Building Advocates for Laboratory Medicine in Your Community

These articles predominantly discuss the critical workforce shortage in laboratory medicine and propose various educational and outreach strategies to address it. Several authors, advocate for implementing work-based learning opportunities for high school students, such as guest speaker presentations, interactive field trips, and hands-on internships or co-ops in medical laboratories to raise career awareness and develop employable skills. Other proposed solutions include recruiting from non-traditional student populations, like the MLT to MLS bridge program, and actively engaging with school counselors and politicians to increase the profession's visibility. The sources collectively emphasize the need for laboratories and professionals to proactively champion their field to secure a diverse and skilled future workforce.

References

1. American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. Clinical Laboratory Personnel Shortage. 2024.

2. Boon. Challenges of Hiring International Employees and Tips to Overcome Them.

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About CDC OneLab.

4. CDC. How do clinical standardization programs improve health? 2024.

5. Data USA. Clinical laboratory technician. 2022.

6. Data USA. Clinical laboratory technologist. 2022.

8. Luellen T. How Has the Great Resignation Impacted the Lab Director Job Market? Lighthouse Lab Services. April 27, 2022.

9. Montgomery S. The Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic on Laboratory Workforce: What’s Next? Critical Values. January 28, 2022.

10. New York State Education Department. Work-based learning (WBL) programs. 2024. .

11. Robinson AT, Rohde RE. Workforce in the Shadow of Healthcare – An Update on the Survival Status of Laboratory Medicine and Public Health. Biomed J Sci & Tech. 2024;54(5).

12. Rohde RE, Robinson AT. Using Laboratory Medicine to Support Direct Patient Care. American Society of Microbiology. October 5, 2021. n.

13. Stone J. We’re Facing A Critical Shortage Of Medical Laboratory Professionals. Forbes. April 28, 2022.

14. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians.

Disclaimer: Google's NotebookLM was used in the making of this audio using published references.

The information in this audio was reviewed by a certified Bachelor’s of Science Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) with a Florida supervisor license. It was decided the information is appropriately presented, but you are encouraged to verify validity.