PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Laudicina, Rebecca
AU  - Fenn, JoAnn P.
AU  - Freeman, Vickie
AU  - McCoy, Carol
AU  - McLane, Mary Ann
AU  - Mundt, Lillian A.
AU  - Polancic, Joan
AU  - Randolph, Tim
AU  - Shanahan, Kristy
TI  - Research in Clinical Laboratory Science: Professionals' Educational Preparation
AID  - 10.29074/ascls.24.4.243
DP  - 2011 Oct 01
TA  - American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
PG  - 243--248
VI  - 24
IP  - 4
4099  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/24/4/243.short
4100  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/24/4/243.full
SO  - Clin Lab Sci2011 Oct 01; 24
AB  - Identify CLS practitioners' sources of knowledge of research principles and hands-on research training.List activities that CLS practitioners believe would help improve their research skills.Describe research components of CLS educational programs.Characterize activities included in CLS undergraduate and master's student research projects.List perceived barriers to research participation by undergraduates and master's students in CLS educational programs.OBJECTIVE: To describe the educational preparation of CLS professionals for conducting research.DESIGN: A link to 3-part online survey was sent by electronic mail to 7,572 members of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science and 500 program directorsSETTING: email message, on-line surveyPARTICIPANTS: all ASCLS members and all directors of accredited clinical laboratory educational programsMAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Quantitative and qualitative measures of professionals' educational preparation for conducting research and descriptions of program curricula in research.RESULTS: 556 of 7572 (7.3%) persons completed the survey. Twenty-two percent of CLS undergraduate educational programs offer a separate research course in the curriculum, and 37% require completion of a research project. Barriers to participation in research by undergraduates include time limitations within the curriculum, insufficient faculty time, and lack of funds, space, and equipment. Increased emphasis on developing research skills is found in educational programs at the master's degree level.CONCLUSIONS: The formal educational background of many CLS professionals may leave them unprepared or underprepared for conducting research. Although there was broad representation among participants across educational levels, employment settings, and job positions, the number of survey respondents was limited. Possible directions for future research include conducting this survey using members of additional professional organizations.ABBREVIATIONS: CLS = clinical laboratory science; ASCLS = American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science; NAACLS = National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science