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Graduate Education in Clinical Laboratory Science Is the Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the 2007 and 1990 data on the number and characteristics of programs offering graduate level degrees in Clinical Laboratory Science. DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANT: Data were collected from published sources (Directory of Graduate Programs for Clinical Laboratory Practitioners) and analyzed at the University of Minnesota. Specific data regarding the kinds of advanced programs and the number of graduates per year, the number of program openings and closures, program requirements were collected, as well as data regarding the number and employment of graduates of Master's degree programs at two long-standing public institutions. INTERVENTION: Not Applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The tabulation of degree, program, and graduate data, together with the first position taken by graduates of two M.S. programs. RESULTS: The numbers of graduate level programs and graduates decreased between 1990 and 2007, from 39 to 28 identified Master's level programs, but with only a slight increase from two to five doctoral programs. Several prominent and historically important Master's level programs have closed since the first edition (1990) of the Directory. Detailed analysis of the data from two Master's level programs showed that the first positions for graduating students were predominantly research related and in the same state as the degree-granting institution. CONCLUSION: The number of advanced programs and graduates are relatively small in clinical laboratory science; however M.S. graduates are successful in obtaining positions. These positions are predominantly geographically related to the degree-granting institution, indicating an intellectual and economic impact of the programs in the regions they are located. ABBREVIATIONS: ASCLS = American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science; CLS = Clinical Laboratory Science; ASMT = American Society for Medical Technology; TOEFL = Test of English as a Foreign Language.