Take a moment to reflect on your career as a laboratory professional as I define a Community of Practice. A Community of Practice is a group of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interaction on an ongoing basis. Doesn’t this sound like laboratory professionals? Regardless of your ASCLS membership status, you share the concerns, problems, and passion of our profession. Your complete inclusion in a community of practice is the ongoing interaction with other professionals. This is where ASCLS membership comes in. It enables the ongoing interaction among professionals resulting in deepened knowledge and expertise as well as long-term relationships. Those involved know exactly what I am talking about!

Although we all experience the frustration of lab professional shortages, being underappreciated, and frankly not known about at all, each and every one of us can make a difference; collectively, we can make a HUGE difference. We need a strong voice to bring laboratory professionals into the light. The general public and others in the health care system need to know the important role we play in the care of patients. If you are an ASCLS member, thank you! If you are not, we need you! Your ASCLS membership can help us take laboratory professionals to the next level. ASCLS members are working at the local, state, and national levels to publicize the profession, recruit new professionals and, realign with other members of the health care team. I invite you to join our community of practice as we work together to spotlight the importance of our profession.

It is a great time to be laboratory professional. With the recent implementation of the Leadership Academy, efforts to increase career awareness, and the impending implementation of a Doctoral Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, exciting things are on the horizon. As you reflect on your career as a laboratory professional, I hope that you hold your head high and look to the future of our profession. As your ASCLS President this year, I plan to do so and look forward to serving you. I would love to meet you and discuss ways YOU can be involved. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with comments, questions or concerns. It is a great time to be a laboratory professional!

January 2008