Volume 37 Number 5 | October 2023
Perry M. Scanlan, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, AMTF President
Alpha Mu Tau Fraternity (AMTF) is a charitable non-profit honor society with the primary purpose of recognizing professionals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of medical laboratory science and seek to enhance our profession by providing scholarships to support students seeking education in the field of medical laboratory science. Since its founding in 1948 by members of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS), AMTF has looked for ways to support the profession specifically through scholarships based on merit and financial need.
As one can imagine, financial support of our students and professionals is a key part of helping aspiring professionals achieve their career goals and in choosing the field of medical laboratory science as their undergraduate or graduate degree. AMTF has been a leader in this area providing substantial amounts of financial giving to student scholarships. In 2023, AMTF provided $47,000 and 21 scholarships in support of our profession. This does not happen without the support of its membership, specifically those individuals that have given of their time and talents to the service of our profession.
“In 2023, AMTF provided $47,000 and 21 scholarships in support of our profession.”
Membership in AMTF is a way to recognize high performing individuals committed to advancing the field of medical laboratory science through their volunteer commitment to our profession, often through service to ASCLS, related professional societies, and the community. The good news is that membership is obtainable through a variety of volunteer work and leadership roles. Our members are happy to work with you to determine if you are a good candidate for membership and will assist you with completing your application and in finding appropriate sponsors for your candidacy. Each potential nominee is asked to provide a complete, concise, and accurate profile of activities and contributions to the profession in a simple application packet.
Many people consider us a hidden profession and often discuss the need to raise awareness of those who work so hard in our field. In my opinion, there is no better way to honor our committed volunteers than through nomination of membership in AMTF. In fact, I will always remember the day I was officially inducted into AMTF and the sense of professional pride I felt for the contributions I have made to the profession. It also gave me additional ways to participate in honoring our future professionals through scholarships.
Professionals in medical laboratory science work very hard in support of patient care. They work lots of extra hours, including overtime. In salaried positions, they may not even realize how much extra time they spend working and making a difference each day. This is especially evident in our members that have met the standard for membership in AMTF. Therefore, in honor of our members, we celebrate with a themed social event that rightfully honors our membership in a way no one else does in our field.
Our social event coincides with the ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting (JAM), which allows us to party while attending the conference. The AMTF dinner social gives our members and their guests a chance to let their hair down, dance, and spend a few hours having fun with other like-minded professionals. It is a wonderous sight of costumed professionals relaxing and giving donations in support of scholarships. This might be why you see some of our members sneaking out of a session at the end of the day or wearing a funky or fun costume to one of the late sessions.
If you are interested in becoming a member of AMTF, please reach out to me or one of our members to see if you are a candidate for membership. If you know of a deserving professional, please reach out and encourage them to join. We look forward to seeing you and inducting our new members in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the 2024 JAM! Applications for membership and other information can be found on the AMTF website, or you can reach out to me directly.
Perry Scanlan is Professor and Chair in the Department of Allied Health Sciences at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.