Resources

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American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA)
ACLA has created a tool which calculates the economic impact of the laboratory - nationally, state, and even by congressional district. These data are very helpful as we advocate for our profession. (https://www.acla.com/economic-impact-of-clinical-labs/)

American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) Recruitment Tool Kit
ASCLS has created a recruitment tool kit that addresses workforce shortage, education programs, certification agencies and personnel licensure information. (https://www.ascls.org/careers-ascls/career-recruitment-tool-kit) 

ASCLS Position Paper Addressing the Clinical Laboratory Workforce Shortage (http://www.ccclw.org/uploads/6/3/4/9/63493369/clinical_laboratory_workforce_final_20180824.pdf)

American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
What’s My Next Campaign Aims to Stem Workforce Shortage
ASCP is taking a comprehensive approach to addressing the shortage of qualified laboratory professionals in the healthcare industry through its What’s My Next campaign. This program primarily targets high-achieving, science‐oriented high school students to familiarize them with the vast array of exciting career opportunities in laboratory medicine. As part of this campaign, students from area high schools are invited to attend the ASCP Annual Meeting and take part in NEXTPO, a student extension of the Annual Meeting that brings together ASCP members, educators, and industry partners to immerse the students in real-life scientific learning. ASCP Ambassadors lead the students in hands-on educational exercises and facilitated short talks and discussions. Read More
 
ASCP Wage and Vacancy Surveys Take the Pulse of Medical Laboratory Profession
The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) conducts a biennial wage and salary surveys.
         Wage link: https://academic.oup.com/ajcp/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ajcp/aqaa197/5987744
         Vacancy link: academic.oup.com/ajcp/article/152/2/155/5499263
These surveys provide wage and vacancy data that are useful in recruiting students and adjusting current workforce expectations for those already in the field. These confidential surveys of hospital, reference, and physician office laboratory facilities have been administered every two years since 1988 and serves as a primary source of information for academic, governmental, and industry labor analysts in defining the state of the nation’s clinical laboratory workforce.

Career/Job Boards
Many of the CCCLW sponsoring professional associations have resources to assist individuals who are seeking a job.  Please check on each individual organization’s website for more details.

ASCLS Career Center: 

American Medical Technologists' Career Center:

Clinical Laboratory Management Association Career Center:  

Minnesota Careers for Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories: Link 

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Job Occupation Outlook: link
​An overview of the Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologist and Technician professions, including salary information and job projections.

Additional Recruitment Links

ASCLS
“I am a Medical Laboratory Scientist”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU8vyqHCy5w
 “What is an MLS?”: https://youtu.be/d4DdPBeUPek
 “A Life Saved”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0OZfMzxU-o
 
Promotion of the Profession:
http://www.ascls.org/promotion-of-the-profession
https://www.elsevier.com/connect/the-hidden-profession-that-saves-lives
 
Ideas for Career Days
•Microscope (Ask to be near an outlet).
•Blood smear – Show a red cell and a white blood cell (depending on their age and attention span) and explain what a CBC is.
•Slide with head lice for them to look at under the microscope.
•Blood plates with bacteria growing from – hands, throat, cell phone, bathroom toilet handle, etc..
•Worms that have been passed in stool specimens; explain how they can get there.
•Ticks.
•A variety of tubes – bring a SST tube with blood spun down to show packed red cells and serum.
•An expired unit of blood – Have a stand to hang this on – definitely grabs their eye.
•Gloves – Bring a range of sizes so they can take a pair with them.
•Rapid test kits – Without opening, explain how the kit works and what it is testing for (Strep, Mono, Influenza) – they are amazed in how short a time we can have an answer.
•Ask the Histology department to bring gallbladder (with stones are the best), appendix, and/or tonsils. Cadaver specimens (for older students) such as a CAD heart, smoker’s lung, Alzheimer’s brain, etc.
 
Commercial Links
Glogerm - www.glogerm.com/
Giant Microbes - www.giantmicrobes.com/us/