Where have all the MTs gone

Medical Laboratory Observer, March, 2007

As I was reading the article in the January 2007, Vol. 39, No. 1, issue of MLO titled "Management Q & A, Addressing management issues," edited by Christopher S. Frings, PhD, CSP, I was struck by the realization that all of the employees mentioned in the article were MLTs. An MT filled none of the positions of responsibility mentioned in this article.

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Later, after my pharmacist husband listened to my 30-minute tirade about where the medical technology/clinical laboratory scientist profession was going today, he turned to me and said that my profession was the only professional occupation that he knew of that was "dumbing down" their educational requirements. Pharmacy, occupational therapy, physical therapy are all elevating their educational requirements for licensure, usually to the doctorate level.

No longer is an MT with a college degree considered the ultimate leader in the day-to-day working laboratory situation and the "go-to" person for answers on medicine and laboratory tests. The once proudly displayed MT or BSMT educational credentials after someone's name are very rarely seen today.

I am afraid that my occupation is going the way of carriage makers, and will become just a note in the medical history books.

--Linda F. Cave, BSMT(ASCP)

Omaha, NE

Editor's Note: While our readers include all levels of those involved in lab medicine, both MTs and MLTs, we cannot control what type of laboratorians work in the labs of those sending questions for us to address.

Some of your concerns are addressed in this month's "From the editor" column.