Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on accredited programs and graduates who sat for the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification examination: graduates' perspective

Objective: Students in health profession education programs were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic at both didactic and clinical training levels. The purpose for this American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC) study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on graduates. This study represents the perspectives of laboratory professional graduates who sat for the BOC certification in their respective professional disciplines.

Methods: A survey was sent to all graduates from the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS), Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), and Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited programs who sat for the ASCP BOC examination in 2020 and 2021 to determine the impact of COVID-19 on laboratory professional graduates during the pandemic.

Results: A total of 180 graduates responded to the survey. The majority of graduates indicated that at least 1 didactic program component was shifted to an online system during the pandemic and that both clinical and nonclinical student laboratories were affected. Although program completion for most graduates was not delayed, one-third of graduates delayed taking their respective BOC exam. Due to the lack of knowledge application through practical hands-on laboratory experience in their educational programs, graduates reported feeling a lack of readiness with regards to preparing for the national certification examination as well as for employment.

Conclusion: The study results showed the pandemic greatly impacted the education experience and readiness for the ASCP BOC examinations for graduates. Factors such as the absence of in-person learning and hands-on experience-both crucial aspects in laboratory training-and the ripple effects as a result of the pandemic, such as job loss, financial constraints, and health concerns, contributed to the decreased quality of education for graduates.