Siemens and ASCP Award Over 100 Scholarships to Medical Laboratory Students in 2012

CHICAGO and TARRYTOWN, N.Y., March 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics (NYSE: SI ) and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) have awarded a combined $182,000 in scholarships to the nation's top undergraduate and graduate medical laboratory students for the 2011-2012 academic year. The Siemens – ASCP Scholarship Program was established in 2003 to address the nation's shortage of qualified medical laboratory personnel, defray education costs and promote the profession. To date, more than $1.4 million in scholarships has been awarded to qualified medical laboratory students. The 70% increase in applications over the past two years is an indicator of the continued strength of and industry need for the scholarship program. See appendix for a complete list of winners.

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Medical laboratory personnel perform tests critical to the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of disease and other healthcare conditions. In 2011, U.S. News & World Report declared lab technicians and technologists the "unsung heroes of the healthcare industry," and medical and clinical laboratory scientists among "The 50 Best Careers of 2011" in its annual career survey. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 138,000 new laboratory professionals will be needed in the workforce by this year, but fewer than 50,000 will be trained. The Siemens – ASCP Scholarship Program helps laboratories reduce this staffing shortfall by supporting students interested in pursuing a degree in medical laboratory science.

"We would like to extend our congratulations to all of the scholarship recipients," said Michael Reitermann, CEO, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. "Each of these outstanding individuals will play an important role in providing quality healthcare to patients, and we feel privileged to help make a difference in this vital profession. This scholarship program is a great example of Siemens' commitment to the laboratory profession and the future of diagnostic medicine."

Awards are available to eligible students in the U.S. pursuing associate, baccalaureate, or master's degrees in medical laboratory science. Special Legacy Scholarships are awarded to students who follow family members into the laboratory profession. Scholarships are awarded by the ASCP, which also administers the program.

"This is a pivotal period of time in our country's healthcare system," noted Mark Bailey, MA, HTL (ASCP)(CM), Assistant Professor and Program Director—Histotechnology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, and Chair of the ASCP Scholarship Committee. "We need a clinical laboratory workforce that meets the needs of a growing population of patients, and to manage laboratory resources wisely. The Siemens – ASCP Scholarships have assisted hundreds of clinical laboratory students each year in support of their education, providing them the skill-sets needed to administer laboratory medicine."

The Siemens – ASCP Scholarship Program reflects Siemens' focus on people development, which is a goal of the recently launched Siemens Agenda 2013 program.

For more information about the Siemens – ASCP Scholarship Program, please visit: www.usa.siemens.com/diagnostics-scholarships or www.ascp.org/scholarships.

Launched in November 2011, Agenda 2013 is a global initiative to further strengthen the innovative power and competitiveness of the Siemens Healthcare Sector. Specific measures will be implemented in four fields of action: Innovation, Competitiveness, Regional Footprint, and People Development.

Founded in 1922, ASCP is a professional society with more than 100,000 member pathologists, pathologists' assistants, residents, laboratory professionals and students. Based in Chicago, the ASCP provides excellence in education, certification and advocacy on behalf of patients, pathologists and laboratory professionals. For further information please visit : www.ascp.org.

The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 51,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. In fiscal year 2011 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 12.5 billion euros and profit of around 1.3 billion euros. For further information please visit: www.siemens.com/healthcare.

SOURCE Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics