Awareness of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Shortages of Clinical Laboratory Scientists in the 21st Century

Hospitals and college administrators have become interested in and concerned by the increase in baby boomers retiring from the clinical laboratory science (CLS) profession. Colleges and hospitals will have to address the drastic shortage of CLS professionals in a timely manner to ensure patients' scope of care is not affected. The increase in retirement of baby boomers makes it evident that a shortage exists. Laboratory directors are struggling to fill CLS positions, and current efforts to overcome the shortage are underway. The lack of science education in K-12 has led to student disinterest in science professions. Lack of science education is the root cause of the labor shortage of laboratory scientists in the United States.