MLSPAG Subgroups

Awards

The Awards Subgroup is responsible for the administration of the Junior and Senior Officer of the Year Award for the annual USPHS Scientific and Training Symposium each year. In addition, this subgroup administers (announces, process applications, and recommend candidates) all PAG-specific awards and disseminates HS PAC/USPHS award nominations, to the MLSPAG membership.

Stakeholder and Community Engagement

The Stakeholder and Community Engagement Subgroup is responsible for engaging and managing relationships between the MLSPAG and stakeholders in the laboratory science community including institutions of higher education, professional organizations, sister military organizations, and academia.

Communications

The Communications Subgroup is responsible for the dissemination of information to and from the Medical Laboratory Scientist Professional Advisory Group through multiple lines of communication (MLSPAG listserv, newsletters, HSPAC announcements) as well as posting information on the HSPAC/ MLSPAG webpages and Max.gov.

Membership

The membership subcommittee maintains and updates the MLSPAG roster, conducts the annual voting membership solicitation process and handles voting member applications for the election on Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary. The subcommittee also encourages and fosters active participation involvement of all MLSPAG voting and non-voting officers.

Education, Training, & Mentorship

Provide discipline-specific continuing education and trainings to include the use of outside speakers to ensure our officers remain current in their discipline.  Collaborate with the mentoring subcommittee to identify discipline-specific mentors as a component of the broader mentoring program.  Provide a supportive mentoring role to the PAC mentoring subcommittee to select a mentor based on several factors such as agency, gender, rank, discipline, geographic location, etc.

Technical Readiness

The Technical Readiness Subgroup is responsible for serving as the primary source of discipline-specific information and training on response and deployment roles for the MLSPAG to the HSPAC and CCorps; determining what discipline-specific knowledge and skills are required by officers to successfully deploy based on their qualifying degree or discipline; and providing discipline-specific training opportunities to sustain the identified requirements.

Recruitment and Retention (ad hoc)

The Recruitment & Retention Subgroup is responsible for coordinating MLS discipline specific recruitment and retention operations as directed by the HSPAC Chair and/or HS Category CPO referencing the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHS) policies that affect Health Services Officers (HSOs).

Data & Evaluation

The Data & Evaluation Subgroup is responsible for developing, disseminating, and analyzing surveys and other data that pertains to Medical Laboratory Science officers; educating MLS officers on the findings through MLSPAG meetings, e-mails, or newsletters; and coordinating with the MLS Chair for additional ad hoc assignments.

Policy

The Policy Subgroup is responsible for the maintenance of MLSPAG policies, conducting the annual review of the MLSPAG SOP, providing guidance/commentary to inform discipline-specific PHS appointment standards, licensure, and certifications requirements.

Administrative Management

The Administrative Management Subgroup is responsible for the management of the MLSPAG Listserv and membership and for the solicitation of new voting members and Chair Elect.