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ARUP Laboratories and Weber State University Team Up to Provide Laboratory Education Solutions

Posted on: Thursday, 8 January 2009, 11:24 CST

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to a critical shortage of qualified laboratory professionals nationwide, ARUP Laboratories, a national medical reference laboratory and a leader in innovative laboratory research and development, and Weber State University (WSU), a pioneer in the distance-learning arena, have partnered to promote and facilitate the education of medical technologists (MT) and medical laboratory technicians (MLT). ARUP and WSU initiated this unique distance-learning curriculum in September of 2008, successfully providing ARUP clients with the means to educate laboratory personnel without taking them away from their work sites. The application deadline for the spring 2009 semester is coming up quickly on February 1, 2009. Information on the program and registration is available at www.aruplab.com/weber.

"According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period of 2002 through 2010, 12,400 graduates will be needed annually to staff the nation's clinical laboratories. However, on a national basis less than half of the necessary laboratory personnel are graduating," said ARUP President and COO Ronald L. Weiss, MD, MBA. "We are seeing these shortages become more critical within community health systems that are growing their outreach programs. This collaboration provides our client laboratories with an opportunity to educate laboratory personnel, without removing them from the workplace."

The partnership between ARUP and WSU is providing enhanced opportunities for ARUP client institutions to access Web-based education in the field of medical technology to obtain Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) bachelor's degrees and Clinical Laboratory Technician (CLT) associate's degrees online.

WSU, based in Ogden, Utah, has been recognized for its groundbreaking academic programs and was the first university to offer a complete CLS bachelor's degree and CLT associate's degree online. The program includes the study and performance of laboratory tests vital to the detection, differential diagnosis, treatment, and study of diseases.

"Students access the courses online anytime. Completion of their laboratory competencies for each course occurs after work in their own facilities with approval and support of their employers. Students who participate in this online program utilize the resources of their respective work facilities to successfully complete required laboratory competencies rather than traveling to off-site classes," said Yasmen Simonian, PhD, MT(ASCP), CLS(NCA), dean of the Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions at WSU and former professor and chair of the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

Key elements of this collaboration include:

• A WSU application fee will apply to all applicants. However, the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences will waive the distance-learning program application fee for ARUP client institution applicants.
• Applicants and participating client institutions must provide evidence of referral from ARUP's Web site in order to utilize the financial incentives. This information can be accessed at: www.aruplab.com/weber.
• Applicants must meet WSU's and the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences' acceptance criteria and will be ranked and selected in the same manner as other applicants.
• WSU Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences on-campus and online programs are accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
• Graduates are eligible to sit for the registry exam(s) AAS CLT degree and again after completing graduation with their BS CLS degree.
• Online student learning at WSU is equal to or better than learning within a traditional classroom as verified with regular, comparative assessments.

"We are pleased about building this relationship with Weber State University. It will strengthen the medical laboratory industry and reinforce our clients' community health programs," said ARUP Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, and Laboratory Director Edward Ashwood, MD.

For more information on this program, please visit www.aruplab.com/weber.

About ARUP Laboratories

ARUP Laboratories is a national clinical and anatomic pathology reference laboratory and an enterprise of the University of Utah and its Department of Pathology. With 2,300 employees, ARUP offers in excess of 2,000 tests and test combinations, ranging from routine screening tests to highly esoteric molecular and genetic assays, for patients throughout the country. ARUP's clients include more than half of the nation's university teaching hospitals and children's hospitals, as well as multi-hospital groups, major commercial laboratories, group purchasing organizations, military and government facilities, and major clinics. In addition, ARUP is a worldwide leader in innovative laboratory research and development, led by the efforts of the ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology(R).

About Weber State University

Weber State University is a teaching university with multiple campuses and centers serving northern Utah. The century-old university offers more than 200 degree programs--the most comprehensive undergraduate offering in Utah. More than 18,000 students pursue bachelor's degrees, two-year associate degrees, and professional certificates in applied science and technology, arts and humanities, business and economics, education, health professions, science, or social and behavioral sciences. Master's degrees are available in accounting, athletic training, business administration, criminal justice, education, English, healthcare administration, and nursing. Distance learning, independent study, evening courses, and an early-college program for high school students provide additional learning opportunities. WSU is a leader in Internet instruction with more than 350 courses available through WSU Online.

SOURCE ARUP Laboratories

Source: PR Newswire

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