LEADERSHIP
Board Productive at Fall Meeting
The ASCLS Board of Directors met virtually for its fall meeting on November 2 and approved a number of recommendations.
- Leadership Academy Taskforce: The board accepted recommendations and final report of the Leadership Academy Taskforce and referred their recommendation to the Leadership Academy Committee for implementation. The report and recommendations were the result of a year-long effort to define a new approach for the National Leadership Academy. Moving forward, the national program will focus at a higher level for participants and will build on the state and regional leadership academies and existing leadership experiences and talents of the ASCLS membership. The Leadership Academy Committee has already begun working on revising the curriculum and selection criteria to roll out next year.
- Choosing Wisely: The board approved the recommendations of the Choosing Wisely Taskforce to submit recommendations from ASCLS to the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation for inclusion in the Choosing Wisely campaign. The three recommendations cover transfusion of red blood cells; avoidance of routine prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT, APTT) in pre-operative screens; and avoiding the use of hemoglobin to screen for iron deficiency, choosing ferritin instead.
- Expanded Emeritus Eligibility: After receiving feedback on the new eligibility for Emeritus Membership put in place in March, the board expanded the ways in which members may quality. In addition to members whose age and years of continuous membership add up to at least 90, members whose age and years of total (non-continuous) membership that add up to 95 are now also eligible for Emeritus Membership.
- Expanded Annual Meeting Steering Committee: The Annual Meeting Steering Committee was expanded by two people to accommodate the larger workload put on the group with the development of an independent ASCLS Annual Meeting.
Call for Volunteers
The Nominations Committee is seeking nominations for those interested in serving in an elected position beginning in June 2019. If you, or someone you know, should be nominated for one of the following positions, contact the Nominations Committee chair by December 31.
- President-elect (3-year commitment, automatically succeeding to President and Past President)
- Secretary/Treasurer (1-year term)
- Region Directors for Regions I, VII, VIII (3-year term)
- Judicial Committee (one position, 5-year term)
- Nominations Committee (one position, 3-year term)
Learn more about each position's eligibility requirements and duties.
There are immediate volunteer opportunities for regional representatives to the Political Action Committee (PAC). The PAC works with the Government Affairs Committee to monitor legislation at the local, state, and federal levels dealing with clinical laboratory issues, and raises funds to support lobbying efforts. The PAC is currently seeking:
- Region II PAC Representative
- Region IX PAC Representative
If you are interested, contact ASCLS Executive Vice President Jim Flanigan.
Legislative & Regulatory Update
New Faces Await Labvocates in Next Congress
The American people have gone to the polls and chosen divided government. On November 6, Democrats took back the majority in the House of Representatives giving them a check on the ability of Republicans and the White House to move federal legislation. What will this mean for clinical laboratory services and the issues ASCLS advocates on behalf of? We are not likely to know for a while, but it is clear healthcare played a big role in this election and the American people are engaged. Read more.
ASCLS Voices Under 40
Spotlight: Kate Bernhardt, MS, MLS(ASCP) CM , LSSGB, from Elmhurst, Illinois
Kate was recently promoted to laboratory manager of the Core and Specials Laboratory at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois. She has enjoyed learning this new role and is excited for the opportunity to challenge herself, learn, and strengthen new skills while advocating for the laboratory and lab professionals. “I derive a lot of personal meaning and satisfaction by interacting with others and advocating for the laboratory, both within work at Loyola and through ASCLS.”
“ASCLS is a huge part of my identity as a lab professional. As a student, I attended the ASCLS-IL State meetings, and truly fell in love with this organization when I attended the Legislative Symposium in Washington, D.C.” Over the years, Kate has stayed active in ASCLS on a regional and state level. She served as the regional Government Affairs Committee chair, Illinois State membership chair, website liaison, and state meeting chair. Kate has also helped promote the profession by presenting lectures at state and national meetings and helped to decorate MLS-themed Christmas Trees at the Brookfield Zoo Tree Trim event. Read more.
ASCLS Voices Under 40 honors ASCLS members who have shown exceptional commitment to the Society, the laboratory profession, and their community at large at a younger age in their professional career. Each month we spotlight one of the shining voices who were selected from many nominations across the country.
Medical Laboratory Professionals Week
4th Annual ASCLS Lab Week Run
Step out of your labs and into your communities to help spread the word about the medical laboratory profession by participating in the ASCLS Lab Week Virtual Run.
A virtual race, unlike a traditional race, can be run at any time during Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (April 21-27, 2019) and can be run anywhere. Participants can walk, use a treadmill, run outside, or even run in another race concurrently.
Lab Week Run has had participants run, walk, push baby strollers, walk their dog, hike, and even kayak to complete the 5K distance (or 3.1 miles). Virtual races can be completed with a group of friends or solo—however is most convenient for the participant.
Race packets will go on sale January 1 with Early Early Bird Pricing of $35 available through January 31. Each race packet will include a finisher medal, t-shirt, race bib, four safety pins, and an ASCLS 2019 calendar magnet. All proceeds go to grants and scholarships that help medical laboratory professionals attend ASCLS meetings, lobby representatives for the profession, and become future leaders in the field.
Events
CLEC 2019 Early Bird Registration Ends December 28
The 2019 Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) program offers a wide variety of sessions that will enhance teaching skills, improve program management, and increase efficiencies.
On Friday alone, you can choose from nearly 40 different session topics, including educational coaching opportunities; a closer look at the BOC; introducing laboratory students to meditation; and welcoming non-traditional students into our area of study. Access the full program to learn more about the dozens of learning opportunities at CLEC 2019.
CLEC 2019 will be held February 21-23 in Baltimore at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel. Save $100 off onsite registration with Early Bird rates available through December 28.
Save the Dates
- 2019 Legislative Symposium will be held March 18-19 at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town in Alexandria, Virginia
- 2019 Annual Meeting will be held June 23-27 at the Sheraton/Le Meridien Charlotte Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina
Add your upcoming events to the ASCLS Events Calendar:
- Visit http://connect.ascls.org/home.
- Log in.
- Go to Upcoming Events under the Events Tab.
- Click on the green Add Event button in the upper right.
Diversity Advocacy Council
When you think on the word, diversity, and what it means to you, what comes to mind? Most people tend to lean towards race, gender, religion, and sexuality when asked for their definition. Have you ever thought about diversity between cultures? Or, how about differences in childhood experiences?
The ASCLS Diversity Advocacy Council (DAC) is here to challenge not only the way we think about diversity, but also to explore the differences within ASCLS that make our organization so diverse. We want to highlight that ASCLS, the organization overall, is composed of different elements. We, as members, are those unique elements that bring diversity not only to ASCLS but to the clinical laboratory profession as a whole. We take our knowledge, our experiences, and our talents with us everywhere we go. These are the elements of diversity that connects us all.
The DAC wants to extend the conversation of diversity to all members of ASCLS. We know that everyone is unique in their own way and we want to help lead the conversation of inclusion. Please join the Diversity Advocacy Council Community (login required) to be part of this conversation.
Connect: The Community Conversations
Check out the recent discussion threads on ASCLS Connect and join the conversations:
- In the Open Forum, give suggestions for students interested in international lab positions or outreach-type work after graduation.
- Also in the Open Forum, learn about new free APHL and CDC Informatics eLearning Courses.
- Discuss a new Clinical Pathologist Assistant Program offered by the University of Alabama, Birmingham in the Open Forum.
- In the Education Community share about MLT programs scheduling all program courses in eight-week terms.
- In the Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality Community read frequent blog posts with helpful resources and information.
Key Dates
Education and Research Fund I. Dean Spradling Graduate Research Grant Deadline
December 15, 2018
Learn More
Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) 2019 Early Bird Registration Deadline
December 28, 2018
Learn More
Nominations for Elected ASCLS Positions Deadline
December 31, 2018
Learn More