The Academic Clinical Laboratorian: Fact or Fiction?

Abstract

There is an ongoing question of whether laboratory professionals (pathologists, chemist, microbiologists, geneticists, and molecular biologists) should be involved in research activities. Some argue that they should focus on their clinical duties and let research be handled by basic scientists who are more professionally equipped for this job. When I think of this paradigm I am reminded of James K. Feibleman, Philosophy Chair at Tulane University, who writes “By 'applied science' is meant the use of pure science for some practical human purpose. Applied science, then, is simply pure science applied. But …