The Doctor of Clinical Laboratory Science in Practice: A Survey of Workforce Roles, Responsibilities, and Integration

The Doctor of Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS) is a novel advanced-practice doctoral degree that was established in 2014 to equip medical laboratory scientists for integrative practice roles within clinical healthcare teams (e.g., diagnosticians, consultants, directors). The goal of this study was to comprehensively review the professional trajectories of DCLS graduates from 3 programs in the United States. Further, the study sought to understand the professional society resources needed by DCLS practitioners to support career development.

This study employed a cross-sectional survey design to characterize the educational background, professional roles, practice settings, and career trajectory of DCLS graduates. The survey was developed by the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM) DCLS Task Force.

A total of 41 DCLS alumni completed the survey. Most respondents held roles in education (39%), as laboratory administrative directors (29.2%), or as medical laboratory directors (24.4%). Respondents were largely specialized in hematology and coagulation (46.3%; n = 19) and clinical chemistry and toxicology (43.9%; n = 18). Most respondents expressed interest in board certification, and nine were board-certified by the National Registry of Certified Chemists (NRCC). Respondents expressed interest in advocacy for broader recognition and understanding of DCLS skill sets.

DCLS graduates hold a variety of roles within the clinical laboratory across various clinical pathology subspecialties. Most DCLS graduates function in clinical oversight, administrative leadership capacities, and education. Graduates expressed interest in increased recognition of DCLS roles and a broader awareness of DCLS skill sets across the laboratory medicine community.