Three Forks Native Awarded National API Scholarship

Heather Wilson, a native of Three Forks and a senior at Montana State University at Bozeman, is one of five medical laboratory science students nationwide awarded a $2,000 scholarship by the American Proficiency Institute (API). "Whether the gift of a microscope at age five or a high school mentor or competition, a spark was ignited in these students," explained Daniel C. Edson, President of API. "We are pleased to provide these scholarships as they pursue clinical laboratory careers."

 "In my early childhood, science kits always found their way onto my Christmas lists," added Ms. Wilson, who participated in a high school Science Olympiad competition on epidemiology and public health. "I discovered my fascination with infectious diseases."

 Kay Rasmussen, EdD, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, Montana Medical Laboratory Science Program Director, explained that Heather is "the type of person we want performing laboratory tests and representing the medical laboratory science profession."

 "Sometimes the earliest exposures to the laboratory can have the most lasting impact," noted Mr. Edson. "The API Scholarship Program, now in its 14th year, aims to assist these students as they pursue their clinical laboratory science ambitions."

 The American Proficiency Institute is one of the largest proficiency testing providers in the world, serving over 20,000 laboratories.  API offers innovative solutions and technical excellence for the proficiency testing needs of hospital and reference laboratories, physician offices, clinics, and point-of-care testing sites.