressure to increase profits and uneven government support are widening the divide between rich and poor hospitals, endangering care for low-income populations.
The movie runs 54 minutes. There will be opportunities to chat during the movie, as well as a brief follow-up discussion at the end.
Sign up to attend Sunday, October 20 at 3 pm ET.
Every year the ASCLS Diversity Advocacy Council (DAC) hosts a series of activities and events as part of PRISM: Pride · Respect · Inclusion · Support · Momentum. Join medical laboratory friends and colleagues as we celebrate and ignite discussions regarding diversity in the profession and the inequities in our healthcare system. The DAC organizes virtual activities, including movie nights, book clubs, and conversations with featured guests. All activities are free and held virtually.
Webinar: HRSA-SDS Grant Overview: Are you Eligible?
October 30, 8 pm Eastern | Virtual
In 2020 the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) provided a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for allied health programs, including MLS. The NOFO was specifically designed to provide Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS). It is anticipated that there will be another NOFO announced in January 2025—due March 2025. This webinar will describe the processes that two programs used, and data needed to prepare for the application.
Presenters: Janice Conway-Klaassen, PhD, MLS(ASCP)SM, FACSc, and Kathleen Hoag, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM
This webinar is sponsored by the Association of Medical Laboratory Educational Programs (AMLEP) and is free for all to attend. Preregistration is required. If you can’t attend live, register anyway—those who pre-register will receive access to the webinar recording.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the purpose of the HRSA-SDS NOFO.
- Describe the program and institutional support processes essential for award success.
- Define the key eligibility criteria for SDS students to receive scholarship funding.
Save the Date for 2025 Emerging Laboratory Managers Collaborative Conference: January 24-25
The all-virtual Emerging Laboratory Managers Collaborative Conference (ELMC2) is designed specifically for medical laboratory professionals to help you prepare for and thrive in management roles.
ELMC2 provides two days of programming (live and streamed for up to 30 days after the live event), up to 20 hours of P.A.C.E.® credit, networking events, access to an attendees-only online community, and follow up programming expected to take place 6-12 weeks after the conclusion of the virtual conference, as well as special meet-ups at the ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting in June. Registration opens in November.
Last Call for 2025 Joint Annual Meeting Session Proposals
The Joint Annual Meeting Steering Committee is still accepting scientific session proposals for the 2025 ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting (JAM), to be held June 8-12 in Sacramento, California. Submit your session proposals by October 19.
All confirmed speakers are eligible for registration discounts. You do not have to be an ASCLS, AGT, or SAFMLS member to submit a proposal, and multiple proposals may be submitted per speaker.
The JAM Steering Committee is looking for proposals that cover a diverse group of topics related to medical laboratory science, such as scientific advancements, best practices, management, and professional development. Send in your session proposals and please invite laboratory professionals and colleagues who are compelling presenters and leaders in their field to share their expertise as well.
Call for CLEC 2025 Poster Abstracts
We are currently accepting abstracts for posters at the 2025 Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) in Atlanta. Share your expertise, research, and other work with more than 600 fellow educators across the nation.
Registration discounts are provided to the submitting author of accepted poster abstracts. Posters will be displayed digitally at the conference and within the meeting app. Accepted authors who attend CLEC in-person will have the opportunity to participate in poster presentation showcases.
CLEC is the most impactful annual gathering for faculty, administrators, directors, advisers, and others in medical laboratory education. The conference includes peer-to-peer learning, designed to give you take-aways that you can bring home and implement in your program.
CLEC 2025 will be held March 6-8 at the Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta. Explore new ways to enhance the student learning experience, discover innovative teaching techniques, build your network of clinical laboratory educators and so much more.
Opportunity to Contribute to the Laboratory Educator Institute
The Committee on Educational Programs and Initiatives (CEPI) is now accepting proposals for new Laboratory Educator Institute (LEI) learning modules. This is a great opportunity to share your experience and knowledge with fellow laboratory educators.
The LEI is designed to help educators develop the skills and knowledge to become effective laboratory science educators and administrators. The LEI offers a selection of self-paced, asynchronous learning modules on topics in four focal areas: education/teaching, clinical practice, administration/leadership, and research.
LEI learning modules are peer-reviewed and accredited for continuing education by P.A.C.E.® For every one CE module, 50 minutes of recorded content and integrated learning activities, along with a 5-10 question post-test, is included for the learner to practice, assess, and develop competence in the content area. Submit a proposal today!
Share Your Talents in the ASCLS Expert/Speaker Directory
As ASCLS leaders begin planning programs for spring meetings, now is a great time to create or update you profile in the ASCLS Expert/Speaker Directory. ASCLS’s biggest asset is its members and the wealth of expertise you bring to your work and your engagement with the Society. You can showcase that subject matter expertise and talent with the Expert/Speaker Directory on ASCLS Connect.
To be included in the directory, click on the large blue button that reads “Complete Your Expert/Speaker Profile.”
There are two key areas that require as much detail as you can provide—Expert/Speaker Bio and the Presentations and Publications sections. If you add links to your presentation or publication descriptions, make sure the links have open access so those interested can read or view your previous presentations or publications.
ASCLS leaders and constituent societies, you now have a searchable database on subject matter expertise to draw on for your activities.
Free CDC OneLab™ Resources
“Ready? Set? Test!” Patient Testing Is Important. Get the Right Results. Session 2
Wednesday, October 23, 12-1 pm ET | Virtual
Fourteen billion laboratory tests drive the majority of medical decisions each year. Many of these tests do not require routine regulatory oversight under a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Certificate of Waiver from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The “Ready? Set? Test!” free resources equip testing personnel with good testing practices that will likely lead to reliable, high-quality test results and enhance patient safety. This event will highlight the “Ready? Set? Test!” guidance of best practices throughout the “Test!” phase. Topics will include test performance, result interpretation, recording, and reporting and techniques to follow when resolving testing problems.
Fundamentals of Public Health Laboratories
Public health laboratories are essential for protecting and improving public health. They do this by performing a broad range of diagnostic tests, providing specialized expertise, collaborating with partners, and supporting public health programs.
This basic course provides an overview of the 11 core functions of public health laboratories and explains how these functions are implemented to effectively serve communities. It also examines the similarities and differences between public health laboratories and clinical laboratories, focusing on their respective roles within the public health system.
At the end of this course, learners should be able to:
- Identify the 11 core functions of public health laboratories.
- Explain how the public health laboratory interacts with partners and customers, including other laboratories.
- Describe the role of federal, state, and local agencies and organizations within the public health laboratory system.
About OneLab
The OneLab Rapid Education and Capacity-building Hub (REACH) is a laboratory education and training learning management system specifically designed and tailored for the needs of clinical and public health laboratory professionals. OneLab REACH supports the laboratory community by providing relevant and timely education and training resources.
CDC’s OneLab Network provides opportunities for education and training, as well as a space for collaboration between clinical, public health, individuals who perform or coordinate testing at non-laboratory sites, and CDC laboratory education and training professionals.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Laboratory Systems is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program.
OneLab™ and OneLab REACH™ are registered trademarks of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
New Episode of Off the Bench Podcast
Subscribe to the Off the Bench Podcast for discussions on scientific and not-so-scientific ideas in laboratory medicine. New episodes drop the last Friday of each month.
On the September 27 episode, co-hosts Doryan Redding and Sophia Chandrasekar speak with Dr. Audrey Folsom of Arkansas State University, as she shares her experiences as a medical laboratory scientist doing lab work overseas and her adventures in teaching lab and health courses in China.
Subscribe to the podcast through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.
Voices Under 40
Spotlight: Leah Daily-Palmer, MEd, MLS(ASCP)CM, Spokane, Washington
Leah is a clinical laboratory education manager at the Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children’s Hospital in Spokane, WA. As the only one in her role in the entire Providence Health and Services, her responsibilities are vast and unique. She oversees local and distance laboratory educational programs and serves as a consultant for workforce development, education, training, and competency assessment for the laboratories within the Providence system.
In addition to her many professional duties, Leah has shown extraordinary dedication to ASCLS committees and task forces, as seen by her many roles as: student representative, ASCLS-Utah, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 academic years; student representative, ASCLS Region Vlll, 2006-2007 academic year; committee member of ASCLS-WA Spokane Chapter in 2011-2017; and as a program lead in the ASCLS-WA Spring Seminar-Spokane in 2014. 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.
Latest Jobs
Technical Application Specialist I
Thermo Fisher Scientific IDD
Portage, Michigan
Medical Laboratory Technologist Careers
Memorial Healthcare System
Hollywood, Florida
Faculty – Chair and Instructor
University of West Florida
Pensacola, Florida
See more job openings on the ASCLS Career Center.
Local Events
Northwest Medical Laboratory Symposium (ASCLS-Washington and ASCLS-Oregon)
October 24-25
Virtual
ASCLS-Colorado Fall Seminar
November 2
Loveland, Colorado
ASCLS-Minnesota Metro Area Scientific Assembly
November 10
St Louis Park, Minnesota
2025 ASCLS-Texas Annual Spring Conference
April 9-11
Corpus Christi, Texas
Key Dates
2025 ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting Session Proposal Deadline
October 19
DAC Movie Night: The Healthcare Divide
October 20
HRSA-SDS Grant Overview: Are you Eligible?
Webinar
October 30