Laboratory Professionals Member Community

This community is for ASCP laboratory professional members and is aligned with those membership categories.

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  • 1.  Obtaining medical laboratory experience after having left the field for some time

    Posted 8 days ago
    Hi,
    I would like to know how a medical laboratory technician is supposed to obtain medical laboratory experience when returning to the field after several years? I ask this because I took a leave from the field to attend to my family and am trying to return to the field, however, I am being asked if I have any medical laboratory experience other than what I have submitted in my resume. I asked a Laboratory manager this question and his response was that I should have had a job in order to obtain this experience despite the fact that I already put my experience in my resume. It seems like you have to have a job in the medical laboratory in order to obtain experience to get a job in the medical laboratory, but, when and how am I supposed to obtain this experience to get a job after having the break in my resume. I already have a degree in Medical Laboratory Technology, and I have worked in a medical laboratory in the past as well as having current credentials but yet I am supposed to have gotten more experience in the laboratory when I was wasn't working as a technician. Why do hiring managers ask this question when clearly the evidence of my experience is in my resume and credentials? It is not like a person can obtain this experience by just walking into a laboratory and asking to gain access into their lab without being an employee already, due to security and HIPPA regulations. So how can one obtain this experience without being an employee? This feels like a catch 22, you have to have a job in order to get the job. What can I do to obtain the laboratory experience outside of retaking the Medical Laboratory training? Why isn't my resume and credentials enough and why would a hiring manager waste my time and theirs by asking this question? 

    Sarah Wirth-Blake


  • 2.  RE: Obtaining medical laboratory experience after having left the field for some time

    Posted 7 days ago

    Why would a hiring manager ask the experience - written communication is in a resume but verbal communication in a F2F interview- how confident and enthusiastic you're in describing your experience and how you enjoyed working with the team (Coworkers and Managers) - Emotional intelligence, Interpersonal Skills 

    Ways and Means of obtaining an experience outside of retaking the MLT training:

    Attend wet workshops -refresher sessions 

    CDC OneLab VR:  VR offers laboratory professionals the opportunity to apply, assess, and improve their skills in a safe and controlled learning environment. In other words, VR simulations allow learners to make costly mistakes while learning new skills with no real-world consequences.



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    Elma Kamari Bidkorpeh
    CLS CA, MLS(ASCP)CM
    Porter Ranch, California
    Elmakb@yahoo.com
    (818) 577-7892
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  • 3.  RE: Obtaining medical laboratory experience after having left the field for some time

    Posted 7 days ago
    Hello,

    I have received a few responses to my question which leads me to another question, is this discrimination if you leave your job as a medical laboratory technician for a family or personal leave for a period of time and then are supposed to have had a job in order to obtain a job during the leave of absence? I also ask if there is a shortage of medical laboratory technicians, isn't it possible that medical laboratory technicians who leave for a family/personal leave for a period of time are being overlooked due to this hiring requirement? And how many of us are experiencing this? When you obtain a degree and get certified as well as maintain the certification during your leave period, why isn't that enough? In any other profession, once you obtain a degree and certification you can leave and return to your field, for example nurses that come out of retirement and re-enter the work field. When I was in college and working toward this degree, I was told that maintaining your certification was the only requirement to continue working in the field. I welcome any thoughts or suggestions that can help me with this dilemma.

    Sarah Wirth-Blake







  • 4.  RE: Obtaining medical laboratory experience after having left the field for some time

    Posted 4 days ago

    I know someone who had a 30 year break between working in a clinical laboratory and working in an entirely different field. Her husband used the fact that his lawyer contacted the local hospital's clinical lab manager and asked if this person could be hired back into the lab after such a long gap. Her ex-husband did not have to pay any alimony because the lab manager's answer was a "Yes!." She worked for 10 years at that clinical hospital laboratory before retiring last year. 

    I would contact the lab supervisor or manager and explain your gap in employment. It is not discrimination, it is just life. Ask if you can start as part time to gain your skills back. Working in chemistry or hematology might be the best option, too much has changed in blood bank and microbiology, although you might want to brush up on your cell morphology. Check out clinics too as an employment opportunity. Good luck!

    Lorraine Doucette
    DMRT University of Maryland School of Medicine
    Baltimore MD
    (410)979-1976, ldoucette@som.umaryland.edu



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    Lorraine Doucette
    DMRT University of Maryland School of Medicine
    Baltimore MD
    (410)979-1976
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  • 5.  RE: Obtaining medical laboratory experience after having left the field for some time

    Posted 3 days ago

    I am looking into this as well. My mother has Alzheimer's disease and I have been out since 2020. I have my degree as a MLS but I went into the MLT program and finished a year or so ago as a refresher. Hopefully you will find a good hiring manager that can work with you. I am hoping for grace as well. I am looking at returning next year.



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    Latasha Cortes
    Medical Technologist/Scientist, non-supervisor (CT,MLS,MT)
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  • 6.  RE: Obtaining medical laboratory experience after having left the field for some time

    Posted 2 days ago

    Hi,

    I left my job for family circumstances in 2018, since then it was hard for my to find a job in my country and even when I come back here, it was hard to find a job. 



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    RA
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  • 7.  RE: Obtaining medical laboratory experience after having left the field for some time

    Posted 18 hours ago

    Good Morning ...

    I was out of the field for about twelve years and stepped back in as an Outpatient Phlebotomist/Laboratory Assistant for two years (2016 - 2018).  It was a wonderful way to get back into the lab and become familiar with some of the changes and new instrumentation.  In some ways it is disappointing to take a "step down", yet it provides current "experience" and a paycheck instead of paying for a "refresher course".  In my opinion, the hands on is more useful than going over theory.

    Good Luck,

    Hope this helps some people.



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    Deborah Halstead Technologist/Scientist, non-supervisor (CT,MLS,MT)

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