Reflection Essa 490: Medical Laboratory Science Career

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Meagan Hollis

MLS 490 Reflection Paper

Meagan Hollis

University of North Dakota

As senior year concludes in my Medical Laboratory Science program, I am able to reflect upon the challenges I have overcome to get to this point, the challenges that lie ahead and the responsibilities I now hold in this profession. To say I am proud of the career path I have chosen and what it means to be a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) is an understatement. Getting compensated for helping others, saving lives and doing the job you want to do is an honor not all get to experience. However, getting to be a member of this profession is not an easy road without challenges. The past four years have presented with many ups and downs. However,

I personally view this first year as “clinicals part 2”. During clincials, you’re learning how to be a MLS. The basics, instrumentation, cross matching, computer systems, plate reading etc. are what you’re learning. However, the first year in the profession I anticipate it being taking all that experience and learning how to do it all on your own, completely independently. Once you accept that job offer, there’s no one watching over your shoulder while you’re cross matching blood, there is no one double checking that you didn’t miss anything on that chocolate plate. So during my first year of clincals I honestly won’t contribute to the profession that much. I say that because “” says that you should conduct research and publish as a member of the profession. Well, during my first year I just want to focus on applying the education I already have to the best of my ability, and provide the best service I can for our patients, while gaining a much experience as a bench tech as possible. To do this, I would prefer to be a generalist in my first year. I believe specializing right away will do my education a disservice as I don’t believe I am a fully well-rounded tech yet even though I completed my education. In the next several years as I gain more experience and feel more comfortable as a generalist, I will then consider taking on more

However, I do understand that there will be a significant shortage in our profession with baby boomers retiring and not many new graduates. With this understanding, there is the possibility that taking on more responsibility will be asked of me as vacancies pop open. At this point in my career is when I would consider specializing, supervising a department or supervising a shift. If I were to specialize, as of right now I would probably want to be in hematology or blood banking. At my clinical site, I observed that many older techs don’t want to do microbiology anymore because they don’t want to keep up with the education. If what “” said is true about the population of laboratory professionals being older, it is realistic to believe I will end up in microbiology. I think as I reach this point in my career I will shift from predominantly affective organizational commitment to normative. I will still want my career, but I may also feel that I ought to stay as well and be loyal to my employer during the shortage. Furthermore, at five years I will more than likely be starting my family. Although I may feel that normative commitment, my commitment will be stronger to my family. I could see myself wanting to switch from a hospital setting to a clinic setting should a position become available. I hope that wherever I work incorporates the dyad model that “” describes in their research. I think working