Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on accredited programs and graduates who sat for the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification examination: graduates' perspective.

OBJECTIVE: Students in health profession education programs were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic at both didactic and clinical training levels. The purpose for this American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC) study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on graduates. This study represents the perspectives of laboratory professional graduates who sat for the BOC certification in their respective professional disciplines. METHODS: A survey was sent to all graduates from the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS), Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), and Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited programs who sat for the ASCP BOC examination in 2020 and 2021 to determine the impact of COVID-19 on laboratory professional graduates during the pandemic. RESULTS: A total of 180 graduates responded to the survey. The majority of graduates indicated that at least 1 didactic program component was shifted to an online system during the pandemic and that both clinical and nonclinical student laboratories were affected. Although program completion for most graduates was not delayed, one-third of graduates delayed taking their respective BOC exam. Due to the lack of knowledge application through practical hands-on laboratory experience in their educational programs, graduates reported feeling a lack of readiness with regards to preparing for the national certification examination as well as for employment. CONCLUSION: The study results showed the pandemic greatly impacted the education experience and readiness for the ASCP BOC examinations for graduates. Factors such as the absence of in-person learning and hands-on experience-both crucial aspects in laboratory training-and the ripple effects as a result of the pandemic, such as job loss, financial constraints, and health concerns, contributed to the decreased quality of education for graduates.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on accredited programs and graduates who sat for the American Society for Clinical Pathology-Board of Certification Examination: program directors' perspective.

OBJECTIVE: Health professions education programs were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic at clinical and didactic training levels. The purpose for this American Society for Clinical Pathology-Board of Certification (BOC) study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the graduates who sat for BOC certification in their respective professional disciplines from the perspective of program directors (PDs). A separate article will be published on the graduates' perspective. METHODS: A survey was sent to all PDs from the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science, Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, and Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, accredited programs whose graduates are certified by the BOC, to determine the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare graduates and education programs during the pandemic. RESULTS: A total of 201 PDs responded. All programs consistently reported that the pandemic had a negative impact on their students' BOC pass rate and scores. When asked what educational formats were used, all groups used virtual live lectures and recorded lectures. University programs were found to use more online student laboratories and simulation laboratory sessions than the hospital programs, affecting the psychomotor skills of their students. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that the effects from the COVID-19 pandemic were related to the inherent differences between hospital and university programs. This study revealed that the pandemic affected university programs more than hospital programs.

Guidelines for Initiating a Research Agenda: Topic Selection and Evidence of Impact.

The focus on scholarly productivity as an outcome measure for performance evaluations of personnel and/or units and benchmarking purposes is increasing in both the academic and clinical settings. This article presents avenues for identifying achievable research projects in both the academic and clinical settings. Factors for consideration when selecting a project include its significance or impact on the profession, feasibility for implementing the project, and ethical issues related to human subjects protection. A review of the literature is essential for identifying gaps in knowledge and for constructing the hypothesis or research question. Decisions concerning IRB submission, budget allocation, and collection of data must also be considered before implementation of the research design.

Guidelines for Initiating a Research Agenda: Research Design and Dissemination of Results.

Successful research outcomes require selection and implementation of the appropriate research design. A realistic sampling plan appropriate for the design is essential. Qualitative or quantitative methodology may be utilized, depending on the research question and goals. Quantitative research may be experimental where there is an intervention, or nonexperimental, if no intervention is included in the design. Causation can only be established with experimental research. Popular types of nonexperimental research include descriptive and survey research. Research findings may be disseminated via presentations, posters, and publications, such as abstracts and manuscripts.

The Development of the Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science in the U.S.

In the United States, a new post-baccalaureate degree has been introduced in the medical laboratory sciences profession whose hallmark is advanced clinical practice beyond that of the entry level generalist. After more than a decade of exploring the most appropriate level of education and training in laboratory medicine to meet the demands of a changing health care system, the first Doctorate of Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS) program is now offered. This article discusses the collaborative effort among professional organizations and stakeholders to develop the framework for the DCLS degree. In addition, the roles, responsibilities and justification for need of the DCLS are presented along with accreditation standards for DCLS programs and future challenges for this new member of the health care delivery team.

The utility of essential functions in clinical laboratory science programs.

OBJECTIVE: Essential functions (EF) define the nonacademic criteria used to determine an individual's qualifications for admission and capabilities of performing in the classroom and laboratory with or without reasonable accommodations. Directors of NAACLS approved and accredited programs were surveyed to investigate their knowledge and perceptions of EF and associations with disabilities and student behaviors. DESIGN: This was a non-experimental survey consisting of questions related to the use of essential functions (EF) and student behaviors in NAACLS laboratory programs. SurveyMonkey was used to electronically provide the survey of 33 questions to 564 NAACLS programs. RESULTS: Descriptive statistics were reported as aggregate data with a response rate of 267 (47.3%). EF are utilized in 95.5% of the programs; however, only 38.6% of the participants responded that EF are required by both the ADA and NAACLS. A student had never been dismissed based on EF in 80.0% of the programs. Many programs have been successful in mentoring students with disabilities to successful completion. Hearing impairment was the most reported disability (30.0%). Participants felt most comfortable referring students for academic coaching (96.2%) when compared to medical concerns (86.5%), and psychological concerns (82.7%). CONCLUSIONS: While most programs utilized EF, many program directors were not aware that EF are required by both NAACLS and the ADA. Programs have successfully instructed and graduated students with a variety of disabilities and generally feel comfortable in referring students for assistance. Concerns with inappropriate behaviors present unique, generational challenges to faculty.

Influence of credentials of clinical laboratory professionals on proficiency testing performance.

The influence of the training, experience, and credentials of testing personnel in the increasingly complex laboratory is a significant concern. A retrospective study compared the relationship of proficiency testing (PT) performance with the credentials of the testing personnel using logistic regression analyses. Predictor variables included the practitioner's college major, degree, certification, and years of laboratory experience. There were 14,326 valid PT results and 359 practitioners of whom 245 (68.2%) had a clinical laboratory science major. Logistic regression analysis revealed that participants without a clinical laboratory science major were more likely (adjusted odds ratio, 1.849; P = .035) to produce unacceptable results compared with participants whose academic history included a clinical laboratory science program. These data suggest that clinical laboratories should be staffed by people who have completed a formal clinical laboratory education program to ensure quality of laboratory testing and to reduce the risk of medical errors.