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What you’ll hear in this episode:
- Why teachers are employing new methods of teaching to develop students’ critical thinking skills
- Why failure is a good thing, and the importance of learning how to fail
- How and why ACC and the Bioscience Incubator are prioritizing experiential learning in their curriculum
Education for the sake of education can be wonderful, of course. But how can you use what you learn to carve out a fulfilling career path in the biosciences? That’s a question that ACC’s Bioscience Incubator (ABI) at the Highland Campus and Texas State University’s Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) Program have both been answering — with incredible results.
In this episode of Science in the Mall, Y’all, Dan and Nancy welcome their two guests, Dr. Rodney Rohde and Mauricio Tellez to talk about how programs can better prepare students for not only further education, but also a variety of paths in the bioscience careers.
Mauricio met Nancy at the ACC Bioscience Incubator where he was formerly an intern. This internship led to his acceptance into the CLS Program, where Mauricio became acquainted with Dr. Rohde. In addition to directing the CLS program, Dr. Rohde teaches at both Texas State and ACC, while also maintaining a career as an infectious disease expert and microbiologist rooted in public health.
Both ACC and Texas State’s programs are experience intensive, offering students tons of opportunities to get their hands dirty, so to speak. Because of this, exiting students have both the credentials and the professional skill-set they need to transition easily into their chosen careers. Something that is often lacking in the less-generalized, theory-intensive world of academia.
Of course it all starts with passion, or at least with interest in the biosciences and a love of learning. But from there, the options are much broader than what you might expect. At both ABI and CLS, job training opportunities abound, as well as opportunities to learn about the often “invisible” careers in the healthcare and medical fields — specifically surrounding those behind-the-scenes yet critical actions that take place in the lab.
While their contributions can at times be overlooked, medical practitioners’ diagnoses and treatment plans all stem from the work done by lab scientists. Lab scientists read between the lines of lab data in ways that help doctors and nurses not only provide appropriate treatment, but also avoid mistakes that could be detrimental to patients.
These often overlooked careers in the biosciences produce some of the truly unsung heroes of the medical field. But that’s something that ABI and CLS are actively trying to change. Mauricio describes his learning experiences in both programs, and describes how, because of those experiences, he was able to secure a job immediately after graduation in 2021.
Completing a program that has trained and prepared you for less competitive, high-demand jobs gives a certain (well-warranted) sense of security. While they might not garner as many accolades as those on the “front-lines,” these careers are every bit as crucial to patient care and advances in the medical field.
And let’s face it, being at bedsides providing hands-on care just isn’t for everyone. Fortunately, that’s not the only way to care for patients.
Listen to the full episode to learn more about ACC’s Bioscience Incubator, Texas State’s CLS Program, and how distinguished educators in bioscience are preparing the next generation for every career path in the field — or in the lab. And stay tuned for part two of Nancy and Dan’s conversation with Mauricio and Dr. Rohde.
If you liked the episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share it with a friend!
Science In the Mall, Y’all is a founding_media podcast created in partnership with the ACC Bioscience Incubator.
Host: Dan Dillard, founding_media
Guests: Nancy Lyon, ACC Bioscience Incubator Director
Dr. Rodney E. Rohde, CLS Program Director and TSU Professor
Mauricio Tellez, CLS Program Graduate
