Factors influencing the career choice of students pursuing medical laboratory science training

Abstract

The medical laboratory science profession in Canada is projecting a human resource shortage. The purpose of this exploratory study is to identify those factors which influenced the career decision-making choices of medical laboratory science students. -- A purposive sample of 17 students in a Newfoundland and Labrador medical laboratory science program were recruited and participated in semi-structured interviews. Preliminary findings from these interviews were validated through a respondent focus group. The constant comparison method was used in analyzing the data and deriving a conceptual framework describing the factors which influenced the selection of medical laboratory science. -- The results suggest the following conceptual categories represent important factors which influenced the career decision-making of medical laboratory science students: candidate personal interest; occupational characteristics; educational characteristics; resources; influential people; recruiting efforts; and baccalaureate degree educational programs. These factors have significant implications for the medical laboratory science profession, post-secondary system, policy-makers, and career counseling in efforts to promote medical laboratory science and address future health human resource shortages.