A clinical laboratory specialist is a profession, which allows one to choose between working in different settings: clinical, hospital, or research. Hence, these individuals can help both run tests for healthcare facilities or aid researchers who find new mediation or study various phenomena. This paper will review literature that helps determine the impact of technology and its development on the profession of a clinical laboratory specialist.
Career Field
A degree in clinical laboratory science provides a plethora of opportunities for an individual. The primary responsibility of a clinical laboratory specialist is to analyze biological specimens by performing testing and reporting the results (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). For example, they can work in the medical field and both in clinical and research settings. Alternatively, one can choose to become a specialist in consumer product testing labs, working for firms that produce food, cosmetics, or other goods. The knowledge acquired over the course of attaining this degree also can be applied in the field of forensic science. Thus, clinical laboratory scientists gain competencies in the following fields: “include microbiology, chemistry, hematology, immunology, transfusion medicine, toxicology, and molecular diagnostics” (Mayo Clinic, n.d., para. 1). Most importantly, Mayo Clinic (n.d.) notes that from 60 to 70 percent of all decision-making regarding patient’s treatment plans are made based on the clinical testing results. Hence, the career field of a clinical laboratory scientist allows one to choose from a wide range of options.
Impact of Technology
The first cases of body fluid or tissue analysis that are closely aligned with modern-day clinical science can be traced back to Hippocrates in 300BC (Giovanni, 2018). However, the first clinical laboratory that is closely aligned with the ones used in the 21 century was established at the John Hopkins University in 1896 (Giovanni, 2018). In general, the history of laboratory science is closely linked to medical research since the first laboratories and assistants were recruited to help count the number of bacteria that would allow supporting the medical diagnosis (Giovanni, 2018). After John Hopkins discovered tryptophan in 1900, scientists and technicians began to work on the devices that would help identify the bacteria or viruses. The visual colorimeter was the first tool introduced into medical laboratories in 1902 by DuBoscq (Berger, n.d.). This tool was designed to determine the consent ratio of colored compounds in a solution. Other scientific and technological discoveries that aided the development of laboratory sciences include radioactive isotopes, electrophoresis, electromyogram, and others (Berger, n.d.). Perhaps one of the most significant developments in this field has been the random access analyzer by DuPont in 1968 (Berger, n.d.).
Researchers and practitioners have continuously tried to create new ways for employing clinical laboratories that are more effective and provide clearer results. Moreover, the Norwegian Institute of Biomedical Science (n.d.) argues that automation allowed making these laboratories more efficient. The changes in the fields of engineering and computer science, in particular, have a direct impact on this field. According to the Norwegian Institute of Biomedical Science (n.d.), in the next thirty years, clinical laboratory scientists will need to gain competencies in automation and specialized methods of analysis.
In the medical field, which is the most common area of work for clinical laboratory specialists, the current technology trends move towards the point of care devices and patient self-monitoring devices (Norwegian Institute of Biomedical Science, n.d.). Hence, the type of data for monitoring and analysis, which the clinical laboratory scientists work with, will change. Additionally, laboratory scientists will work with larger quantities of data in the future, which is a direct result of automation and having a point of care test services for patients. This means that the data analysis technologies will be applied more commonly, and these specialists will have to be familiar with the ways of enhancing the analysis by using code and automation.
The technology of biobanks is also becoming more advanced and more often used by institutions. Biobanks are storage spaces that contain biological materials, such as tissue or bodily fluids of people, that are often used in biomedical research (Berger, n.d.). Naturally, to perform accurate tests and analyze the data based on this biological material, there is a need to store it properly and ensure that the climate of the storage facility does not contribute to the spoilage. Hence, recent developments in technology require laboratory scientists to understand how to manage biobanks.
In the biomedical field, clinical laboratory scientists have to be prepared to learn how to use and manage not only the recent developments of technology but also the related developments. For example, the concerns about the safety of biomedical information have been a matter of discussion in recent years, and researchers offered to use blockchain as a way to establish secure connections for these clinical laboratory specialists.
Artificial intelligence (AI) already aids in the medical field, and there are varied applications of this technology in clinical laboratory studies. For example, algorithms can analyze the X-Rays, helping detect abnormalities. Moreover, these technologies can even diagnose patients drawing upon the analysis of these X-rays. Although the trends in laboratory science clearly indicate a direction towards automation and the use of algorithms that will perform routine tasks, it is important to understand that some of these technologies are already integrated into laboratory sciences. For example, AI scanning X-Rays has become a routine practice for several institutions. Automation is currently the main technological development that this field experience helps address the disparities within the healthcare system, such as the lack of professionals who can perform the duties. Machine learning, in general, is a field that will continue to affect biomedical research and laboratory sciences. Its purpose is to create algorithms that will analyze data in a nonjudgmental manner, and this code can be applied to analyze a broad range of satay points. Hence, laboratory science specialists will have to be able to address the issue of programming these algorithms and diverse wing their work, which will be discussed in detail in the next section.
When comparing and contrasting the field of laboratory sciences thirty years ago and now, one can argue that these professionals have to work with more information, and there is a demand for analysis that would be performed faster. In the past, there was little automation in the work of these professionals, and all the processes and analysis relied on their physical capabilities. Currently, the use of robotics, automation, and AI allows performing laboratory analysis at a scale unimaginable thirty years ago.
Remaining Current
It is important to remain current in the technology and other developments in the field due to the continuously changing nature of the equipment, practices, and trends in medicine. According to the Norwegian Institute of Biomedical Science (n. d), “the ability of biomedical laboratory scientists to acquire new knowledge and positively contribute to further development is the greatest guarantee that medical laboratories will be able to adapt to the needs of patients and the health services also in the future” (p. 10). Therefore, the first and most important step in remaining current when working in the field of laboratory science is to understand that there will be a need to update one’s skills and knowledge as the technology and practices of research and analysis change.
Currently, the laboratory scientists themselves are involved in enhancing the field and improving the technology used. According to Giovanni (2018), modern-day laboratory science also includes the understanding and skill allowing to create the equipment for testing and diagnostics. Additionally, these individuals are typically trained to develop new testing methodologies and diagnostics techniques. Therefore, laboratory scientists are directly involved in the process of advancing this field of study because they help create new technologies for it.
Since technology plays such an important role in the professional development of laboratory specialists, the best way of remaining current is by ensuring that this professional’s knowledge and skills stay up to date with the most recent developments. It is important to remain current and up to date with the technology changes in this field since, as was mentioned, the trends in healthcare and biomedical research are directing these fields towards automation and a greater focus on the patient and their ability to get tested instantly and receive the results. As I move forward with my degree studies, I have to keep in mind that technology progresses as well, and I need to be updated on these changes. Hence, as I progress with my studies, I should also examine resources outside the classroom to be familiar with the most up-to-date technologies.
To progress while working in the field, it is important to make professional contributions not only in the form of providing test results but also by enhancing the current technology and methodology. As was previously discussed, modern-day laboratory scientists have to be skilled in programming and have to be able to develop new analysis methods. Moreover, a professional in this field should be ready to work with automation and create automation strategies that would optimize the work of these laboratories. This is especially important with the increasing number of point of care testing because such an approach to healthcare will increase the number of individuals who get tested in the first place.
Conclusion
In summary, a degree in clinical laboratory science allows one to work in several fields, although the most common direction is medicine and biomedical research. Technology and laboratory science are linked because the development of the latter into a popular field was enabled by scientific discoveries and tools such as spectrometers. Arguably, the modern-day direction of technology development in laboratory science is making the analysis more effective and fast. This is achieved through the use of AI and computers that analyze the data without the help of humans. Hence, to remain current, laboratory scientists have to invest in expanding their understanding of the technology involved in their work. Moreover, they have to understand the basic principles of programming and satay analytics to be able to use algorithms such as AI or blockchain and to remain current.
References
Berger, D. (n.d.). A brief history of medical diagnosis and the birth of the clinical laboratory. Web.
Giovanni, J. (2018). The history and development of the laboratory science profession in Nigeria. Web.
Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Medical laboratory scientist. Web.
The Norwegian Institute of Biomedical Science. (n.d.). Future trends in biomedical laboratory science. Web.