Medical Doctor Vs Medical Laboratory Scientists: Ending the Unending War

It has been quite a while since these two professionals have been at each others jugular over different matters, varying from council ownership, DMLS blockage, headship of labs, entry points to mention a few.

Nigerian Doctors have come to accept Medical Laboratory Science as a threat that need to be constantly curtailed least it metamorphose into an hydra-headed problem that may be difficult to solve.

On the other side, Medical scientists themselves have shown over the years that their will to survive is strong, and survival is not enough…she needs to dominate. When the beat changes the dance need to change.

I have noticed as I observe the battle raging from afar that the perpetual enemies of Medical Laboratory scientists have changed their tactics and in their determination to quench the consistent confrontation by this audacious professionals they have come up with a new strategy…and the opposition does not seem to notice.

Laboratory results accounts for over 75% of clinical  decisions, so Doctors already know that the medical laboratory is not going anywhere. Also, medical science is one of the most rapidly growing fields with new innovations, automations, advancements and discoveries….so much that anyone who finds himself in any area of Medical science needs a consistent update of knowledge else he stands the risk of being rendered USELESS…AND HERE LIES THE JOKER CARD. No one can’t stop evolution, laboratory science will continue to evolve beyond mouth pipetting and manual cell counting..

So, the fight have been gradually shifted. By using the inevitable to gradually disharm scientists. Court cases and confrontation becomes a weak tool against intellectual prowess….soon it won’t be about who makes the most noise it will be about who is more qualified….

Fields like public health, epidemiology and infectious disease are being strictly protected for doctors while others find themselves struggling to benefit from some of these training. Microbiologists, biochemists and physiologists are being admitted for post graduate degrees in medical sciences and medical laboratory scientists are denied such opportunities.

Resident doctors now run master’s degree alongside their residency the implication is that they can even begin their PhD during or immediately after training. As all these is going on, only a handful of medical scientists are seen moving in these direction, others are on bench or on the street still seeking internship or job…..please don’t give the excuse that doctors are also jobless…there is a big difference.

The last straw is POWER….if you don’t have it…you can’t make changes…
These guys have made it their goal to occupy both medical and non medical positions available, they use arguments and propaganda to subdue others under them…AND IT IS WORKING.

Lets look at 10-20years from now when all the microbiologist and other basic medical science folks finish their PhDs alongside their resident doctors counterparts. And pivotal positions where decisions are to be made are occupied by these guys.

Now is the time to act….Medical Scientists need to equip themselves intellectually and position themselves strategically….. Scientists must learn to support every scientist contesting for any position anywhere and open the doors of the universities where we have influence to scientists.

Please MLSCN must rise and act, and the AMLSN must learn to be innovative….the bench can kill intellectually, yet the bench cannot be left to its antagonist…..it is time for the ones on the bench to equip themselves, the ones on the street and others campaigning for political support.

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Molade James K. writes from Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTHC) ILE IFE

*Article edited by Isaac Owili-Mensah (@zackmensah)

*Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are mainly those of the author and does not in any way reflect those of the blog.