Lori Yeager

February 22, 2024 - February 24, 2024

Presentations
Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) 2024
Las Vegas, NV

CLEC is an ASCLS-sponsored annual event for faculty, administrators, directors, advisers, and others in clinical laboratory science education. Its' goals are to enable attendees to identify trends and strategies, manage change, enhance instructional skills, or develop innovative teaching techniques.

February 23, 2024

Posters
Enhancing MLT Student Laboratory Preparation and Confidence using Lab Tickets
Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) 2024
Las Vegas, NV

In response to observing a lack of student preparation and increased anxiety in laboratory sessions in an introductory Medical Laboratory Technology(MLT) course, five online Lab Ticket Assignments were developed by the instructor to be completed by students before each in-person lab session. The objectives of the assignments were to increase knowledge of topics, review lab skills needed for the lab session, decrease anxiety, and increase confidence. Five Lab Ticket Assignments were developed in Canvas, an online course management platform. For each assignment, the student was required to watch one or more short videos which explained a lab procedure. The student was then required to take a short quiz assessing what was learned from watching the video. Upon passing the quiz, the student received a Lab Ticket allowing them to participate in the upcoming lab session. The average grade of all Lab Ticket quizzes contributed 5% to the overall course grade. A survey was given to students at the end of the course to gain feedback regarding the Lab Ticket Assignments. Survey results were positive. The Lab Ticket Assignments promoted student engagement with lecture material. The students appreciated being able to see the procedure they would be performing in the lab, which allowed them to feel more prepared and confident. The instructor observed increased student preparedness and decreased student anxiety. The instructor indicated less time was spent reviewing material in the lab session allowing for more time in guiding the students in the lab procedure. The instructor intends to use the assignments in future introductory MLT classes and explore the possibility of using them in advanced MLT classes.

February 23, 2024

Posters
Student Enrollment of Laboratory Education Programs: Levels, Recruitment Challenges, and Strategies
Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) 2024
Las Vegas, NV

Medical laboratories nationwide are experiencing severe staffing shortages. Educational programs are facing student recruitment challenges which affect the supply of new graduates into the field. The purpose of this study was to determine enrollment levels of accredited Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) and Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) Education Programs in the United States. An IRB-approved research survey was distributed through email to 471 MLT and MLS program directors on September 29, 2022. The survey remained open through October 29, 2022. It contained seventeen questions and acquired both quantitative and qualitative data. In addition to student enrollment levels, data collection included biggest recruitment challenges and best recruitment strategies. The survey response rate was 41.6% and the completion rate was 93.3%. The large sample size, good response rate, and excellent completion rate indicate the data from this survey is of high quality. The average number of students enrolled in all responding programs is 31. However, a majority of programs (28%) report having 11-20 students. The biggest student recruitment challenge is lack of awareness about the profession. Other challenges are faculty time required for recruitment outreach and finding qualified students. The best student recruitment strategy is outreach. Interestingly, the topic of faculty time required for outreach came up as a challenge. The next top strategy is word of mouth from current students and graduates. The data benefits program directors by giving them tools to successfully recruit students into their programs. An increase in program enrollment can help them supply more qualified graduates to medical laboratories.

March 2, 2023 - March 4, 2023

CLEC is an ASCLS-sponsored annual event for faculty, administrators, directors, advisers, and others in clinical laboratory science education. Its' goals are to enable attendees to identify trends and strategies, manage change, enhance instructional skills, or develop innovative teaching techniques.

March 2, 2023

Posters
Staffing of Laboratory Education Programs: Levels, Challenges, and Strategies
Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) 2023
New Orleans, LA

Medical laboratories throughout the Unites States (US) are currently experiencing severe staffing shortages. Medical laboratory education programs continue to supply graduates but are also facing staffing challenges. The purpose of the Medical Laboratory Education Program (MLEP) survey was to determine staffing levels of accredited Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) and Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) Education Programs in the US. There has been little published pertaining to staffing of programs. An IRB-approved research survey was distributed through email to 471 MLT and MLS program directors in the US on September 29, 2022. It contained seventeen questions and acquired both quantitative and qualitative data. In addition to staffing levels, data collection included hiring challenges, recruitment strategies, and program outcome measures. Survey results show most programs are staffed with 1-2 full-time positions. The biggest recruitment challenge is salary, and the best recruitment strategy is reaching out to alumni. Results also show low staffing levels do not correlate with poor program outcome measures.

September 7, 2022 - September 9, 2022

I attended the ASCP 2022 Annual Meeting which was attended by of all members of the clinical laboratory science field, including educators, pathologists, lab managers, medical laboratory technicians(MLT), and medical laboratory scientists(MLS). I attended many educational sessions which cumulated in over 11 hours of continuing education. I networked with lab managers and discussed qualities they look for when hiring new graduates. I also had discussions with educators pertaining to program recruitment and retention.

March 21, 2022

Panels
Promoting Grit and Resilience in Students
PSU-Hazleton Retention Town Hall
Hazleton, PA

I participated in a panel discussion with seven other faculty to discuss retention strategies during a Town Hall. The focus of my presentation was how I promote grit and resilience in students.

March 14, 2022 - March 16, 2022

CLEC is an ASCLS-sponsored annual event for faculty, administrators, directors, advisers, and others in clinical laboratory science education. Its' goals are to enable attendees to identify trends and strategies, manage change, enhance instructional skills, or develop innovative teaching techniques.

February 26, 2021

I served as a CLEC volunteer acting in the role of Session Chair (Co-Host) for one of the educational sessions. This session was titled "In the Lab When You’re not There: Virtual Microbiology Lessons and Staying Connected". My responsibilities included: welcoming attendees, introducing the presenters, presenting attendee questions during the discussion, and providing attendees with the ASCLS CE session code at the end of the session.

CLEC is an ASCLS-sponsored annual event for faculty, administrators, directors, advisers, and others in clinical laboratory science education. Its' goals are to enable attendees to identify trends and strategies, manage change, enhance instructional skills, or develop innovative teaching techniques.

I also attended numerous virtual educational sessions.

September 9, 2020

I attended sessions of the ASCP virtual meeting covering current trends in the field of Medical Laboratory Science with a focus on the challenges faced by labs in the current pandemic.

February 27, 2020 - February 29, 2020

CLEC is an ASCLS-sponsored annual event for faculty, administrators, directors, advisers, and others in clinical laboratory science education. Its' goals are to enable attendees to identify trends and strategies, manage change, enhance instructional skills, or develop innovative teaching techniques.

February 22, 2019

CLEC is an ASCLS-sponsored annual event for faculty, administrators, directors, advisers, and others in clinical laboratory science education. Its' goals are to enable attendees to identify trends and strategies, manage change, enhance instructional skills, or develop innovative teaching techniques.

November 2, 2018

I attended this conference in preparation for the MLT Program NAACLS re-accreditation process. The workshop described the elements of a successful accreditation review, how to use the standards compliance guide, and how to write a clear and complete self-study report.