Medical Laboratory Professionals Week is an annual celebration of medical laboratory professionals and pathologists who play a vital role in health care and patient advocacy.
In this guest article, the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) gives an insight into the work done by its medical lab professionals.
In 1975, the American Society for Medical Technology, now called the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS), embarked on a week-long celebration of these hidden heroes. This was the birth of the annual celebration of Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (MLPW).
In subsequent years, other organisations have served as co-sponsors and campaign supporters for this event, which is celebrated internationally.
The Tobago Regional Health Authority Medical Laboratory department has joined in this year's 49th celebration, observed from April 14-20. Some of the activities planned for this week include
- Blood drive
- Demonstration booths and lectures
- Games night and other social events with laboratory staff
Medical laboratory scientists are entrusted with diverse responsibilities, such as inspecting and analysing blood, body fluids, tissues, and cells. As such, many are specialised in areas of medical microbiology, chemistry, hematology, immunology, transfusion medicine, toxicology, molecular diagnostics, laboratory informatics, research electronics, geology, and environmental science. Some have even become educators in their subfields.
The role of a medical laboratory professional is indispensable across numerous industries, spanning from healthcare to research and offers a vast array of career opportunities. The expansion of healthcare, pharmaceuticals, research, and diagnostics sectors only increases the demand for laboratory technicians.
Junior technicians can progress to senior positions, such as lab supervisors or managers, through accumulated experience and further qualifications. Others who are so qualified have the ability to operate in various environments, including public healthcare, in-vitro diagnostics industry, research, and educational institutions.
Laboratory professionals conduct tests on blood, urine, body fluids and tissues, analyse the findings, and contribute to understanding the patient's health status. By integrating these results with clinical history, physicians can offer tailored and timely care to patients.
Currently, at the TRHA, our most effective ways of promoting our services are through a combination of social media via the TRHA’s website, its Facebook page and via health promotions/health fairs. These two channels help to promote and showcase the knowledge, qualifications and exposure required to effectively contribute not only in the laboratory but to other departments in the medical field.
The TRHA’s laboratory offers a range of services from biochemistry analyses inclusive of renal function, liver function, cardiac enzyme, iron or anaemia studies to immunology: thyroid function, hormones studies for male and females, cancer markers in
