Career Structures and Pathways for the Scientific Workforce in Medical Pathology Laboratories (2011)
Description
This project analysed the scientific workforce and proposed a model for a career framework for the Australian scientific workforce in medical pathology laboratories. The scientific workforce is defined as including senior scientists, medical laboratory scientists, medical laboratory technicians and laboratory assistants, although individuals within each workforce group may hold different titles.
Grant Recipient
Human Capital Alliance (HCA)
Aims and Objectives
to provide an understanding of current and future workforce requirements and the appropriateness and adequacy of current supply strategies
to investigate options to promote workforce retention especially through career pathways development for the scientific workforce in medical pathology laboratories.
These aims and objectives were achieved by this project. Outcomes
A one-day workshop was held on 24 November 2010 with all 12 members of the Project Reference Group (PRG).
Secondary data sources were gathered and analysed.
A literature search was conducted to research current practices, specialist viewpoints of specialists and survey reports.
Written submissions were invited from selected stakeholders, and extensive stakeholder consultations were undertaken.
A review of award structures from various states were collected and analysed for similarities and compatibilities with special attention paid to the pros and cons of each in regard to potential career frameworks.
A one-day workshop was held with the PRG to finalise the project.
Major issues identified and explored include:
workforce boundaries around the medical pathology scientist workforce, and within the workforce between assistants, technicians and scientists and between different disciplines
apparent labour market conditions and the possibility of segmented labour markets that behave in different ways, and the implications for new graduate supply, preferred training providers and preferred career structures to foster early careers
deskilling of certain labour markets as a result of centralising testing processes (rural/private)
use of competencies as a means of understanding skill and knowledge in comparison with qualifications and how these might better underpin a range of human resource decisions
some aspects of scientist workforce behaviour that are impacting on available supply and have implications for career frameworks, such as high turnover of scientists at specific levels and time periods, and including those associated with scientists’ progression beyond the first five to seven years in employment and barriers to entry to senior scientist levels
limited pool of ‘middle level’ scientists able to progress easily to senior scientist roles as it is expected that large numbers of senior scientist will (shortly) reach retirement age and exit the workforce
varied possible pathways to senior scientist levels, but in most cases there is an implicit requirement or specific commitment to management development. This is unattractive for many potential candidates
support for clinical senior scientist roles where such roles can be defined, particularly in disciplines in which pathologist numbers and influence are low
a range of career structure possibilities that have already been explored by employers or provided by persons thinking about the issue.
Findings
The most complete and compelling career structure model for the scientific workforce in medical pathology laboratories has been developed and implemented in the UK. It is built on the concept of skills escalation and offers flexible career opportunities to meet workforce service and individual needs.
The Pathology Associations Council’s (PAC’s) set of competency standards for the scientific workforce in medical pathology laboratories represent an under-utilised resource for improving the development, management and assessment of the medical science workforce.
A credible and current estimate of workforce size is required through either Medicare Australia or the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA).
Many of the differences in the Australian scientific workforce in medical pathology laboratories career frameworks can be attributed to or consolidated by prevailing industrial arrangements.
Career progression in the public sector depended on a position becoming vacant (scientists occupying senior roles were often incumbent for an extended period of time), while in the private sector it was at the discretion of management.
The medical pathology scientist workforce is closest in structure to the nursing workforce with three discernable levels; professional, paraprofessional and semi-skilled.
There are insufficient numbers of senior scientist positions to provide a reasonable incentive to scientists to invest in the pursuit of one of these positions.
Any career framework for the medical pathology service workforce should satisfy the following principles:
the career framework should be comprehensive and include all components of the workforce.
introduce competency based processes, calibrated against competencies instead of qualifications, to support career framework structures.
the articulation of career pathways should be clear and transparent and not subject to discretionary judgements
learning opportunities should be built into the career framework.
It is unlikely that a single career framework would be appropriate to fit all of the different circumstances in various medical pathology laboratory science labour markets.
Recommendations
Utilise the Pathology Associations Council’s set of competency standards using the eight pathways identified in the report:
explore and assess the feasibility of different approaches to build current data on workforce numbers and skill mix
build data on service/labour demand
undertake labour market analysis
support structured training for senior scientists
clinical practice for new graduate scientists
training of technicians.
Recommendations arising from concerns associated with career framework change include:
there is a need for at least two pathways within a career framework – management competencies and continued development of expertise as a scientist
the transition from education to work is unstructured, and graduate trainee positions should be reinstated
reinstate apprenticeship or traineeship positions to support the training of laboratory technicians
progress from novice to proficient practitioner for scientists should be ‘mapped’ against identified competencies, and subsequent pay rises, promotions and work allocation all made consequent to assessed levels of competence
introduce a registrar type training program to enable the transition from proficient to expert practitioner for scientists
lengthen the career pathway of medical scientists by introducing extended practice roles.
A powerful reason to change and seek new career frameworks is necessary to overcome barriers to change. Benefits need to be highlighted to employers through relevant forums (e.g. National Coalition of Public Pathology [NCOPP] and Australian Association of Pathology Practices Inc. [AAPP]) and directly to employers through business case studies of attempted career framework change.
The outline of possible career framework for the scientific workforce in medical pathology laboratories can be found in Figure 8 on page 73 of the report.
Follow on Initiatives and Projects
Further possible work through the Workforce Advisory Committee under the Pathology Funding Agreement.
Areas for Future Consideration
Investigate avenues to promote and utilise the Pathology Associations Council’s set of competency standards using the eight pathways identified in the report.
