Eighteen bachelor's and master's students in Cytology and Clinical Laboratory Sciences received their white coats on Sunday, April 23, in a ceremony held appropriately at the start of Medical Laboratory Professionals Week.
The ceremony marked a major milestone as the CLS and cytotechnology students move from being learners on campus to professionals in laboratory environments during their clinical rotations.
Their expertise will contribute to the health of all Americans. About 70% of a patient’s medical record is laboratory data. What’s more, 70% of all medical decisions are based on laboratory findings, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
They are also in critical need. As with all professions, laboratories lost staff during the pandemic and the population of scientists is growing older, with the average age now 44. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states 12,000 new professionals are needed each year to meet the growing demand for testing.
Abir AL kalbani, who received her master’s in Cytotechnology and Molecular Cytology in December, said the ACPHS program helped her learn the field from its basic foundations to mastery, through close interaction with faculty.
“You start from that base and then go step by step until you reach your board exams, and you are very ready to pass them,” AL kalbani said.
In fact, the cytology program has had a 100% pass rate in board licensing exams every year but one since 2009. The pass rate for the CLS board exam was also 100% in 2021 and 2022, and 91% in 2020.