PSM - Biomedical Laboratory Operations

 

Numerous situations can be recalled that describe how being technically well versed does not necessarily ensure success in a science-based career path. In a similar manner, effective management and leadership requires more than the rote application of economic and business principles. This concept holds true for many fields including those related to biomedical laboratories. With this in mind, the Medical Technology Program at Michigan State University has created a blended master's degree program. This program emphasizes the changes in economics, governmental regulations and markets that influence our scope of practice and yet retains the fundamental science base integral to the profession. With this interdisciplinary approach, graduates will be business savvy scientists uniquely qualified for a variety of supervisory and management positions in industrial or clinical settings.

 

Graduate level studies have been offered by the Medical Technology Program at Michigan State University for the last 40 years. This traditional degree solely emphasized scientific competence. We have found that in many instances, graduates of this program found little benefit for career advancement with this degree only. Many only realized its benefit as a stepping stone to a Ph.D program. The Biomedical Laboratory Operations (BMLO) is intended to be a terminal degree. This implies the program will provide a platform for rapid career advancement without a need for further formal education. It is hoped that graduates of this program will effectively compete with individuals with similar educational backgrounds (ie MBA, traditional MS or PhD in science). The advantage BMLO students will have arises from the hybrid characteristics of this degree that integrates biology, chemistry and the diagnostic sciences with information management, business, and an understanding of the regulatory environment of healthcare.

 

The field of laboratory medicine has been subject to dramatic changes over the last decade. Changes in technology, supply/demand, the regulatory environment, the roles of laboratory testing in good medical practice and the volatility of a prospective payment environment are a few of the factors which have influenced what we are today. They changes have modified our scope of practice, roles and responsibilities. Mental dexterity has largely replaced manual manipulation. Laboratory professionals are becoming process and information managers. Success in this field now requires a clear understanding of the diagnostic sciences and the incorporation of this knowledge into the social, public policy and strategic issues of healthcare. The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) has recognized this transition and in response has recently rewritten the guidelines used to develop and evaluate educational programs with this field. The primary difference between this and previous versions is an emphasis on management, supervision, budgeting and the application of educational methodology. The need for these skills has also been recognized by professional societies representing the field as well as other general health care organizations which indicate individuals capable of interfacing technical expertise with business prowess are a rare commodity. The goal of the Professional Masters Program in Biomedical Laboratory Operations is to produce graduates to meed these demands.

 

Contact Information:

    Professional Master of Science in Biomedical Laboratory Operations

    Michigan State University
    322 N. Kedzie Laboratory
    East Lansing, MI 48824-1031

    Phone: (517) 353-7800
    Fax: (517) 423-2006)

    E-mail: medtech@msu.edu