Amplifying Medical Lab Voices: Celebrating 50th Anniversary for ASCP-certification in Medical Laboratory Science

The presentation, “Amplifying Medical Lab Voices: 50th Anniversary for ASCP-certification in Medical Laboratory Science” showcases the multiple-grid Open Simulator community celebrations of a physical world (RL) professional milestone’ fifty (50) years in the medical laboratory science profession since passing the ASCP Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC) national examination and receiving national certification in 1975. In addition, the Open Simulator community celebrations showcase a personal dream achieved as well as a rewarding career experienced in medical laboratory science. The technologies of 3D immersive virtual worlds were employed to share the professional milestone and personal achievement while amplifying voices of the ‘invisible’ within the medical laboratory profession. The community celebrations provided multiple opportunities to share relevant information pertaining to the unified nomenclature, roles, and responsibilities of medical laboratory scientists as well as the importance of certification in medical laboratory science. The term ‘medical laboratory scientist’ is the professional job title for those individuals at the baccalaureate level who meet CLIA personnel standards for high complexity testing personnel.

The celebration of a physical world (RL) professional milestone became an Open Simulator community celebration to be shared! The news of the celebrations was distributed through planned media blitzes (social media posts, press releases, interviews, etc); social and professional networking; and word-of mouth within physical and virtual world communities. The amplifying power of 3D immersive virtual worlds enhances the ‘visibility of medical laboratory scientists and other medical laboratory professionals

The professional and personal excitement of celebrating 50 years as an ASCP-certified medical laboratory professional could not be contained within one dimension. Hence, the multiple dimensions and the multiple grid celebrations at ‘OpenSim Worlds Fair 2025′ OpenSim Fest2025′ and OpenSimulator Community Conference 2025 as well as the physical world (RL).

The “Amplifying Medical Lab Voices” celebration was kicked off with the Real2Virtual; Virtual2Real (R2V2R)’ exhibit at the OpenSim Worlds Fair 2025 in March. The exhibit showcased several Kitely-hosted projects including the ‘Virtual Laboratory Training, Career Recruitment and Retention (VLTC) Project’ also known as the Virtual Laboratory Training and Career Center (VLTCC). The “Amplifying Medical Lab Voices’ celebration was on display at OpenSim Fest 2025 with the exhibit, “Amplifying Medical Lab Voices: 50th Anniversary of MLS” (aka “Amplifying Medical Lab Voices: 50th Anniversary for ASCP Certification in Medical Laboratory Science”). Now, the final celebration of 50th Anniversary for ASCP-certification in Medical Laboratory Science’ will be held at the OpenSimulator Community Conference 2025. Indeed, the 3D immersive virtual worlds community serves as an effective amplifying tools for medical laboratory science and other professions. Within the ‘invisible’ medical laboratory science profession, effective amplifying tools are needed for the recruitment, training, and retention of certified medical laboratory professionals. Currently there is a critical shortage of medical laboratory professionals while the demand for more complex laboratory testing is constantly increasing. It is hoped that the presentation, Amplifying Medical Lab Voices: 50th Anniversary for ASCP-certification in Medical Laboratory Science will help to increase awareness of the unified nomenclature, roles, responsibilities, and challenges of medical laboratory professionals as well as the importance of MLS certification.