University of Wyoming Lab Director Joins National Accreditation Board

Jed Doxtater, director of the University of Wyoming Medical Laboratory Sciences Program, was appointed to the governance board of the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences on December 5, 2025. Doxtater will serve a four year term and join 11 other board members charged with overseeing accreditation and establishing educational standards across a wide range of clinical laboratory science disciplines.

The board oversees accreditation for disciplines that include biomedical science, cytogenetic technologist, diagnostic molecular scientist, doctoral clinical laboratory scientist, histotechnician, histotechnologist, medical laboratory assistant, medical laboratory microbiologist, and medical laboratory scientist. These standards guide curriculum, clinical training and the competencies expected of graduates who staff hospital and commercial laboratories.

Doxtater said "It is a tremendous honor to be elected to the NAACLS Board of Directors. Since stepping into the MLS Program director role in 2015, I have had the privilege of working closely with this accrediting body and have consistently been impressed by its supportive leadership and unwavering commitment to educational excellence," reflecting his long experience with accreditation and program leadership.

University colleagues including Patricia Tille, a professor and graduate program director with the MLS master s and doctoral programs, supported his nomination. College leaders view the appointment as national recognition for the UW MLS program and as an acknowledgement of Doxtater s leadership and rural perspective in clinical laboratory education.

The MLS curriculum at UW covers clinical chemistry, hematology, immunology, immunohematology, microbiology, laboratory management, clinical research design and laboratory education methodology. Graduates enter highly skilled state of the art clinical laboratory professions that are critical to patient care, diagnostic services and public health.

For Albany County the appointment can strengthen the local health care workforce pipeline by aligning regional training with national standards, raising the profile of UW s program, and highlighting rural perspectives in accreditation decisions. As clinical laboratories evolve with new technologies and molecular testing, representation on accreditation boards helps ensure local training programs produce graduates ready to meet community needs.