There are many reasons people join associations—continuing education, networking, news and information, and professional development resources, to name a few. AACC draws on the experience and expertise of our members to bring these important benefits to our membership.
AACC members are actively engaged in local sections, scientific divisions, online discussion groups, core committees, and editorial boards, and they are dedicated to advancing the clinical laboratory profession, which is the heart of AACC’s mission.
Maria Alice Willrich, PhD, DABCC, relies on AACC to stay on top of trending topics and collaborate with colleagues through group discussions. She also credits her professional advancement to networking with other AACC members. “AACC has helped me build important relationships for my career. It was at one of the AACC Annual Scientific Meetings that I met the right person to help me arrange an internship at Mayo Clinic, which then turned into a fellowship application. I don’t think I would have had the opportunity to make that contact anywhere else,” Willrich told CLN Stat.
Connecting with the right people is what motivates Kim Skala, MT (ASCP) to renew her membership every year. “I marvel at the AACC Critical and Point-Of-Care Testing Community. AACC has brought together so many point-of-care coordinators from across the country and even the world.”
There are multiple ways to learn, network, and get involved with other AACC members at the industry’s flagship event. The 69th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo, July 30 to August 3, 2017 in San Diego, will be the largest clinical laboratory gathering worldwide with more than 200 education sessions and in excess of 750 exhibitors. Willrich emphasized, “The AACC Annual Scientific Meeting is the place to be for making new connections, learning intensely, and shaping the future of our profession.”
Skala concurred. “It is so wonderful to be able to put names and faces together at the AACC Annual Scientific Meeting. The interaction among point-of-care coordinators, doctorate-level clinical laboratorians, and others who serve patients through their involvement with point-of-care testing is a benefit to all.” AACC Members get first access to hotel reservations and discounts on registration for this incomparable event.
Beyond the AACC Annual Scientific Meeting, month-after-month AACC brings the latest science and best practices to its members through our peer-reviewed journals, award-winning news publications, and insightful analysis of policy and regulatory developments. The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine helps clinical lab professionals discover new adaptive solutions to patient health problems. Meanwhile, Clinical Chemistry, the leading international journal of clinical laboratory science, provides 2,000 pages per year of peer-reviewed papers that advance the science of the field.
Willrich referenced both as important periodicals and confirmed, “In addition to www.myadlm.org and AACC Artery discussions, I count on getting practical information from AACC’s journals and the latest news from Clinical Laboratory News and CLN Stat.” In the far-reaching public policy realm Lab Advocate and Lab Advocate Now keep members apprised of legislative, policy, and regulatory issues affecting clinical labs with discerning analysis by AACC’s health and science policy team and our highly engaged and informed Policy and Affairs Core Committee.
Renew your membership and stay active with your fellow members to gain the most benefit from their knowledge. As Skala declares, “It is exceedingly rare to see such a collection of professionals who take time out of their very busy day and go out of their way to help and support each other.”