What are MLS education programs doing to address the workforce shortage in the medical lab and provide opportunities for career advancement? 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts, Ms. Patricia Tanabe and Ms. Kelly Swails, are joined by Ms. Patricia Ellinger, MSEd, MLS(ASCP)CMSBBCM, MLS Faculty and Former MLS Program Director at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Ms. Sue Johnson, MSTM, MT(ASCP)CMSBBCM, Director of Clinical Education at Versiti and Director of the Transfusion Medicine Program at Marquette University, Dr. Elizabeth Glockel-Blessing, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, Associate Dean for Students and Academic Affairs in the Doisy College of Health Sciences at Saint Louis University, and Ms. Amanda Reed, MAE, MLS(ASCP)CM, Director of the Medical Laboratory Science Program at Saint Louis University, to discuss current trends in MLS education. 

Our panelists describe the MLT to MLS bridge program at St. Cloud State, the blood bank internship program at Versiti, and the hybrid MLS program at Saint Louis University. They explore how hybrid, online and accelerated models open up more seats for students and explain how clinicals work in their respective MLS programs. Learn how MLS programs are evolving to meet the demand for medical laboratory scientists and move the profession forward.

Topics Covered 
· The education paradigm our panelists are using in their respective MLS programs
· Ms. Ellinger’s MLT to MLS bridge program and how it’s individualized for each student
· The blood center-based blood bank internship program Ms. Johnson is developing and how participants separate their time as students vs. employees
· How Dr. Glockel-Blessing and Ms. Reed’s hybrid MLS program differs from a traditional MLS program and why it targets students with biology and chemistry degrees
· The 3 categorical programs offered at SLU and which generates the most interest
· How clinicals work in the MLT to MLS bridge, MLS hybrid and BB internship programs
· The advantages and disadvantages of each paradigm
· How hybrid and online programs open up more seats for students in MLS programs
· Our panelist's insight around the future of MLS education

Connect with ASCP
ASCP

Connect with Ms. Ellinger
Ms. Ellinger on LinkedIn

Connect with Ms. Johnson
Ms. Johnson on LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Glockel-Blessing
Dr. Glockel-Blessing on LinkedIn 

Connect with Ms. Reed
Ms. Reed on LinkedIn 

Connect with Ms. Tanabe & Ms. Swails
Ms. Tanabe on LinkedIn
Ms. Swails on Twitter

Resources
MLT to MLS Program at St. Cloud State University
Transfusion Medicine Blood Banking Fellowships at Versiti
SLU’s Hybrid MLS Degree
Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store