Burnaby, British Columbia. Oct. 26, 2023 – LifeLabs, Canada’s leading provider of medical diagnostic services, and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) are excited to announce their collaboration on the latest chapter of a groundbreaking Open Education Pathology Textbook, a collaboration between BCIT and UBC. This new chapter, centred around blood and blood tests, offers an engaging and informative resource that transcends borders, benefiting healthcare professionals, students, and curious minds across the globe.
“In our collaboration with BCIT, we’ve contributed to a resource that educates and inspires a diverse worldwide audience,” said Charles Brown, President and CEO of LifeLabs. “This chapter underscores the importance of accessible education and the advancement of medical laboratory science globally.”
Co-authored by Dr. Jennifer Kong and Emily Frawley, MLT (CSMLS, ASCP), two distinguished health sciences faculty members at BCIT, the chapter delves into the riveting process of collecting, processing, interpreting, and reporting blood test results. “By making this chapter openly available, we’re fostering a deeper understanding of medical laboratory practices internationally,” said Dr. Jennifer Kong. “We want to bring healthcare professionals closer to the inner workings of a medical diagnostic laboratory.”
The Pathology Textbook project champions the pivotal role of medical laboratory science and utilizes multimedia features that enhance learning beyond traditional textbooks, and will be rolled out immediately for use in BCIT’s Medical Laboratory Science Diploma and UBC’s Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science programs.
“This new Open Education Pathology Textbook chapter exemplifies the strength of BCIT in working with industry to reduce barriers to education,” said Jennifer Figner, Provost and Vice President, Academic, BCIT. “LifeLabs has been a long-time collaborator to the industry-focused and applied curriculum at BCIT, and we are excited to further this work through an open education resource that is available globally to healthcare professionals and students.”
Since its official publication in December 2022, the Pathology Textbook has garnered significant attention worldwide. With over 5,000 unique visitors accessing the text, the popularity continues to grow beyond Canada. Notably, the recent data indicates that visitors from India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nigeria, United States, Australia, Thailand, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Ghana, and other areas have engaged with the resource, demonstrating its global impact.
This collaborative initiative between LifeLabs, and BCIT provides a valuable resource for healthcare professionals and students while reinforcing the global impact of open education initiatives in the medical field.
Visit this link and embark on a journey of discovery, unravelling the complexities of blood collection, processing, interpretation, and reporting.
About British Columbia Institute of Technology
For nearly 60 years, the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) has been delivering flexible, relevant, and future-proof education that prepares learners to provide applied solutions to industry challenges. As one of BC’s largest post-secondary institutes with five campuses, 300+ programs, and over 45,000 students enrolled each year, BCIT connects education, industry, and government in building an agile workforce. https://bcit.ca/
About LifeLabs
LifeLabs is Canada’s leading provider of laboratory diagnostic information and digital health connectivity systems, enabling patients and healthcare practitioners to diagnose, treat, monitor, and prevent disease. We support 20 million patient visits annually and conduct over 100 million laboratory tests through leading edge technologies and our 6,500 talented and dedicated employees. We are a committed innovator in supporting Canadians to live healthier lives, operating Canada’s first commercial genetics lab, and the country’s largest online patient portal, with more than 5 million Canadians receiving their results online. LifeLabs has been named one of Canada’s Best Employers (2021, 2022 and 2023) and Best Employers for Diversity (2022 and 2023) by Forbes and recognized for having an award-winning Mental Health Program from Benefits Canada. LifeLabs is 100% Canadian owned by OMERS Infrastructure, the infrastructure investment manager of one of Canada’s largest defined benefit pension plans. Learn more at lifelabs.com.
Media Contacts:
British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)
Amy Chen: 778-384-7245 or achen202@bcit.ca
LifeLabs Media Team