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“I want to thank everyone for their hard work and support.”

~ Rick Panning

President,

ASCLS

Area II Report

e-LABorate

Area II did not have a report at the time of publication.  If interested in Area II updates, contact Jeff Radle, Area II Senior Director.  jradle@slhduluth.com

Area III Report
Submitted By: Janine Frericks, Area III Senior Director

The Area III Scientific Assembly Committee has been hard at work planning our upcoming events.  Most of the dates and venues have been selected.  This year the Student Night was on Tues. October 23^rd at Argosy University in Eagan.  We had a fun evening with pizza, a free membership raffle, and a panel of laboratory professionals talking about their respective career paths to the 34 students in attendance.

Our Kickoff Scientific Assembly was on Wed. November 7^th at St. Francis Hospital in Shakopee.  We had a full evening with Rick Panning and Kathy Hansen updating us on the licensure effort.  My Brother-in Law, Dr. Brian McGlinch talked about caring for injured soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C.  Val Cervenka was back with us to talk about  Forensic Entomology.   I believe the evening presentations were the topic of conversations  at many of the approximately 35 participants’ workplaces. 

The Back to Basics Workshop was on Sat. January 26^th at Allina Commons in the Midtown Exchange (former Sears Building) in Minneapolis. As in the past, this was very well attended.  Kathleen Miller spoke on Pediatric Phlebotomy. Chrisitine Williams did some Hematology  Case Studies, and Carol Mulder discussed Wet Prep’s.

The March event was held Tues. March 11^th at the Minneapolis VA.  Dr. Hector Mesa updated us about  ELP tests, and their clinical significance.  The April Scientific Assembly is planned for Thurs. April 17^th at Woodwinds Health Campus in Woodbury.   Cheryl Kraft will speak on life/work balance, and Dr. Nancy Van Buren will talk about Pulmonary  Transfusion Reactions.  There will be food, and a raffle of several Lab Week Prizes.  Please join us for this educational, and social opportunity.

Student Perspective: Clinical Political Science
Submitted By: Dan Raczynski, ASCLS-MN Student Forum Chair

The Legislative Symposium has struck Washington D.C. again this last February.  And to the "Hill," as the veteran clinical laboratory professionals/aspiring politicians put it, we went.  The "Hill," as so plainly said, is referring to Capitol Hill where all the Senators, Congressmen, and Congresswomen work to push policies that they and the people that elected them feel strongly about.  That said, we laboratory professionals took it into our hands to bring up important issues to our state Senators and Congress people which we are constituents of.  This was the first time I made it to the Legislative Symposium, so it was quite an experience.  I was a bit nervous, the last time I was in Washington D.C. was for an 8th grade field trip, and this wasn't a site seeing trip!