CLS advanced degrees and career enhancement. Part 1--Comparison of career data.

Objective: Determine whether recipients of clinical laboratory science (CLS) advanced degrees (MS) experience greater career achievements than their baccalaureate level (BS) colleagues.

Design: Two similar questionnaires were used-one for certified or licensed CLS professionals who had earned advanced CLS degrees (MS); the other for matched BS CLS colleagues.

Setting: Five academic programs that conduct both National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences accredited CLS education and CLS MS degree programs participated.

Participants: The number of survey respondents was 220, 117 with advanced CLS degrees and 103 BS level controls. There were 99 matched pairs, i.e., 198 individuals were matched for gender, residence region, and years of experience.

Main Outcome Measures: Careers of BS vs. MS respondents were statistically compared, e.g., fractions with managerial level jobs, relative earnings increases per year, numbers of publications and reports, and other professional contributions.

Results: Compared to their BS degree controls, MS degree respondents had more managerial level jobs (62% MS; 36% BS), a higher frequency of job change (once per 4.3 years MS; once per 5.9 years BS), and a higher increase per year of earnings (9.1% MS; 8.1% BS). A greater percentage of the MS degree graduates (77%) than the BS level controls (33%) had authored external publications; the responses related to authorship of institutional reports and procedures were less different-84% MS and 64% BS. Professional contributions to their institutions or profession were cited slightly more frequently by the MS graduates (65%) than by the BS level controls (55%).

Conclusion: Compared to their matched BS level CLS colleagues, CLS MS degree recipients had greater job mobility, greater management authority, higher salary, and more numerous professional contributions.