Celebrate Our Medical Laboratory Science Students, Alumni, and Department Professionals
April 23, 2020
FSC student Jennifer Bove (foreground) and Dr. Rita Austin
Medical Laboratory Professionals Week has been celebrated for 44 years, and yet there has never been a more appropriate time to celebrate these health-care champions.
Medical Laboratory Scientists – who perform tasks such as evaluating test performance, and reviewing results to ensure accuracy and reliability – are putting their lives on the line each time they enter a hospital biohazard room or private laboratory, as long as the COVID-19 pandemic persists. And yet, they are working out of the limelight and beyond television cameras, in the shadow of doctors and nurses in ER’s and ICU’s across the country.
“Our work is hidden, and so is often overlooked,” says Dr. Rita Austin, Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Laboratory Science. “We may not see an individual patient, but we know that behind every specimen is a person. We know that patient is someone’s loved one, and we also teach our students and trainees to treat every sample as if it belongs to their most cherished loved one. We consider patient safety a priority in our work.”
The BS degree enrolls 82 students. The curriculum includes development of theoretical knowledge, technical skills, and problem-solving abilities. There are also internships at affiliated clinical laboratories. MLS students are employed in clinical and diagnostic laboratories as Medical Laboratory Technicians, Laboratory Assistants, or Phlebotomists. By the end of the program, they are prepared to earn a New York State license, and national certification at the technologist level.
Alumna and Chancellor’s Award winner Jennifer Newins ’18, works at a microbiology lab in the bacteriology department, where patient samples are grown from bacteria that is causing an infection. The goal is to determine the susceptibility and resistance the bacteria has to different types of antibiotics.
“Working during COVID has been interesting, to say the least,” Newins says. “Our labs have always operated 24/7, and continue to do so during this time, so that doctors can get their patients’ lab results in a timely manner.”
“We hear so much in the news today about ‘the importance of the test,’” says Dr. Austin, “yet the media is failing to recognize, let alone even mention, the importance of the professionals who perform the tests and ensure accurate and precise results.”
The media may not be focused on Medical Laboratory Scientists, but at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they are waving a banner for these over-worked and underappreciated professionals.
“There is no better time to celebrate the thousands of heroes in laboratory coats working to support the health of patients and communities across America right now. During this 44th Lab Week, we will celebrate the United States’ critical healthcare workforce and thank you for your service to our country, and the world.”
