The American Society for Clinical Pathology 2012 Vacancy Survey of Clinical Laboratories in the United States

Abstract

Since 1988, the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) has conducted its Vacancy Survey to determine the extent and distribution of workforce shortages within the nation's clinical laboratories. This confidential survey has been administered every 2 years and has served as the primary source of information for academic, government, and industry labor analysts. Results from past surveys show that laboratory medicine is a rapidly evolving field. Although ASCP recognizes the importance of continuity, each time the Wage and Vacancy Survey is administered represents an opportunity to improve its methodology to collect the most current relevant data while maximizing survey participation. The survey has evolved in response to changes within the profession; new questions were added to the 2012 survey to examine some of the factors affecting wage and vacancy rates. ASCP continues to gather questions, comments, and suggestions from our members regarding the profession, with the goal of adressing them through this important survey. The 2012 Vacancy Survey was conducted through collaboration between ASCP's Institute of Science, Technology, & Policy in Washington, DC and its Educational Design and Technology division and Board of Certification in Chicago, IL. Electronic survey invitations were sent on July 25, 2012, via Survey Gizmo (an online survey vendor). The survey was closed on August 31, 2012. This year, ASCP also used social media (ie, Facebook and LinkedIn) to disseminate the vacancy survey to help augment the response rates. The main goals of this year's vacancy survey were to address the following: The 2012 Vacancy Survey sought to collect staff- and supervisory-level data on the following laboratory areas: