TRAINING IN MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY

Background: Advancing medical laboratory and genomic testing is reliant on a workforce equipped with the skills required to perform and interpret the complexity of new generation assays. In certain areas, challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified laboratory staff have led to shortages of experienced professionals which may negatively influence diagnostic services. Local research in this field is limited, and this study aimed to evaluate how medical technologists and technicians perceived and related to their working environment. Methods: A mixed methods study was conducted to evaluate respondents’ perceptions of factors influencing workplace experience such as interpersonal relationships, compliance to continuing professional development (CPD), work ethic and scope of practice within the medical laboratory. A link to a web-based survey was distributed to an expert group attending the 2015 congress of the Society of Medical Laboratory Technology of South Africa (SMLTSA), Port Elizabeth. Results: Survey results indicated that 27.5% of respondents were not happy with their career choice, notably the younger generation and public sector participants, where the latter reported significantly lower salaries than those in other sectors (p < 0.05). Only 54.2% reported being active members of the SMLTSA. Difficulties in attending professional development activities were described and deviation from scope of practice noted. Some respondents felt undervalued, reporting work ethic as satisfactory. Interpersonal tension was perceived between certain groups and the level of education was least likely to be related to salary scale. Most of the respondents (98.6%) were registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Conclusion: The majority of participants reported to be satisfied with their career choice. This study was conducted prior to the introduction of the professional degree in medical laboratory science and may not be reflective of the current views of this sector of laboratory staff. However the study serves as a basis for further research using a representative sample of different laboratory professionals to assess job satisfaction and factors affecting retention of staff in medical diagnostic laboratories.

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Status of Employment-Related Qualifications Similar to a Medical Laboratory Technology Major

Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science ◽

10.15324/kjcls.2018.50.4.525 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 50 (4) ◽

pp. 525-534

Author(s):

Hyun Ho Sung ◽

Dae Sik Kim ◽

Young Kuk Cho ◽

Ki Nam Yoon

Keyword(s):

Medical Laboratory ◽

Laboratory Technology

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Pengaruh Pencapaian Biologi dan Kimia Peringkat SPM dalam Meramal Pencapaian Pelajar bagi Subjek Biologi Manusia

Sains Humanika ◽

10.11113/sh.v9n4.457 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Hishamuddin Ahmad ◽

Siti Eshah Mokshein

Keyword(s):

Regression Analysis ◽

Multiple Regression Analysis ◽

Multiple Regression ◽

Female Students ◽

Health Science ◽

Male Students ◽

Medical Laboratory ◽

Human Biology ◽

Strong Positive Correlation ◽

Laboratory Technology

The purpose of this study is to identify differences in the results of the semester examinations for the Human Biology subject of the Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT) program for science and non-science stream students at the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) level as well as the achievement of male and female students. Furthermore, this study is also intended to predict the results of the Human Biology subject based on the SPM subjects of Biology and Chemistry. This study is a quantitative study involving the analysis of students' Human Biology subjects for the July-December 2012 session using multiple regression analysis with SPM results as independent variables. The sample used was 40 students who were randomly selected from the College of Medical Laboratory Technology, Kuala Lumpur, and the Allied Health Science College, Kuching, Sarawak. The results of the data analysis showed that the achievement of students from the science stream in the Human Biology subject was better (p<0.05; t=-3.653; df=38) than students from non-science streams and the difference in achievement was significant at 95% confidence level. At the same time, the achievement of female students showed better results (p<0.05; t=-2.082; df=38) as compared to male students. Pearson correlation analysis showed a very strong positive correlation for Biology (r=0.632 (39), p<0.05) and Chemistry (r=0.678 (39), p<0.05) subjects grades to Human Biology subject scores. Linear multiple regression analysis showed that the combined grades of Biology and Chemistry subjects at the SPM level predicted 49.1% of the Human Biology subject scores variant at DMLT level. The implication of this study suggests that candidates from the science stream with better grade results especially in Biology and Chemistry subjects at the SPM level should be given priority for the enrolment to the DMLT program. Since the DMLT program cannot be exclusively offered to female candidates even though the female group is able to achieve better results, male candidates’ enrolment need to be continued. However, more attention should be given to the male students especially during the learning session of Human Biology subject.

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