- Winter 2006-

Medical Technology Programs Restructuring to Survive

Medical technology and related educational programs are in transition. No single reason can explain the pressure on university programs to restructure or close, but here are a few that educators cite: budget constraints, high cost of programs, lack of support from local professionals in some areas, and declining program enrollments stemming from the demands of a rigorous science curriculum that are rewarded by relatively low salaries.

“It came out of nowhere,” says Mary Louise Turgeon, EdD, MT(ASCP), CLS, of Northeastern University, referring to the crunch on medical technology (MT) programs. About three years ago universities started to panic as they noticed the demographic shift toward fewer high school graduates, she says. “2008 is the beginning of small graduating classes. The bulge is gone.”

Some universities, like Northeastern and the University of Minnesota, have responded to university-wide declining enrollments by redefining their missions to enter the category of elite research institutions. Northeastern aims to join the top 100 research institutions in the country. Minnesota is shooting to be among the top three public research institutions in the world.

“It’s just so crazy,” says Donna Spannaus-Martin, Ph.D., of Minnesota. “There aren’t that many research dollars available, and no one’s thinking about the education. It’s all going to the research. You need to have the balance, and the pendulum is swinging a little too far.”

On the bright side, program directors who come up with creative solutions are keeping their programs alive. No single template serves up the ideal solution. At Northeastern they are moving the program to a new entity that combines the resources of the traditional health sciences school with the flexibility of the continuing education school. Minnesota has strong support from laboratory professionals who are urging the university to adopt a new model that will meet everyone’s needs. At San Francisco State University, the program has moved from the College of Science and Engineering to the College of Health and Human Services but must hire a director soon or face closing. Distance education may be a component of many of the restructured programs.

At each of these schools, community support has been critical to keep the programs alive. “The strongest argument for the need for the program came from our advisory committee,” which is comprised of medical technologists, clinical laboratory scientists, and pathologists from the program’s hospital affiliates, states Turgeon. Letters and phone calls to university administrators from pathologists, professional MTs, hospital administrators and elected representatives make a difference.

Jeff Jacobs of ASCP’s Washington, D.C., office, says ASCP’s e-Advocacy program at http://capwiz.com/ascpath/home generated grassroots activity in Minnesota, San Francisco and Iowa, where 1,158 people sent emails in support of the program. “I would not want to fight this fight anywhere else, because the lab community has been so great,” says Minnesota’s Spannaus-Martin.

Back to the News Index