Lakeridge, UOIT and Clarington business working together to train technicians
Jul 03, 2009 - 11:16 AM
By Melissa Mancini
BOWMANVILLE -- Physician and nurse shortages are not the only threats to health care in Canada.
There are other areas of the medical profession that could also face dire shortages of professionals, in turn creating a serious backup in the health care system.
There are approximately 20,000 medical laboratory technologists in Canada and up to 50 per cent of those working in the field are expected to retire by 2015. If those workers are not replaced, labs will be faced with a lack of trained technicians.
That's why Lakeridge Health, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Holburn Biomedical Corporation have signed a letter of intent to partner and train people for careers in medical diagnostics.
Training in the area of immunohistochemistry is particularly important right now, said Dr. Ronald Stead, from Holburn, a lab facility located in the Clarington Science and Technology Park on Bennett Road in Bowmanville.
Immunohistochemistry is a specialized pathology test used to help diagnose tumours and other diseases. It is also used to predict if a patient's cancer will respond to specific treatments.
"Training in that specific area is desperately needed," Dr. Stead said.
The work done by the partnership to train new technologists could lead to improvements in treatments at R.S. McLaughlin Durham Regional Cancer Centre, in the Central East Local Health Integration Network area and throughout Canada, according to a news release from the partners.
People with science-related degrees and those who have a professional technician designation and experience working in a lab will be eligible to take part in the post-graduate certificate program, Dr. Stead said.
The three organizations are now discussing the full scope of the partnership, Dr. Stead said.
Joint projects could include creating a simulated lab to teach students, which would help alleviate some of the training pressure on hospitals, Dr. Stead said.
On top of the opportunities created by the partnership, it's hoped the work will help attract other health-care and research businesses to the region.
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