Medical laboratory technology students at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College recently won the inaugural National Super Cell Bowl Championship.
Sponsored by ASCP and YouTuber Tiffany Gill, MA, MLS(ASCP)
CM, aka, “Medical Lab Lady Gill,” the “Cell Bowl” tested the scientific knowledge of MLS and MLT students nationwide. The team competition offered an engaging way for medical laboratory students to enhance their knowledge of blood cell morphology and build professional networks while preparing for the ASCP Board of Certification exams. Ultimately, students from the West Virginia community college triumphed by achieving the best score in the competition of 30 blood cells correctly identified in 20.9 seconds.
The Cell Bowl uses a free blood cell identification quiz in a tutorial app, created by CellaVision, for students in each “team” to submit their weekly high score. Program faculty then submit the best score as the “team’s” score for the week. Each week during the competition, Medical Lab Lady Gill and the ASCP Council of Laboratory Professionals’ Past Chair, Aaron Odegard, MS, MLS(ASCP)
CMSM
CM, announced the weekly winners, discuss information about the profession and certification, and provide a tutorial on a specific blood cell line. Other hematology professors, specialists, and current Doctorate of Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS) students guest starred in the Medical Lab Lady Gill YouTube Cell Bowl episodes to discuss these topics.
The Bowl started in early October with 72 teams from around the country. They included both MLT and MLS students. During the first month, teams competed against others within their geographical region. The top two teams in each region advanced to the week five playoffs. Teams that made it to the playoffs competed for one of the three semifinal spots in week six. The final two teams competed in week seven’s Super Cell Bowl.
Professor Gill, coordinator of the Medical Laboratory Technology program at the College of Southern Maryland and member of the ASCP Social Media Committee, initially developed the Cell Bowl for her medical laboratory technician students and wanted to share this fun educational tool with educators across ASCP’s membership. Professor Gill loves to engage medical laboratory students in learning and also educates through her YouTube channel, Medical Lab Lady Gill.
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College won the Super Cell Bowl in late November. Southern MLT student Erin Garretson was named Most Valuable Player with the best individual score, identifying 30 cells in 20.9 seconds. Students who had perfect scores and identified 30 cells in under 60 seconds included Megan Cochran, Summer Collins, Stacy Conley, and Tiffany Copley. Other team members were Kaitlyn Coleman, Rebecca Collins, Elexus Havis, Kayla Lowe, Kristy Newsome, Joseph Sigmon, Jill Sparks, Shania Topping, Garrett White, Jaidyn Adkins, Brandon Arthur, Tanya Ball, Summer Butcher, Haylie Ellis, Krystal Hensley, Alexis Lusk, Callista Ransier, Kelsey Slone, and Margaret White.
The team will receive the first Super Cell Bowl trophy. Each team member will receive a certificate, ASCP BOC Study Guides, and Interactive Practice Exam Bundles.
