Session 71: About Time
Tuesday 13th July, 2021. 3PM EST/ 8PM GMT / 9PM CETA session with a mix of short talks and lively discussions about staffing levels, workload and the changing role of the embryologist.
Moderators:
Dr. Thomas (Rusty) Pool
Dr. Rita Vassena
Dr. Julius Hreinsson
Presenters:
"Generations" Dr, Thomas (Rusty) Pool
"Recalculation: How Many Embryologists Do I Need?" Andrew Thomson
"The Nature of What We Do…Or The Excuse" Staci Lyn Wyatt
"Minding the Gaps: Reflecting on the State of Embryologists" Dr. Fadi Choucair
"Making Time for Compliance" Cassie Miller
DR. THOMAS POOL

DR. RITA VASSENA

DR. JULIUS HREINSSON

Julius has frequently presented research data at international congresses, courses and meetings and is currently a guest lecturer in embryology courses at the Karolinska Institute and the University of Toronto. He has chaired the Swedish Society of Reproductive Medicine and has authored over 40 research papers and book chapters. He is currently working as senior embryologist and operations developer at Minerva Fertility in Uppsala, Sweden.
ANDREW THOMSON

He is one of just fourteen Reproductive Scientists to have attained Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists, the highest accolade attainable in the UK. He is actively involved in training reproductive scientists to the highest standards as an assessor for both, the Royal College and the National School of Healthcare Science.
Andrew has lectured at multiple prestigious universities and is also the workplace supervisor for a PhD student at Cardiff University. He has presented his research both nationally and internationally on multiple occasions and is a frequently invited speaker on a wide variety of topics in the “webinar era”.
In January 2020, he was awarded the Claire Gillott prize by ARCS for outstanding contribution.
STACI LYN WYATT

DR. FADI CHOUCAIR

CASSIE MILLER

Miller’s primary focus is ensuring that Ovation’s employees have what they need to work safely, that embryos are protected, and that patient identification and privacy are maintained. By gathering, analyzing and sharing organization wide quality management data, she proactively identifies risks and implements appropriate preventative actions to minimize, mitigate or eliminate issues before they occur.
Miller joined Ovation in July 2019 as compliance manager, ensuring that each of Ovation’s laboratories were in compliance with all rules, regulations and laws that relate to the fertility care field. In this role, she standardized Ovation’s regulatory response and helped Ovation labs address ever-changing standards for privacy and safety, helping to ensure delivery of high-quality patient care.
Before joining Ovation, Miller served as Midwest territory manager for Irvine Scientific. She also has more than 20 years of hands-on clinical laboratory experience, including three years as an embryologist, andrologist, endocrinology specialist, and interim supervisor for Bennett Fertility Institute in Oklahoma City.
Earlier in her career, she spent more than a decade as a laboratory supervisor, lead medical technologist and blood bank supervisor for OU Medicine, Inc., in Edmond, Oklahoma. Prior to that, she worked for nearly nine years as a lead medical technologist for AllianceHealth Deaconess in Oklahoma City.
Certified as a medical technologist by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Miller earned a Bachelor of Science degree in clinical laboratory science and medical technology from the University of Central Oklahoma.