Author ORCID Identifier
Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
2024
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Health Science
First Advisor
Victor C Huber
Abstract
Medical laboratory scientists and technicians play a crucial role in healthcare by utilizing advanced methods to aid in the diagnosis, monitoring, and prevention of a wide range of diseases. Certifying as an MLS or MLT professional is detailed and specific, requiring years of laboratory training that is crucial to accurately perform testing that impacts patient care. Shortages of qualified medical laboratorians have persisted for decades, causing laboratory administrators to hire individuals who lack basic laboratory training. Laboratory education programs are not keeping up with the staffing demands, in part due to the lack of clinical rotation placements needed for MLS and MLT students to complete their degrees. The opportunity for clinical rotations is a requirement of NAACLS, the main credentialing body for medical laboratory education, however, there are no specific requirements for the time students spend on rotation. Clinical rotations are used for different purposes across medical laboratory education programs, and this research focused on their perceived impact from major stakeholders in MLS education, and key quality outcomes from individual programs. The first chapter sets the landscape of medical laboratory education with details provided from 167 of the 469 directors of NAACLS-accredited programs. Chapter one established averages for hours spent on clinical rotation and in didactic education across all MLS and MLT programs. Chapter two surveyed 155 individuals from various sizes of laboratories, job titles, geographic locations, and ages, which were used to evaluate how differences in facilities and opinions influence the training from clinical staff working with students. Chapter three evaluated certification pass rates against time spent on clinical rotation using regression analysis. This research shows the value of the clinical rotation for hospital-based programs while demonstrating that it may not be crucial for other programs. The findings of this report should be used to seek harmonization of clinical rotation standards across the profession while still recognizing the unique differences between programs. The shortage of medical laboratorians has reached a critical point which threatens the existence of the profession, and findings in this report strengthen the evidence base that is foundational to meaningful actions that will address the issue.
Subject Categories
Higher Education Administration | Medicine and Health Sciences
Keywords
Clinical Internships, Clinical Laboratory Science, Clinical Rotations, Medical Laboratory Education, Medical Laboratory Science, National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science
Number of Pages
175
Publisher
University of South Dakota
Recommended Citation
Beazer, Kendal, "EVALUATING THE LENGTH OF CLINICAL ROTATIONS IN MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE EDUCATION" (2024). Dissertations and Theses. 240.
https://red.library.usd.edu/diss-thesis/240