Forty-five percent of all medical laboratory workers have more than 20 years of experience, while only 23 percent have been on the bench for five years or less. A retirement bubble is coming and burnout among lab professionals is high in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. What can we do to recruit more people for MLS programs? 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Dr. Kristina Behan, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, Department Chair of Medical Laboratory Sciences at the University of West Florida, Mr. James Payne, MS, Phlebotomy and Laboratory Science Teacher at the WEMOCO Career and Technical Education Program in Spencerport, New York, and Ms. Susan Graham, MS, MT(ASCP), Department Chair and MLS Program Director of the Department of Clinical Laboratory Science at SUNY Upstate Medical University, to discuss recruitment for MLS programs. 

Our panelists share what they are doing as educators to increase the number of young people entering a career in laboratory medicine. Listen in for Dr. Behan, Mr. Payne, and Ms. Graham’s insight on MLS education in the post-COVID era and learn what we can do as lab professionals to boost enrollment in clinical laboratory science programs. 

Topics Covered 

· The four categories of stakeholders who share concerns around the sustainability of university-based medical laboratory sciences programs
· Strategies for growing the number of graduates to fill vacancies in the laboratory
· How the pandemic affected MLS programs and the resilience of students in laboratory medicine
· The value of career fairs and sharing classroom activities with middle and high school teachers 
· How laboratory professionals can help boost enrollment in MLS programs by providing shadowing opportunities, hosting field trips and offering to do stories for local media 

Connect with ASCP 

ASCP
ASCP on Facebook
ASCP on Instagram
ASCP on Twitter 

Connect with Dr. Behan 

Dr. Behan at the University of West Florida
Dr. Behan on LinkedIn 

Connect with Mr. Payne 

BOCES 2 CTE at WEMOCO
Mr. Payne on LinkedIn 

Connect with Ms. Graham 

Ms. Graham at SUNY
Ms. Graham on LinkedIn 

Connect with Ms. Jaworski 

Ms. Jaworski on LinkedIn 

Connect with Ms. Swails & Dr. Mulder 

Ms. Swails on Twitter
Dr. Mulder on Twitter

Resources 

Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store
ASCP Patient Champions Program
ASCP Career Ambassador Programs