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鈥淲e鈥檙e on the front lines of medical diagnostics 鈥� and health care,鈥� said Kamran M. Mirza, MD, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM founding Program Director for the MS degree in Medical Laboratory Science. Managing and running a lab, identifying and differentiating cells, and understanding pathologies, are all central to the work of medical laboratory scientist.

Even though a patient is more likely to spend time researching and selecting a surgeon or specialist rather than a pathologist, 70 percent of medical decisions are based on lab results. Those crucial results determine a patient's course of treatment.

Training Health Care 鈥淒etectives鈥�

Dr. Mirza remembers a call he received from the lab late one evening last winter. A young patient had been transferred to 黑料门University Medical Center (LUMC) from two separate hospitals where he had been treated for a viral infection. Medical laboratory scientists at LUHS had immediately picked up that his blood smear showed abnormal cells.

After viewing the patient鈥檚 cells under a microscope, Dr. Mirza identified those 鈥渙ther cells.鈥� The diagnosis? Acute myeloid leukemia. Today, following the correct diagnosis and chemotherapy, the young patient is on his path to recovery. If it weren't for the pick up by astute medical laboratory scientists, that patient would have continued to be inappropriately treated for a viral infection.

鈥淲e are offering a new degree 鈥� an MS in Laboratory Science -- to train the next generation of these health care 鈥榙etectives鈥� and develop leaders in the field,鈥� said Mirza. Medical laboratory science combines the fields of medicine, biology, chemistry, and technology, and has multiple areas of focus including immunology, cytogenetics, and histology to microbiology and bioinformatics. It鈥檚 a dynamic field where problem-solving and inter-professional collaboration are front and center.

At Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health, first year curriculum is in the classroom where students focus on several different areas: from immunology and cytogenetics to molecular diagnostics, hematology, microbiology, laboratory leadership, coagulation and bioinformatics. The second year involves a clinical practicum. Faculty hail from both Parkinson and Stritch School of Medicine and have their own research labs; students can pursue opportunities to work on bench research, connecting classroom learning with lab work. Also, during year two, students complete an open-ended capstone project through which they can collaborate with a variety of partners in industry, regulatory authorities and researchers.

Social Media Engages Students

Along with classroom and lab learning, Dr. Mirza uses social media to engage, inspire, and teach students. (And yes, there鈥檚 #TwitterHomework, too!). For example, in his pathology rotation, Dr. Mirza asks students to create (or reactivate) their Twitter accounts. Their #Twitterhomework: tweet a minimum of one pathology-related item (#PathElective) every day. Of course students must adhere to HIPAA guidelines and include disclaimers about the views expressed being their own. Dr. Mirza has spoken about this emphasis on Twitter as a pedagogical tool at several national conferences.

鈥淭his new paradigm is derived from a continuation of the idea that we can, and should, access information immediately 鈥� because it鈥檚 right there at our fingertips,鈥� said Mirza. 鈥淣ot only does Twitter index updated information well, it presents it in a highly succinct form and is enhanced by the ability to add photomicrographs 鈥� a visual diagnostician鈥檚 dream,鈥� he said.

鈥淲here else can we unravel the mysteries of human disease than in a lab?鈥� said Mirza.

When a patient鈥檚 condition is not identifiable in a clinic visit, as in the case of Dr. Mirza鈥檚 young patient, a specimen is required. And it鈥檚 the medical laboratory scientist鈥檚 knowledge, eyes and detective skills that bring the diagnosis to light.