ASCLS members perceptions regarding research

Area of Science:

• Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS)
• Professional Research and Publication

Background:

• Performing, publishing, and presenting research are hallmarks of a profession.
• The Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) profession experiences low manuscript submission rates to its professional journal.
• Perceptions among CLS professionals may hinder research publication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the perceptions of American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) members regarding research.
• To identify factors contributing to the low submission of manuscripts to the CLS journal.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous Likert-scale survey was administered online via Survey Monkey.
• The survey targeted ASCLS members with email addresses, with approximately 10% participation from invited members.
• Data were collected on perceptions of research importance, resources, time, and willingness to publish.

Main Results:

• Over 90% of participants agreed that research is important for CLS knowledge and a professional benchmark.
• A significant majority (83%) reported insufficient time, and 68.8% cited inadequate resources for research.
• While 86.2% recognized laboratory activities as research, only 29.2% were willing to publish their findings independently.

Conclusions:

• CLS professionals value research but face barriers related to time and resources.
• Factors such as gender, university affiliation, and age influence willingness to publish.
• ASCLS can foster research publication by promoting collaborations between bench technologists and supportive educators.