Volume 87 - Fall 2004	Download

President’s Report Our Choice: To Lead or be Pushed by David D. Gale, PhD President, Board of Directors

 I took the opportunity to suggest this assertion to a large number of laboratory folks recently. It was the occasion of NAACLS Futures Conference on October 1, 2004. I suggested that true leadership requires first a vision, but it also requires a definite passion to achieve that vision.

How one develops that vision is at issue, but certainly it requires an examination of the needs of society and the trends that seem to be shaping these needs. Some of the trends seem to be:

• A belief that technology, surgical process and pills are the solution to longer life.
• Individual expectations of immediate diagnosis, answers and results for medical problems.
• Laboratory costs will continue to escalate.
• More tests will be developed and will need to be confirmed.
• Laboratories will become massive, regional in scope and staffed 24/7.
• Security for laboratories will become a major source of both frustration and cost.
• Because of concerns of WMD, control of laboratory biological and chemical processes will
be maximized.
• Active, direct federal oversight of the laboratories may become a reality.

Where will the drive for change come from?

It may come from the general public whose demands will be inspired from electronic media. It may come from the public’s demand for national security, and their expectations will be based on what they see as risk and responses to those risks on TV or the Internet. Science fiction drives expectations, expectations drive research and application of research findings drives products.

Given all of this, we must have a clear and common vision of our professions. It must be far-sighted and attractive to the public and must address their expectations. The vision must be clearly communicated to the major sources that develop the public’s information and be attractive enough to be used by them.

We represent diverse groups and diverse opinions. How can we create a vision that all agree on? lt is not NAACLS' role alone to develop the vision but NAACLS can be a catalyst for change and perhaps a facilitator of the creation process within the professions. We in higher education must understand that societal needs drive the needs of the professions. The drivers for the educational process must come from the practice field and not from academia alone. Accreditation processes are essential for success and sustainability of the educational process.

Results of the October 1 conference clearly showed that the audience wished to lead rather than be led. NAACLS invites the best thought of educators, practitioners, managers, professional association members and the public to assist in the process of developing a common vision for the professions. We cannot stand still, for in doing so we will be led and will not lead. We must develop the vision and lead the way.

Top of the News
			CEO's Corner NAACLS Continues its Leadership Role by Olive M. Kimball, PhD, EdD Chief Executive Officer
			Introducing Karen McClure New CLSPRC Member
			President’s Report Our Choice: To Lead or be Pushed by David D. Gale, PhD President, Board of Directors
Features
			Certification, Professional Competency, and Licensure A Conversation with Students by Karen Madsen Myers, MA, CLS(NCA), MT(ASCP)SC PARC Chair
			CLSPRC Update by Claudia Miller, PhD, MT(ASCP), CLS(NCA) Chairman, CLSPRC
			Lifetime Achievement Award Presented to Norton German, MD
			Mission, Goals, Competencies, Objectives What is the Difference? by Marcia Armstrong MS, CLS(NCA), MT(ASCP), and Suzanne Campbell, MS, MT(ASCP) NAACLS Programs Approval Review Committee
Other News
			An Invitation to Nominate
			Announcing Newly Accredited and Approved Programs Approved at the April 2004 Board Meeting
			Association Honors NAACLS Chief Executive Officer
			Board of Directors Update From the October 2, 2004 Meeting
			NAACLS Survey of Program Directors 2004 by Elizabeth Everson Computer Information Services/Program Coordinator
			Professional Certification for Pathologists' Assistants Now Available
			Sincere Thanks
			Upcoming Site Visits

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