Published June 21, 2022
CAPTION: ULM Medical Laboratory Science students learn about their future career at the American
Society for Clinical Laboratory Science of Louisiana and Mississippi 2022 Bi-State
Annual Meeting. From left to right in the back row are Ashley Dupre, Shannon Johnson,
Bishnu Dangol and Montserrat Brown-Garza. From left to right in the front row are
Lauren Gremillion, Alicia Guerrero, Misisipi Bhandari, Chance Foret, Bennie Kirkikis
and Chloe Paul.
MONROE, LA – Thirty-two Medical Laboratory Science students represented the University of Louisiana
Monroe at the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science of Louisiana and Mississippi
2022 Bi-State Annual Meeting in New Orleans from April 19-21.
While there, three students were elected as officers for the Louisiana Society for
Clinical Laboratory Science (LSCLS). In their new roles, Noor Farhat, Sara Seiler
and Sam Hughes will increase awareness of the Medical Laboratory Science profession
amongst Louisiana students.
Farhat, a first-year Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) student, also earned the 2022
LSCLS Student of the Year Award. Two other students took home honors to the bayou.
Alexa Garlington, a second-year MLS student, received the Keys to the Future Award.
Misisipi Bhandari, also a second-year MLS student, won the Betty Lynne Theriot Memorial
Scholarship.
“ULM Medical Laboratory Science students are fully prepared to represent our profession
at the state and national level because of their didactic and professional training
at the university and the bi-state meeting,” said Jessica Lasiter, ULM MLS program
coordinator.
Lasiter attended the conference with her students and colleagues Emilea Haddox, Debbie
Wisenor and Karen Williams.
Year 2 MLS students Misisipi Bhandari, Chance Foret, Alicia Guerrero, Bennie Kirkikis,
and Chloe Paul presented their MLS Quality Projects at the bistate meeting as an educational
session. These projects were completed over the course of their final year with a
clinical instructor serving as a mentor.
Travel to the conference was made possible by a $2,500 scholarship given by the ULM
Student Enhancement Activity Fee Committee.
“I enjoyed my time at the conference being able to learn from my peers and leaders.
I was reminded of the great importance of medical laboratory scientists in healthcare,”
said ULM MLS student Lauren Gregory.
Medical laboratory scientists collect patient samples and perform tests to analyze
body fluids, tissues and other substances. Many medical laboratory scientists work
in hospital laboratories. Others work in medical and diagnostic laboratories or doctors’
offices. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical laboratory
scientists is projected to grow 11 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average
for all occupations.
