National Medical Laboratory Week April 28 - May 4, 2013
Help us celebrate! National Medical Laboratory Week is a time to celebrate and promote Lab professionals and the work they do for patient care. Follow the links below to view some videos. There is no better way to thank an MLT for their hard work then to learn something new.
President’s message: I would like to wish everyone a happy National Medical Laboratory Week 2013. You are a vital link in patient care.
NBSMLT videos
President’s message: I would like to wish everyone a happy National Medical Laboratory Week 2013. You are a vital link in patient care.
NBSMLT videos
The NBSMLT is now on YouTube.
Follow the link to the NBSMLT YouTube channel.
MLT Videos
News Release
New Brunswick Society for Medical Laboratory Technologists receives national distinction
New Brunswick Society for Medical Laboratory Technologists receives national distinction
DIEPPE - March 22, 2013 - The New Brunswick Society for Medical Laboratory Technologists (NBSMLT) was among 14 Canadian organizations that were recently recognized as innovators for their work in foreign credential recognition.
Earlier this month, Citizenship and Immigration Canada presented the first International Qualifications Network (IQN) Awards. The IQN is an online forum where employers, regulatory bodies, governments, and immigrant-serving organizations can share best practices in foreign credential assessment and recognition.
For the past two years, the NBSMLT, along with key partners have been working on a Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Medical Laboratory Technologists (IEMLTs). New Brunswick is facing a shortage of Medical Laboratory Technologists (MLTs). In fact, over 50% of MLTs in New Brunswick will be eligible to retire in the next ten years. IEMLTs could contribute to the solution of this problem; however, 90% of IEMLTs have educational gaps and require additional education to meet Canadian Standards.
“Without Bridging Programs, IEMLTs are very often not successful on the Canadian certification exam and have difficulty entering the workforce and adapting in the clinical setting”, said Janelle Bourgeois, Executive Director, New Brunswick Society for Medical Laboratory Technologists. “This program will not only address educational gaps, but will offer equal access for IEMLTs so they can enter the profession”, added Ms Bourgeois.
The Bridging Program’s main goal is to provide a sustainable program in both official languages that can then be used as a model in the rest of Canada. The program includes courses to cover technical gaps and provide soft skill training, clinical rotations, mentorship and intercultural diversity training. It involves many partners such as employers, educational institutions, settlement agencies and the profession’s national body.
A recent national study conducted by the Canadian Society of Medical Laboratory Science confirmed that completing a Bridging Program is the best option for these immigrants. There are currently no Bridging Programs for these professionals in the Atlantic Provinces, this program will be the first of its kind and proposes a sustainable model.
The project is sponsored by the Internationally Educated Health Professional (IEHP) Atlantic Connection with funds from Health Canada’s Health Care Policy Contribution Program and is one of many projects under the IEHP Atlantic Connection umbrella, www.atlanticcanadahealthcare.com. The IEHP Atlantic Connection is a consortium of stakeholders with a common goal of attracting, integrating and retaining IEHPs to the healthcare systems of Atlantic Canada. The project is also supported by the Government of New Brunswick, who has contributed to not only the project itself but also to the recruitment of IEMLTs. Although the Bridging Program will only be available this Fall, IEMLTs have already begun to show interest in New Brunswick.
Ms. Hélène Cadinot is an IEMLT who has gone through the prior learning assessment process offered by the national body. She has been recruited by laboratory services of Vitalité Health Network, where she currently works as a Medical Laboratory Assistant.
“I have been in New Brunswick since July 2012; so far the experience has been very positive. I have received tremendous support from my employer and help from immigration officers and settlement agencies. I am adapting well in the clinical setting. It is a lot of work, but I am determined to meet the NBSMLT standards to become licensed to practice in my field”, explains Ms. Cadinot.
The NBSMLT is the regulatory body for approximately 700 MLTs in the province. MLTs provide diagnostic data on blood and body tissue analysis that form the basis of physician’s decisions about a patient’s diagnosis and treatment. More information on the NBSMLT or the Bridging Program is available on our Website www.nbsmlt.nb.ca.
MEDIA-CONTACT - Janelle Bourgeois, Executive Director, New Brunswick Society for Medical Laboratory Technologists,
506-758-9956
Earlier this month, Citizenship and Immigration Canada presented the first International Qualifications Network (IQN) Awards. The IQN is an online forum where employers, regulatory bodies, governments, and immigrant-serving organizations can share best practices in foreign credential assessment and recognition.
For the past two years, the NBSMLT, along with key partners have been working on a Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Medical Laboratory Technologists (IEMLTs). New Brunswick is facing a shortage of Medical Laboratory Technologists (MLTs). In fact, over 50% of MLTs in New Brunswick will be eligible to retire in the next ten years. IEMLTs could contribute to the solution of this problem; however, 90% of IEMLTs have educational gaps and require additional education to meet Canadian Standards.
“Without Bridging Programs, IEMLTs are very often not successful on the Canadian certification exam and have difficulty entering the workforce and adapting in the clinical setting”, said Janelle Bourgeois, Executive Director, New Brunswick Society for Medical Laboratory Technologists. “This program will not only address educational gaps, but will offer equal access for IEMLTs so they can enter the profession”, added Ms Bourgeois.
The Bridging Program’s main goal is to provide a sustainable program in both official languages that can then be used as a model in the rest of Canada. The program includes courses to cover technical gaps and provide soft skill training, clinical rotations, mentorship and intercultural diversity training. It involves many partners such as employers, educational institutions, settlement agencies and the profession’s national body.
A recent national study conducted by the Canadian Society of Medical Laboratory Science confirmed that completing a Bridging Program is the best option for these immigrants. There are currently no Bridging Programs for these professionals in the Atlantic Provinces, this program will be the first of its kind and proposes a sustainable model.
The project is sponsored by the Internationally Educated Health Professional (IEHP) Atlantic Connection with funds from Health Canada’s Health Care Policy Contribution Program and is one of many projects under the IEHP Atlantic Connection umbrella, www.atlanticcanadahealthcare.com. The IEHP Atlantic Connection is a consortium of stakeholders with a common goal of attracting, integrating and retaining IEHPs to the healthcare systems of Atlantic Canada. The project is also supported by the Government of New Brunswick, who has contributed to not only the project itself but also to the recruitment of IEMLTs. Although the Bridging Program will only be available this Fall, IEMLTs have already begun to show interest in New Brunswick.
Ms. Hélène Cadinot is an IEMLT who has gone through the prior learning assessment process offered by the national body. She has been recruited by laboratory services of Vitalité Health Network, where she currently works as a Medical Laboratory Assistant.
“I have been in New Brunswick since July 2012; so far the experience has been very positive. I have received tremendous support from my employer and help from immigration officers and settlement agencies. I am adapting well in the clinical setting. It is a lot of work, but I am determined to meet the NBSMLT standards to become licensed to practice in my field”, explains Ms. Cadinot.
The NBSMLT is the regulatory body for approximately 700 MLTs in the province. MLTs provide diagnostic data on blood and body tissue analysis that form the basis of physician’s decisions about a patient’s diagnosis and treatment. More information on the NBSMLT or the Bridging Program is available on our Website www.nbsmlt.nb.ca.
MEDIA-CONTACT - Janelle Bourgeois, Executive Director, New Brunswick Society for Medical Laboratory Technologists,
506-758-9956
Our organization was born in 1948 when the New Brunswick Provincial Branch of the Canadian Society of Laboratory Technologists (CSLT) was formed. The NBSMLT was incorporated in 1984 and on May 9, 1991, under the New Brunswick Statute, "An Act Respecting the New Brunswick Society of Medical Laboratory Technologists", NB became the second province in Canada to regulate the practice of Medical Laboratory Technology.
The NBSMLT is both the regulatory body and professional society for approximately 650 Medical Laboratory Technologists (MLT's) in the province of New Brunswick. A medical laboratory technologist must maintain a high standard of practice in a fast paced and rapidly changing workplace environment through continuing education. The NBSMLT is the regulatory body that protects the public throughout these changes.