October 2008 Chair's Message, ASCP Council of Laboratory Professionals by Lynnette G. Chakkaphak, MS, MT(ASCP)

Now you can LISTEN to this message or you can save an audio version of this message to your iPod or MP3 player. [Download Audio MP3]

You probably recognize the catchy phrase above from a well known advertisement used by a prominent American company to promote its cellular service. “Can you hear me now?” reminds me of the exciting new opportunity I will have as chair of the ASCP Council of Laboratory Professionals to reach out and “speak” to so many of my fellow laboratory professionals. This rare opportunity to address colleagues from across the US and around the world is quite an honor.

A Little about Me

Now that I have this opportunity to be heard, you may be wondering exactly what I have to say. For the sake of those who don’t know me, it seems appropriate to begin by telling you a bit about myself. For the past 14 years I have served as program director of a hospital-based medical technology program in Jacksonville, FL. For much of that time I also wore the hat of a laboratory manager and, more recently, a laboratory director. I think my students and staff would describe me as a person with a great deal of energy and a lot of enthusiasm for both laboratory work and the people who do it.

As a program director I am inspired by the young people I teach and mentor, college students entering the field of clinical laboratory science who are eager to master new technical skills and gain scientific knowledge. Watching them as they develop into the competent and capable laboratory leaders of the future helps keep me engaged and open to new ideas. My job also allows me to talk with teens and young adults during my visits to college campuses, high schools and even middle schools in an effort to make our youth more aware of the important and exciting career opportunities that exist in the field of laboratory medicine. It is often exhilarating to talk with young people as they try to decide on their own futures, especially when their eyes light up as I tell them about the profession that is so dear to my own heart.

As an ASCP volunteer I have served in a variety of capacities ― as a local and regional representative, as a staff assistant at national meetings and Workshops for Laboratory Professionals, as a member of the ASCP National Scholarship Committee, and as a member of the Council of Laboratory Professionals and ASCP Board of Directors. Along the way I have had the opportunity to network with laboratory professionals all over the country and to see up close the activities of ASCP as it addresses the numerous issues so critical to the profession and to help shape the future direction of laboratory medicine.

Advocate and Spokesperson

As your new council chair, I will draw upon each of these experiences to promote our profession and to help give our members a voice that can be heard in their state legislatures and in Washington, DC. Through my efforts and the work of the council I hope to find new opportunities to raise awareness about the critical role laboratorians play as members of the larger healthcare team. I also hope to continue to draw attention to local, state, national and perhaps even international issues of importance to all of us. Finally, I hope to rally your support and involvement in reaching the goals that ASCP has laid out for the coming year.

Can you hear me now? I certainly hope so, but I would also like to hear from you. Over the course of the coming year I invite you to contact me with your questions, comments, input and ideas. Likewise, I would like you to consider joining with me as an ASCP volunteer to help achieve our goals and play a part in molding the future of the profession. Just email me at clpchair@ascp.org.