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Medical Laboratory Professionals Week: The Path to a Career in a Clinical Laboratory and theForgotten Forefront of Saving Lives


By: Madison Brooks, MLS (ASCP) CM and Renee Frank, MD FASCP, Geisinger


Happy Lab Week!


Lab Week is celebrated annually to show appreciation for laboratory medicine professionals and all the challenging work that goes into acquiring, receiving, processing, and analyzing patient samples. This year’s Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (Lab Week) was celebrated from April 14-20, 2024. Each year, the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) picks a theme; this year’s was, “The Lab is Everything,” written in “Barbie font” with the catchphrase, “THE FOREFRONT OF SAVING LIVES.”



Without a doubt, laboratory medicine is at the forefront of saving lives. The majority of medical decision-making relies on some form of diagnostic laboratory testing (6). Yet many medical professionals view the lab as a black box, where few outsiders truly understand what goes on behind the lab’s closed doors. From the time a laboratory order is placed to the time it takes for the results to reach a patient’s chart, a specimen could have made its way through over a dozen hands. All of these medical laboratory professionals are integral to the analysis and resulting of laboratory values that aid in the diagnosis and management of patients.


Even though the medical lab is crucial for patient care, there are not enough laboratory professionals to meet the growing demand for testing. This is not a new difficulty for the field; since as early as 1983, enrollment numbers in medical laboratory science programs have fluctuated, but the number of new lab positions has increased annually (3). The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that there will be on average 7,500 new medical lab scientist and 19,500 new phlebotomy job openings added each year for the next 10 years (9, 10). However, from 2022 to 2023, the number of National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS)-accredited programs dropped from 613-608 for all program types. This means there are likely fewer new graduates available to fill the ever-growing open laboratory positions (1, 2).


The lack of visibility for education and career opportunities in the clinical lab has contributed to the shortage of new laboratory professionals entering the field. Many open positions are for qualified medical laboratory scientists/technologists, technicians, and phlebotomists. These roles require additional training to become the experts that patients and the healthcare team rely on.


The pathway to becoming a phlebotomist involves obtaining a high school diploma or equivalent and completing a training program to become proficient in drawing blood. An example of a local educational opportunity would be Geisinger’s School of Phlebotomy, which is a 12-week program that includes classroom didactics and hands-on instruction to prepare students for the Phlebotomy Technician Certification (PTC) Exam (8). Although in Pennsylvania, a certification is not required to work, many employers require it for hiring (5).


Becoming a medical laboratory technician or scientist/technologist requires additional training as well. Technician positions can be acquired after obtaining an associate degree while technologist/scientist positions require a bachelor’s degree. Also, most scientist/technologist roles require participation in a laboratory training program or internship that is NAACLS-accredited and a passing score on the ASCP Board of Certification Exam. They must also renew certification every three years by paying a fee and

completing continuing education credits.


Guthrie Medical Laboratory Sciences program in Sayre is currently the only NAACLS-accredited program in Northeastern PA (NEPA), but Geisinger School of Medical Laboratory Sciences is currently seeking NAACLS accreditation (4, 7). Geisinger’s program is an 11-month curriculum that includes classroom didactics and clinical rotations through many laboratory departments. This program originally opened in the 1920’s but closed in 1999; they celebrated their grand re-opening on April 17th, 2024 (7).


These professionals mentioned are just a few of the many roles involved in laboratory medicine. An event like Lab Week serves as an important acknowledgment and celebration of the dedication, knowledge, and expertise that laboratory professionals bring to work every day. So, how do local hospitals celebrate Lab Week?


After speaking to a few lab employees and managers from Geisinger, they explained that committees are usually formed to help plan the events of the week. Decorations were strewn across the lab, and throughout the week there were events like a waffle breakfast, crazy sock day, ice cream sundaes, a potluck, a door decorating competition, and a scavenger hunt competition where winners pie the managers. Other engaging activities utilized this year’s theme of “Barbie” with some of the leaders/managers taking pictures of themselves in various Barbie ensembles and writing a note about how much they appreciate their staff for all they do. Each site also participated in a community give-back event to help various community organizations, such as Geisinger Community Medical Center’s donation to PAWsitively for the Animals (PFTA). At Geisinger, Lab Week culminates in an awards

ceremony recognizing laboratory professionals for the Heart, Humility, and Humor (HHH) Annual Award.


Lab Week is predominantly celebrated internally, and funding for events comes from donations or the employees themselves. However, some hospitals do promote Lab Week throughout their health system, such as Geisinger, who disseminated Lab Week information with a hospital-wide e-mail and through TV promotions.


With the growing demand for laboratory testing, Medical Laboratory Professionals Week is a wonderful way to show appreciation for this under-recognized and often forgotten component of medicine. The educational path to working in a medical laboratory is not easy, and those efforts deserve to be celebrated. So, the next time you order a TSH to monitor thyroid medication or give a urine sample for a UTI, think of the many medical professionals who work hard to get results to you as quickly and accurately as possible.


For more information on laboratory training programs in NEPA, check out their webpages:


References:

1. Annual Report 2022 #43. National Accreditation Association for Clinical Laboratory Sciences. (n.d.). https://naacls.org/NAACLS/media/Documents/AnnualReport2022.pdf

2. Annual Report 2023 #44. National Accreditation Association for Clinical Laboratory Sciences. (n.d.). https://naacls.org/NAACLS/media/Documents/AnnualReport2023.pdf

3. Foubister, V. (2000, September). Bench press: the technologist/technician shortfall is putting the squeeze on laboratories nationwide. CAP Today.

4. Medical Laboratory Sciences. Guthrie. (n.d.-a). https://www.guthrie.org/medical-laboratory-sciences

5. Pennsylvania Phlebotomy Schools & Certification Information. Phlebotomy Training.org. (2023, November 23). https://www.phlebotomytraining.org/state/pennsylvania

6. Rohr, U.-P., Binder, C., Dieterle, T., Giusti, F., Messina, C. G., Toerien, E., Moch, H., & Schäfer, H.H. (2016). The value of in vitro diagnostic testing in medical practice: A status report. PLOS ONE, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0149856

7. School of Medical Laboratory Science. Geisinger. (n.d.).

9. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, September 6). Medical Scientists: Occupational outlook handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/medical-scientists.htm

10. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 17). Phlebotomists: Occupational outlook handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/phlebotomists.htm

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