Membership FAQ
By: Sheri Gon
When do ASCLS memberships expire? Membership expires every July 31st.
Is there an incentive for people who have never been an ASCLS member? Yes, if you were never an ASCLS member before and you join in the spring, your membership will expire July 31 the following year. So if you are a new member in spring 2008, your membership will expire July 31 2009.
If I'm a lapsed member, what do I do? Lapsed notices are sent prior to the Annual Meeting and Exhibits. A lapsed notice was sent last fall (2007) to remind lapsed members to renew. You must pay your member dues in full to be a member in good standing again.
What are the different categories of membership? If you are a full-time student or a student in clinical training, you may join as a student member. After a student becomes certified, and after student membership expires, they may join as a First Year Professional (FYP). ASCLS Hawaii provides complimentary FYP membership for these newly certified laboratory professionals. There are three categories for experienced laboratory professionals. Professional 1 (PF1) members receive the journal Clinical Laboratory Science, the newsletter ASCLS Today, and continuing education notices. ASCLS Hawaii members that volunteer for a committee can earn credit good towards purchasing membership or payment towards Hawaii Annual Meeting workshops. Professional 2 (PF2) members do not receive publications but can volunteer for ASCLS committees to receive the same credit as the PF1. Collaborative members are members of other laboratory organizations (e.g., AACC, AABB, ASM, etc.) AND have never been a member of ASCLS. Emeritus members are members who have retired after distinguishing themselves in ASCLS. They must be nominated by their affiliate organization for Emeritus membership.
How do I join or renew? You can go to www.ascls.org to download a membership application form. You can join or renew online using a credit card. You can also set up an automatic renewal so you don't have to mail your check to ASCLS every year (you don't know how much postage will increase next year). Or you can visit the ASCLS table in the Exhibits area during the May Annual Meeting to get an application form.
I've married, changed my name, got a new job, and moved to another address. How do I get my publications from ASCLS? Every ASCLS member can access their personal information online. If there are changes to your personal information, just log onto www.ascls.org and create your password protected account. You can now change anything in your personal database. Failure to update personal information is the number one reason ASCLS publications get misdirected.
What do I get when I join ASCLS? You get Voice, Value, and Vision. ASCLS is a grassroots organization. That means ASCLS represents you in all matters that affect the laboratory profession. You can voice your concerns and you will get representation at the national level. ASCLS works to promote the Value of laboratory professionals. This message is important to share with other health organizations and the public. ASCLS is forward thinking and has a Vision for our place in healthcare. As healthcare continues to evolve, becoming more complex, and sometimes more integrated, ASCLS responded by advocating a professional doctorate to serve as consultant for laboratory services and interpretation of lab results.