Case for the Clinical Doctorate in Laboratory Science, The

Clinical Laboratory Science, Summer 2005 by Doig, Kathy

* universities should collaborate on the development of the educational programs. Doig recommended various collaborative models that would maximize the use of scarce resources (faculty time, faculty expertise, etc.).15 The advent of the Internet and the expansions of distance delivery that it provides make this even easier and more economical to achieve.

These barriers are not reasons to avoid this challenge. They are merely things that must be considered and addressed in the planning and development.

A DREAM COME TRUE

The development of the DLS will truly be the culmination of the intent of the 1988 and 1989 ASCLS position papers that set the year 2000 for establishing the doctorate as the terminal degree in CLS.16,17 In 1990, only two institutions nationwide offered a doctorate in any form.18 One was an interdisciplinary PhD program that permitted an emphasis in laboratory science. The other was a Doctor of Arts, to prepare teaching faculty. Three other institutions had plans to develop doctoral programs and none of those has come to fruition more than a decade later. Northeastern University in Boston and Catholic University in Washington DC remain the only two doctoral programs at present, though as before, others have plans to develop such programs.

Although lack of resources was apparently not a contributor to the failure to develop new programs, perhaps one factor was that the orientation of the curriculum and the perceived role of the graduates were not clearly articulated and distinct.18 The idea of clinimetrics, the science of laboratory analysis, proposed by James Westgard and endorsed by ASCLS, never took hold, in part because it was not sufficiently distinct from existing programs in clinical chemistry that began to decline in enrollments during the 1990s.19 It was difficult for planners to describe how the new doctoral programs would be truly distinctive-reflecting at the doctoral level, the unique combination of basic and applied sciences that composes the practice of CLS. Those few institutions that were looking toward a doctorate in 1990 were anticipating PhD programs. None of them was considering a clinical doctorate that will be able to provide that special blend.

CONCLUSION

While the prospects of an entry-level master's degree in CLS have failed to galvanize a strong following and plans for PhD programs have foundered, the clinical doctorate readily attracts proponents. Perhaps it is because so many practicing laboratorians and educators would aspire to such degrees and positions themselves. I know I would.

REFERENCES

1. Beck S, Doig K. An entry-level MS degree in clinical labora tory science: is it time? Clin Lab Sci 2002;15(3):167-76.

2. Beck S, Doig K. Laboratory managers' views on attrition and retention of laboratory personnel. Clin Lab Sci in press.

3. Proceedings of the House of Delegates of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. Los Angeles CA. July 31, 2004.

4. Beck S, Bergeron D, Doig K. Shaping the future of the profession. Summary of the presentation at the Clinical Laboratory Educator's Conference of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science, March 6, 2003. New Orleans LA. Available at www.ascls.org/currentevents/documents/CLECsummary03.pdf. Accessed February 1, 2005.