Associate Degree Biotechnology Programs: What are we doing right and why should you care?

Over the last two decades, numerous two‐year associate degree (AAS) biotechnology programs have been established. AAS graduates are prepared for entry‐level positions in industry, government and academic laboratories. In fact, many supervisors contend that AAS graduates are better prepared than BS graduates for entry‐level laboratory work. How does our curriculum differ from a more traditional four‐year bioscience curriculum? 1) Two year programs have evolved to meet the needs of an emerging industry rather than to satisfy traditional academic requirements. 2) AAS students take an active role in laboratory preparations and spend enough time in the lab to become technically proficient. In addition, there is a more important difference that has implications beyond a discussion of preparation for entry‐level jobs. As the result of our industry focus and the need for efficiency, many AAS programs teach basic laboratory skills in a systematic and comprehensive way. Although these skills are extremely important and their accurate performance is essential to all bench science, they are rarely, if ever, taught formally in a university curriculum. As an example, our course in basic lab methods provides a framework for all technical knowledge by starting with metrology and instrumentation, concepts of accuracy and precision, and documentation. Measurement of weight, volume, pH and conductivity are each treated systematically before moving on to solutions and assays. It is a seven‐hour a week course dedicated only to basic skills and it is time well spent. We arrived at this course design by listening to our industry partners but this knowledge is absolutely essential for all good science, whether it be performed in a basic research lab or a major pharmaceutical company. It should be taught patiently and systematically to all bioscience students.