• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2019

The names of medical technologist in Korea, Japan, and the United State of America vary depending on the medical system, educational system, and work areas. Conventionally, jobs equal or similar to medical technologist (commonly known as clinical laboratory technologist, medical laboratory technologist, clinical laboratory scientist, and medical laboratory scientist), histotechnologist, cytotechnologist, and genetic technologist. Jobs, such as extracorporeal technologist, medical electrophysiology technologist, and medical sonographer, allow other allied health professionals including medical technologists, to obtain their qualification. The work areas of medical technologists are classified into clinical pathologic technology, pathologic technology, clinical genetics technology, nuclear medicine in vitro technology, and clinical physiologic technology. New titles of Korean specialized medical technologists refer to certification systems, such as CLMJ, CMAJ, ASCP, IAC, ABRET, and ARMDS. Currently, there are eight types of specialized medical technologists under the cooperation of specialized academic societies. They are hematology, transfusionology, chemistry, immunology, microbiology, histology, cytology, nuclear medicine. It can be further divided into 20 categories according to the work areas such as mass spectrometry, infection control, Pathologists' Assistant, flow cytometry, HLA, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, cardiopulmonary physiology, neurophysiology (EEG/EMG/PSG/etc.), cardiac sonography, neurosonography (TCD/carotid), and medical device quality manager.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.140-144
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• 2009

Clinical laboratory testing plays a crucial role in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Clinical laboratory scientists evaluate test results, develop and modify procedures, and establish and monitor programs, to ensure the accuracy of tests. It is clear that over the past decade the role of the clinical laboratory scientists has expanded and this process will be continued into the future. The purpose of this study is to clarify the factors influencing the job performance of clinical laboratory scientists and aim to provide the role and duties of clinical laboratory scientists. To examine the frequency of work context and the importance of task, the surveys were conducted on 168 clinical laboratory scientists. The questionnaire items were used 10 score by Likert scale. According to the results of this study, the important factor affecting the job performance was "Analyze laboratory findings to check the accuracy of the results", and the next factors were "Establish and monitor quality assurance programs", "Enter data from analyzer into computer", "Calibrate and maintain equipment". And the factors of "repeating same tasks" and "spend time making repetitive motions" were answered the highest. This study will provide strategies for improving work environment, developing education curriculum and method, and role of clinical laboratory scientists. We must continually upgrade our knowledge, and identify the new trends in technology and science and accept changes.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.55-68
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• 2017

In recent years, medical practice has seen a drastic change due to the rapid, exponential expansion of scientific and medical technologies. Specially, the role of medical technologists (also known as medical laboratory scientists and/or clinical laboratory scientists) are increasing in the development of science of medical technology. As such, their responsibility has also been increasing. Therefore, given their highly specialized knowledge and skills, they are not regarded solely as doctor's assistants. Their independence and deeper specialization have been increasing, as they perform medial practices under the guidance of doctors or dentists pursuant to the "Act on Medical Service Technologists." From a legal point of view, medical guidance and scope of work were examined. As a conclusion, the definition of doctor's superintendency on the "Act on Medical Service Technologists" is required, and the qualification for the Korean license examination and their roles should be stated clearly. Moreover, communications among health professions regarding the roles of medical technologists are necessary to further facilitate clarification of their role. There is a need for independent legislation to expand the field of medical technologists and to strengthen their professionalism.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.83-89
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• 2020

There is a noticeable gap in the personnel structures of clinical laboratories between North Korea and South Korea. In North Korea, 'Laboratory Doctor' is similar to the workforce of 'Medical Technologist (commonly known as Clinical Laboratory Technologist or Medical Laboratory Scientist)' in South Korea. Considering preceding research based on the verbal evidence of North Korean healthcare personnel defectors, it is estimated that the status of laboratory doctor in North Korea generally corresponds to physician and feldsher (such as physician assistant in Western countries). Physicians and feldshers are trained and fostered for five and a half years in medical universities and for three years in medical vocational schools (so-called junior college of medicine). Unlike South Korea, the North Korea's healthcare personnel system does not subdivide the tasks, education, qualifications and law regarding the specialties of health experts. It is thought that the Korean Association of Medical Technologists needs to collaboratively search and present the milestones for establishment of a professional system on clinical laboratory personnel in North Korea through cooperative research on policies with the related organizations for better preparation of the unification of the Korean Peninsula.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.105-121
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• 2021

To investigate and accommodate opinions on the revision of the official occupational title of the medical technologist, the Korean Association of Medical Technologists (KAMT) requested 22,638 people registered as its regular members to participate in an online survey and select their two preferred options from the alternative job titles presented. Survey responses were collected from 3,999 people (17.66%). To examine job title preferences among the KAMT members, each respondent was asked to choose two terms from the choice set. As a result, 6,958 responses were obtained, and out of the total responses, 5,555 (79.83%) indicated a choice for a job title that included the word 'analyst' as the preferred alternative. The survey results showed that "Diagnostic Laboratory Analyst" was the most preferred alternative selected by the largest proportion of respondents (2,417 responses, 34.73%), followed by "Clinical Laboratory Analyst" (1,710 responses, 24.57%), "Biomedical Pathology Technologist" (758 responses, 10.89%), "Biomedical Analyst" (730 responses, 10.49%), "Biomedical Laboratory Analyst" (730 responses, 10.03%), and "Clinical Laboratory Scientist" (646 responses, 9.26%). Therefore, based on the responses of the surveyed members, results of consultation and literature review, the Standard Classification of Occupations (SCO), and the current status of the job titles used in major countries, it is suggested that the occupational title of medical technologists should be changed by adopting "Diagnostic Laboratory Analyst", "Biomedical Laboratory Analyst", or "Biomedical Analyst" as their new official job title.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.495-503
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• 2019

This study explored the method of determining the appropriate size of the workforce according to the assessment of the workload of medical technologists (also called medical and clinical laboratory technologists, and medical and clinical laboratory scientists) in order to present a standard production model for the appropriate manpower in blood collection rooms. The eleven university hospitals selected for this study had between 600 and 2,000 beds. The 14-steps standard blood collection time was 4 minutes and 8 seconds for the outpatients aged between 20 to 60 years old (57%) except for children and the elderly (43%). Assuming that there were 8 hours per day for mechanically collecting blood, the maximum number of blood donations by one clinical laboratory scientist was analyzed to be 100 cases. In conclusion, it is appropriate to have fewer than 100 cases of daily blood collection by a medical technologist engaged in blood collection. Since the proper number of blood collection workers (100% of blood collection work)=the number of annual working days/(one day's work hours/time per case)×the number of working days per year, then the proper number of blood collection workers (one day's work hours)=the number of working days per year/100×the number of working days).

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.19-31
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• 2021

This study aimed at comparing the performance of imported LX detergent cleaning solution (LX-CS) and the self-manufactured OC cleaning solution (OC-CS), based on functional and quantitative analysis. The functional analysis was carried out using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. For quantitative analysis, precision, linearity, and carry-over rates were measured with commercial control materials according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Using OC-Sensor PLEDIA (Eiken Chemical, Japan), the ADC value of all cuvettes satisfied the acceptance criteria. For quantitative analysis, precision was less than 5.0% for the two products, and carry-over rates were less than ±1.00%. The linearity slopes and r2 values were 1.0017 and 0.9982 in the LX-CS, and 0.9924 and 0.9996 in the OC-CS, respectively. The correlation coefficient (r) was found to be 0.9997. Also, the percent difference in correlation with 40 artificial-stool specimens was less than 10% and the p-value was less than 0.1. The result of standard deviation ratio (D: ±1 SD ratio) was similar for both products. In conclusion, the functional and quantitative analyses of the two products were compared and showed similar results. In the future, the self-manufactured OC-CS will be able to provide a much more stable and faster supply than the imported LX-CS.