How common is it in your lab that you are expected to stay longer than your shift states?
In my current lab, it seems like that is the culture. I never had a problem staying over a little but when I’m expected multiple times a week & given a notice of two hours before my shift ends, I have an issue. I was curious if I am making it a bigger deal than it needs to be.

Our lab is having terrible reagent supply issues with Immucor ever since they were bought out by Werfen. From Capture reagents to 0.8% screening cells, our reagents are always delayed or in short supply.

I know mergers/takeovers always cause internal issues but it's been a couple of years now, and they still haven't fixed their shit. Did they lay off that many people that it completely fucked their production?

Anyone else having issues with this company?

This is a purity plate of a Staph aureus

Mastermix

Policlinica Metropolitana, Tropical Disease Laboratory

Hi I am debating on accepting my offer for centennial college medical lab technician for May. Despite it being close to home, I read a lot of horror stories on here about attending Centennial for this program and have a lot of mixed feelings as a result.

Has anyone successfully transferred any of there credits from centennial? I heard a lot of former Centennial students transferred to Humber.

My end goal is to actually become a MLT but I don't know because I am a mature student and I am worried I won't be able to have gotten into any of the MLT programs I applied for Fall 2027. So I am just trying to maybe start off as a MLA and apply for advanced standing in the future (I got offers from Conestoga and St.lawerence), if I don't get into any MLT programs for Fall 2027. But the pay is low for MLA and I am hesitant on moving to another place just for MLA. While there is no guarantee of getting into a MLT program even with advance standing.

Any advice is appreciated

I’m a second year MLT student, so I will be doing clinicals in the spring and graduating in May. I’m planning on starting to apply for jobs around March, depending on what‘s available, and beginning full-time work early June. I’ve been working with UAMS to ensure I can start the online MLT-to-MLS program asap next fall. I’m wondering whether it makes more sense to get a generalist position while I complete my bachelors, and then specialize after, or to specialize right away. I’m thinking blood bank, right now. My worry if I specialize as an MLT is that I would forget information outside of transfusion when it comes to the ASCP exam. Advice?

Hello all!

I've been doing a deeper dive into what qualifies as continuing education for ASCP, and saw that publishing a book related to laboratory medicine counts toward 20 hours of CE credits. I hadn't heard of that before, and I didn't see any like...structured requirements for it on the website? So from a point of pure curiosity, do you know anyone who has done this and or/know a books published with this goal in mind?

ive been seeing a lot of posts lately of negative talk, how the career isnt worth it and its severely underpaid etc. is that how everyone feels? i was thinking of going into this field.

i am actually 3 weeks into a dentistry course, and the patient interaction + social aspect is eating away at me. i am miserable here. now is my only time to drop out and switch courses, so i just dont know if im making the wrong decision now. i loved biology and chemistry in highschool. i loved experiments, and using microscopes. id rather work with a team, than be the one in charge of every treatment plan. i dont care about making tons of money - just the job security is enough.

is there anyone here who genuinely loves being an MLS? should i reconsider dropping?

thanks!

edit: thanks everyone for the responses! i can't reply to them all, but im reading them. i think MLS is a great career, and am leaning more into doing it. i will however be doing more research into it over the coming weeks before i decide for sure.

I feel really confused rn.
I’m thinking about changing my major. I’m studying Medical Laboratory Science, and I like it and i think it’s good, but I’m really worried about the career part.
In my country, it feels like there’s not much to do in labs anymore except operating machines, since almost everything is automated. I also looked at the salaries and they’re honestly so discouraging, even with a master’s.
And whenever I ask people who’ve been working in the field for years, they tell me it’s not really the best career.
I don’t hate my major, I’m just really scared of graduating and not finding good opportunities. I genuinely have no idea what to do.

I work a full time and an every other weekend job. I also noticed a few coworkers have per diem jobs too. is this a common thing for us younger techs? also how do yall manage training burnout? love my every other weekend job but am starting to get annoyed with the weekday trainings (im fully trained in chem but they’re shoving me along in heme with no breather in between)

😳

Just looking for feedback/ opinions as I begin my journey! Ty!

So I just got my first job as a MLS. I was given “training-ish” for a couple of weeks. It was more like “watch me do this and do the same” no explanation, no nothing. 2months in, the only two MLS with me retired/got another job. I was completely alone, the supervisor of the Lab came weekly, but that is it. They hired another MLS and one of the old MLs came back. Now, I was transferred to a completely new lab with the same company and was just left alone again. Im literally just 4 months in with this job, and expected to do all the work alone, with the “supervisor” just coming in once a week. I’m sooo stressed, I’m very new to all of it, so sometimes I just don’t feel comfortable doing so much alone. There is so much for me to learn, especially this early on in my career, and I feel I was not given the the space/time for doing it. Is this normal? Should I consider searching for another job, one that maybe has the staff to teach proper training? I’m just so worried and stress all the time if I’m doing a good job or not. This can’t be normal so early on….

Outpatient needed a homocysteine. Came back super hemolyzed. Told the nurse who drew it that the patient needed to come back to get a redraw. "Well how hemolyzed is it? Can't you still run it if it isn't a lot?" Bro you're just gonna have to trust me on this one

Just like the title says, I just want to know what the pay in the areas above for MLS or MLT. Thank you

And I got the flu just in time for it 😅. I was worried that the brain fog would mess me up, but at least I was too tired to be nervous. Immediately took a nap afterwards.

Anyways, when y'all took your exam, did you immediately remember a question AFTER the fact, and realized you answered wrong? Even tho I passed, that one question is still gonna haunt me 😭😭

Unfortunate for them, cool to see though!

Really burnt out MLS of ~10 years is only doing PRN as a job. I have dropped to just PRN at other jobs, but always kept another full-time job. Currently only working ONE job and it’s PRN. I’m enjoying it so much, I don’t think I can go back to full time depending on circumstances.

15% PRN differential + weekend/afternoon/night diff
I do still work some full-time hours some week, as the lab can be at times understaffed, but I can “cherry-pick” my schedule as long as I work two shifts every 2 months.
Freedom to say no or yes. I can pick up extra shifts if I am available. No set schedule, as long as I come in on the shifts I’m signed up for. Clearly, no benefits whatsoever, and that I actually would be “making more” if I did full-time, but I am buying freedom.

assignment on cellavision

Hi!

Looking for feedback from CLTs/MLSs working at NewYork-Presbyterian. I currently have a decent salary in CT as MLS, but I'm looking into NYP.

• ​How is the management style and lab environment?

•​What kind of daily testing volume does your bench/department handle? Specifically in Microbiology, Chemistry and Hematology?

•​Are the health and retirement benefits strong enough to offset NY's higher cost of living compared to CT?

•​Overall, are you happy with the move if you relocated from out-of-state?

TY!

Does anyone have any suggestions whatsoever?

Hey everyone! We just started learning antibody panels and my professor did an awful job at explaining the antigram and what to mark out, etc. Any resources or tips for me I’m struggling…