Laboratory Professionals Member Community

This community is for ASCP laboratory professional members and is aligned with those membership categories.

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  • 1.  ASM CPHM Personnel Standards and Workforce subcommittee

    ASCP Ambassador
    Posted 21 days ago

    Sharing via my ASM colleagues:

    Dear DivC,
    On behalf of the ASM CPHM Personnel Standards and Workforce subcommittee, I invite you to contribute to our current workforce project. The survey will remain open through May 8.
    The heart of clinical microbiology laboratories are the bench-level staff; highly trained, expert laboratorians generating quality, critical results that guide clinical management of infectious diseases. Staff turnover through retirement, strains of the pandemic, and challenges in retention, coupled with an insufficient pipeline of medical laboratory scientists, threaten maintenance of this essential workforce. To address staffing shortages, some laboratories have taken to hiring non-board-certified individuals, while simultaneously maintaining the expected quality and competency standard. ASM's Clinical and Public Health subcommittee on Personnel Standards and Workforce seeks to understand how this shift in hiring practice has impacted the resources and time required to onboard, train, and retain non-board-certified versus board-certified staff. The following survey is designed to collect data on this topic, with the goal of highlighting areas of need and identifying resources needed to maintain a strong and healthy workforce.
    Link to survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ASM_MLS_Workforce_Survey. Click or tap if you trust this link." target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ASM_MLS_Workforce_Survey
    Thank you for your time,
    Kyle
    Chair, PS&W

    Kyle G. Rodino, PhD, D(ABMM)

    Assistant Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine | Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

    Assistant Director, Clinical Microbiology Laboratory | Director, Rittenhouse Molecular Laboratory | Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

    https://pathology.med.upenn.edu/. Click or tap if you trust this link." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Penn Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

     

    3400 Spruce St, 4th Floor Gates, Philadelphia, PA 19104

    Office: 215-662-6652 | Cell: 267-608-5618 | Fax: 215-349-8291

    Kyle.Rodino@pennmedicine.upenn.edu



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    Rodney E. Rohde, PhD, MS, SM(ASCP)CM,SVCM,MBCM, FACSc
    Regents' Professor, Texas State University System
    University Distinguished Chair & Professor, Medical Laboratory Science [MLS] Program
    TEDx Speaker & Global Fellow – Global Citizenship Alliance
    Texas State Honorary Professor of International Studies
    Associate Director, Translational Health Research Initiative @txst_THR
    Past President, Texas Association for CLS

    Texas State University
    MLS Program, Encino Hall 350B [office ENC 363]
    601 University Drive
    San Marcos, TX 78666-4616
    512-245-3500 [CLS suite]; 512-245-2562 [office]
    Email: rrohde@txstate.edu
    Pronouns: he/him/his
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  • 2.  RE: ASM CPHM Personnel Standards and Workforce subcommittee

    Posted 20 days ago
    I realize I am somewhat of a pain about this, but when we talk about certification could we be more consistently inclusive and say ASCP and AMT certification.  As a hiring lab leader for over 40 years, I consistently viewed ASCP and AMT as equivalent.



    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: ASM CPHM Personnel Standards and Workforce subcommittee

    Posted 19 days ago

    I believe should develop a program for individual subject internship to cover up the gap.

    I have come across many candidates looking for job in the laboratory but have degree in one subject. BS/MS in Microbiology or BS/MS in chemistry. These candidates do not have all required subject to enroll in MLS program. To get enrolled in MLS program have to do additional few semesters  and college fees.  Some have family, financial issues and end up store jobs to support financial needs.

    Suggestion is to develop 3 months rotation in chemistry lab with BS/MS degree and continue work as technician for 3 months (paid) will qualify them to take Chemistry technologist board (ASCP).  Same with Microbiology.

    This will help them to work in laboratory environment and can continue online study to take MLS.

     

    Tarulata Patel MS,CLS,SH(ASCP),DLM

    Special Hematologist

    Hematology/Oncology Departement

    VAMC Atlanta.

     




    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: ASM CPHM Personnel Standards and Workforce subcommittee

    Posted 19 days ago

    Thank you for posting, Dr. Rohde!  And thanks in advance to all of you Microbiologists/Lab Managers out there who will complete the survey.

     

    As we all know, laboratories are struggling to hire medical laboratory-educated personnel. Data that describe the current state of the laboratory workforce are continuously needed.   A better understanding of the time needed to onboard, train and retain will help with future advocacy efforts.

     

    With appreciation for all you each do to support the profession,

    Susan

     

    Susan M. Harrington, PhD D(ABMM), MLS(ASCP)CM

    Medical Director, Mycobacteriology and Medical Laboratory Science Program

    Medical Director, Microbiology, Akron General Hospital

    Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department

    Cleveland Clinic

    Cleveland, OH 44195

     

    Chair, ASCP Workforce Steering Committee

     


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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: ASM CPHM Personnel Standards and Workforce subcommittee

    Posted 18 days ago

    I appreciate this discussion, and I'd like to offer a quick observation from the perspective of someone who works closely with training and readiness.

    Certification-whether ASCP or AMT-is not about creating barriers; it's about confirming a baseline level of competence so that new laboratorians can work safely, reliably, and independently. As many of us are seeing, the real challenge isn't the exam itself, but helping students understand that feedback, accountability, and resilience are essential parts of our profession.

    Workforce pressures are real, but lowering expectations doesn't truly solve the problem. It often increases the training burden on already stretched teams and puts more stress on experienced staff. Maintaining strong certification standards helps protect both the quality of our work and the patients who depend on it.

    In short, certification isn't about perfection-it's about readiness. And supporting students in developing that professional mindset is just as important as teaching technical skills.



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    Kathy Sutton Medical Laboratory Scientist


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    Original Message