eCLECtic Blog

Start sharing that you'll be at CLEC 2021 with the medical laboratory science educator community. We've created images that you can share on social media and in your email signature so that your friends and colleagues know they can connect with you during this year's virtual CLEC, February 25-27.

Click on an image below to see the full size. Then right click to save an image to your computer and start sharing today.

#CLEC2021 Zoom Backgrounds

To add a virtual background in Zoom:

1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
2. Click your profile picture, then click Settings.
3. Select Virtual Background.
4. Click on the + button to add an image.
5. After you select an image, that virtual background will display during your meetings.
6. To disable Virtual Background, choose the option None.

For Attendees

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For Industry Partners

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Teaching ethics seems daunting when the curriculum is already full of high-stakes, time-consuming topics. The best way to teach ethics, however, is to weave the lessons into and throughout the standard curriculum.

Join us for the 2021 Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) Closing Keynote with Kristie Espinal, MEd, of Indiana University School of Medicine, on Sunday, February 27, at 11:30 am CST. Her presentation, Teaching Ethics: A Lesson in Weaving, will demonstrate that, rather than a barrier, a full and robust curriculum is the perfect vehicle for teaching ethics.

Kristie Espinal has worked as a health professions educator for the past 10 years. She holds a master’s degree in education and recently completed the Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics fellowship. Kristie has completed scholarship on creating and implementing an ethics curriculum and is passionate about helping others do the same.

CLEC 2021 will be held all virtually February 25-27. Register by December 30 to get the early bird rate and save $100 off the final registration rate.

Bias, shame, stereotype, and stigma are pervasive in healthcare, with detrimental effects on the learning environment, student/faculty retention, and the health of our patients and communities. We are excited to announce that the 2021 Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC) Opening Keynote speaker on Thursday, February 25, at 12:45 pm CST, is Amy Caruso Brown, MD, HEC-C.

Her presentation will address how educators can create diverse, equitable, and inclusive content. Attendees will leave the keynote with a concrete framework to move forward with intentionality in their programs.

Dr. Amy Caruso Brown is an associate professor of bioethics and humanities and of pediatrics at the State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University, where she directs bioethics and health systems science education for medical students and leads the Upstate Bias Checklist Project. She is also a practicing pediatric hematologist/oncologist and clinical ethics consultant.

CLEC 2021 will be held all virtually February 25-27. Register by December 30 to get the early bird rate and save $100 off the final registration rate.

The 2021 Virtual Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC), February 25-27, will offer a wide range of timely topics, providing you with the knowledge and skills to navigate the evolving landscape for the clinical laboratory education community. The program was designed to provide you with tips and tools that you can implement in your program, as well as stimulate dialogue about your most pressing issues.

The all-virtual format allows you to participate in more than 40 hours of P.A.C.E.^®-approved continuing education on a flexible schedule and come together with your community of clinical laboratory educators for support and camaraderie. Receive access to all session recordings for 30 days after the event, and design an individual meeting schedule that fits your work and personal life. Register by December 30 to get the early bird rate and save $100 off the final registration rate.

Below is a sampling of sessions that will address the challenges you face every day. Access the full session list to learn more about the dozens of valuable learning opportunities.

1. A Closer Look at the BOC: An Overview of the Certification Examination
   Speakers: Patricia Tanabe, MPA, MLS(ASCP)^CM; Kathy Finnegan, MS, MT(ASCP)SH^CM; and Susan Graham, MS, MT(ASCP)SH^CM
   This session will include an overview of the Board of Certification (BOC) certification examination, including exam development and guidance on using the resources provided by the BOC.
   
   
2. Preceptor Training to Improve Student Learning and the Preceptor Experience
   Speaker: Angela Tarrant, MEd, MT(ASCP)SM^CM
   Preceptors are key in a positive clinical student-learning environment. If preceptors do not know how to teach, they may dread their preceptor roles and feel stress and anxiety. This session will provide tips to teach preceptors so that they can offer a valuable educational experience for their students.
   
   
3. When Silence isn’t Golden: Psychological Safety in Health Professions
   Speaker: Tera Webb, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CM
   Why are people hesitant to ask questions or voice concerns? Why do we self-censor and remain silent? In this session, psychological safety, the prerequisite to speaking up, will be explored against the backdrop of health professions education and practice.
   
   
4. What Should I Do Next? Scaffolding Blood Bank Case Studies
   Speaker: Grace Leu-Burke, MS, MT(ASCP)
   This presentation will show how to scaffold blood bank case studies to evolve as they would naturally occur in the clinical lab, allowing student decisions to dictate what the next step would be, including missteps. Using this approach, the instructor can engage students as together they decide, “What to do next.”
   
   
5. Interactive Microbiology Case Studies: A Digital Supplement for Microbiology Lab
   Speaker: Lauren Brooks, PhD, MLS(ASCP)^CM
   This presentation will focus on a novel digital technique that is a modified case study presentation. The customization and knowledge assessment of the technique will be discussed, as well as the advantages as a supplement to microbiology lab at both hospital- and university-based programs.
   
   
6. Strategies and Tools to Develop Legendary Online Courses
   Speaker: Phyllis Ingham, EdD, MLS(ASCP)^CM, AHI(AMT)
   Online teaching is a big challenge, with many unique situations that are vastly different from a face-to-face class format. This session will provide small teaching online ideas to assist you in making the online experience more impactful for your students and provide actionable insights you can build on in the online classroom.
   
   
7. Graduate Future Laboratory Leaders Skilled in Interprofessional Collaboration
   Speaker: Marisa James, MA, MLS(ASCP)^CM
   Today’s laboratory students will likely advance to leadership positions quicker than previous generations. This session will provide several ideas and strategies you can easily implement in your program, including projects designed to develop strong interprofessional relationships, improve communication skills, and provide students with multiple opportunities to practice powerful leadership tactics.
   
   

New to Medical Laboratory Education?

Attend the New Educator Workshop (NEW) on Thursday, February 25, 9-11:30 am Central. In its second offering, the interactive New Educator Workshop will focus on the professional development of early-career educators and ways they can set themselves up for success. Topics include:

• Preparing for reappointment, promotion, and tenure
• The importance of mentor-mentee relationships
• Opportunities for professional development and achieving work-life balance
• Experienced Educator Panel – Ask the Experts!
• Online Education Resources Available

Additional registration is required for NEW ($75 for ASCLS members/$95 for non-members). Participants can earn 2.0 hours of P.A.C.E.^® credit.