From March 14 through 23, ASCP Global Outreach was abuzz with activity. Nine international guests joined Global Outreach staff in Philadelphia to attend ASCP’s Leadership Exchange conference and then traveled back to Chicago for meetings and laboratory visits. The guests included Tura Galgalo, MPH, Peter Kariuki, Abdallah Maawy, Moses Njue, MD, and Jane Mwangi from Kenya , David Mothabeng and Kekeletso Kao from Lesotho, Hosea Sukati, PhD, MT, from Swaziland and Aliyu Attahiru from Rwanda.
In Philadelphia, the guests attended Leadership Exchange sessions on topics such as understanding budgeting, motivating laboratory professionals and performance management. In addition they met with the ASCP Board of Directors and presented current laboratory initiatives in their respective countries. The guests also had an opportunity to meet with the Board of Certification’s Board of Governors and the Council on Laboratory Professionals. When not busy attending ASCP activities, guests had the opportunity to tour Philadelphia and sample a true Philly Cheesesteak.
After five days in Philadelphia, the guests returned with Global Outreach staff to Chicago. In Chicago they toured labs at Stroger Hospital and Northwestern Hospital. Wowed by the level of automation in the Northwestern Hospital, they agreed that they were happy to see such state of the art equipment and excited to think about the future of laboratories in their countries. They spent time visiting the MLT program at Oakton Community College and had the opportunity to meet with ASCP representatives of ASCPi and the Board of Certification. So as not to make the visit all work and no play, the guests were also given the opportunity to tour Chicago. The lake was popular, despite the rainy weather, as was a visit to the Field Museum and watching the Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons at the United Center.
Both the Global Outreach staff and the international guests agreed that the trip was a success. It was exciting to show the international guests Philadelphia and Chicago and to provide them with the opportunity to learn from the resources at laboratories in the United States.