New England Opportunities for a Medical Technologist – Part One
The New England states tend to be a well liked place to work as a medical technologist. The main reasons medical technologists say they like working in New England are because the pay is good, there are lots of job opportunities, and the ocean and mountains are close.
Maine is very nature oriented which many medical technologists appreciate. Main’s nickname is the Pine Tree State and it is a well given nickname because a medical technologist will see lots of trees and mountains in Maine. There are many things that medical technologists who are nature enthusiasts can do outdoors in Maine.
Maine also has many historical sites that medical technologists can visit, including old forts and cemeteries as well as the Maine Martime Museum. There are many areas in Mainewhere a medical technologist can live that have small town atmospheres because they don’t have much bad traffic. There are many medical technologists who actually work full time in one hospital and per diem in others because there is a high demand for medical technologists in Maine.
New Hampshire also has a good amount of outdoors activities to offer a medical technologist. Manchester for example is only one hour away from the mountains where skiing, snowboarding, and hiking can be done by medical technologists. The ocean is nearby too for plenty of other recreational activities for medical technologists.
Check back soon for part two of this blog which will discuss living in Vermont or Massachusetts as a medical technologist.
Find a job as a medical technologist.
How a Histotechnologist can Gain Public Recognition – Part Two
A histotechnologist can learn to work with the media or even to contact the media about appropriate events. If the lab a histotechnologist is working for is going to begin using a new type of technology, gets new equipment, or if the laboratory gets accreditation, a histotechnologist might consider contacting the media to share this information. If a histotechnologist does plan to work with the media, there are several ways that a histotechnologist can make the most out of this relationship. A histotechnologist can work to become familiar with the reporters who will be covering stories about laboratories. Histotechnologists can meet informally with reportors to talk about what material reporters might be interested in. A histotechnologist who becomes a trusted source of information to a reporter will be used more often in stories. For example, if the data a histotechnologist provides to a reporter is always accurate, a reporter will be motivated to use the histotechnologist’s data in the future. Histotechnologists should make sure that whether it is them personally or a different histotechnologist speaking to the media, it should be a histotechnologist who is able to get to the point quickly and catch a reporter’s attention.
One very simple thing any histotechnologist can do is explain what you do when anyone asks. It can be tempting for a histotechnologist to quickly say he/she works in a lab, but giving a little more detail can help the public to understand what impact a histotechnologist really has on the community.
A histotechnologist can try to come up with an interesting way to explain the work that will get the point across to a person who does not have a medical background.
Learn about finding a job as a histotechnologist.
Source:
Koehler, Amanda (January 14, 2008) On the Map. Advance for Medical Laboratory Professionals. Pages 15-17.
How a Histotechnologist can Gain Public Recognition – Part One
Histotechnologists are often not recognized as much as other medical professionals are for what they do. This is because so much of what a histotechnologist does is behind the scenes. Histotechnologists are not often seen by patients as most other medical professionals are. A histotechnologist can help to shift more attention on the profession and also on the lab he/she works for by doing one or all of the following things.
Community events and programs can be a wonderful way for a histotechnolgist to be in the public eye or for a histotechnologist’s laboratory to be noticed by the public. A histotechnologist might attend health fairs, job fairs, or high school career days.
A histotechnologist can work with other histotechnologists to form a team who will attend these events together. However, community events that a histotechnologist attends need not be health related to draw attention to the profession. Histotechnologists can be recognized for what they do by volunteering at a soup kitchen or joining any type of community club. Anytime a histotechnologist mentions what they do to a person in the public they increase awareness about the profession that can be spread by that person.
If a histotechnologist sees ways that the laboratory in which she/he works is not staying up to par with other laboratories, it might be a good idea to mention this to your manager. Your manager can talk to the hospital administrator, and you suggestion just might help draw more and better employees to work at the laboratory.
Check back soon for part two of this blog.
Learn about finding a job as a histotechnologist.
Source:
Koehler, Amanda (January 14, 2008) On the Map. Advance for Medical Laboratory Professionals. Pages 15-17.
How Employers are Retaining Cytotechnologists – Part Two
Make sure to read part one of this blog on how employers can retain cytotechnologists before you start on part two.
Offering flexible hours to cytotechnologists is another great incentive that shouldn’t cost the company any money and will increase job satisfaction for cytotechnologists. Flexible hours are quite valuable to many cytotechnologists, especially if they have children. Tuition reimbursement is another option that employers of cytotechnologists would certainly enjoy, as well as offering an exercise facility. Some facilities offer paid work out time to cytotechnologists. This seems like a high cost, but it has been shown that after working out employees such as cytotechnologists are more awake and focused. Cytotechnologists will have great appreciation for this exercise time and will likely tell people outside of the lab about this wonderful perk.
In addition, employees who work out are healthier employees, and sometimes employers of cytotechnologists are able to save money on health insurance plans for cytotechnologists who work out more often.
Health insurance is often a big consideration for a cytotechnologist. It is important to make sure that the health insurance benefits offered are at least similar to what cytotechnologists would see in other labs, if not better.
These efforts will also go a long way towards enticing other cytotechnologists to come work in your lab, even if the pay offered isn’t as great as they might find elsewhere.
Learn about finding a job as a cytotechnologist.
Source:
Koehler, Amanda (November 3, 2008) Pinching Pennies. Advance for Medical Laboratory Professionals. Page 22-23.
How Employers are Retaining Cytotechnologists – Part One
Currently the economy is affecting almost everyone. This inlcudes cytotechnologists’ employers who can’t always offer the same pay rate they were previously able to. The employers of cytotechnologists also can’t offer the same bonuses that they used to. However, there are some ways that cytotechnologists can remain satisfied in their jobs through this difficult time.
Often if managers make small efforts to make cytotechnologists feel valuable, they go further than the big efforts would have. For example, bringing in food or drinks to cytotechnologists on the job can make a big difference. Cytotechnologists also feel special when managers celebrate their birthdays with a simple cake or pizza. If the small successes of cytotechnologists are rewarded with a lunch or small gift card this can help the cytotechnologist to feel appreciated. Even pot luck lunches help make cytotechnologists in a lab feel like more of a team, and this would be free to the lab.
Other small events can help too, like dressing up for Halloween as a group or having an ice cream day or a small breakfast.
Cytotechnologists will also take notice of how great their workplace is if managers help out when the workload is large. Cytotechnologists will often begin to feel like a team and even like part of a family when the members of the workplace help each other out.
Check back soon to see part two of this blog and learn about more ways that an employer of cytotechnologists can keep employees happy.
Learn about finding a job as a cytotechnologist.
Source:
Koehler, Amanda (November 3, 2008) Pinching Pennies. Advance for Medical Laboratory Professionals. Page 22-23.
Pros and Cons of Working as a Medical Technologist
Medical technologists are always looking for better pay, better hours, and opportunities to advance their careers in the clinical laboratory profession. Those hiring medical technologists often wonder what they can do to keep medical technologists longer term. Data was gathered from 600 medical technologists who have been in the field for at least five years to attempt to answer this question.
Most medical technologists said the reasons they stay in their profession are that they are interested in their work, they have job security, they feel challenged at work, and they have good medical benefits. Medical technologists said they feel that their work is important. Medical technologists also say their work is different each day. Medical technologists also have a lot of independence at work which they enjoy.
When these medical technologists were asked what could keep them in the field long term they said it would help if they had salaries equivalent to nursing salaries. Medical technologists said it would also help if individuals were recognized by those outside of the laboratory. The recognition that medical technologists seek is more from physicians, nurses, and administrators than from patients or the public.
Medical technologists could help to improve their field by working to increase recognition of the value of their work. If medical technologists were able to gain recognition from hospital administrators, the administrators might work harder to increase medical technologists’ salaries. This could help to solve both main problems that medical technologists have with their field.
Learn about finding a job as a medical technologist.
Which Molecular Tests should a Pathologist’s Assistant’s Lab Perform – Part Three
The number of samples that must be processed in order to break even on the set up costs must be estimated. Molecular tests often require control samples, both positive and negative, in order to process one patient sample. Control samples can be expensive, and the cost of these samples must be built into the cost to run the test. Some tests might use a reagent that expires after a certain amount of time. A laboratory leader must decide whether there will be enough tests requested to use all of the reagent before it expires.
Repeat tests sometimes need to be run by pathologist’s assistants or other laboratory professionals when a test result is hard to read. The number of repeat tests that will need to be done by a pathologist’s assistant can be estimated by the vendors, but it makes sense to verify those numbers by asking other users.
The amount of time that it will take for a pathologist’s assistant or other laboratory professional to run each test needs to be considered. Vendors can give time estimates, and these estimates can be verified by other users of the products.
Equipment cost and setup costs are very important to factor in. Technology is always improving, and a laboratory must think about how long a piece of equipment will be up to date before there will be a need to purchase new equipment for pathologist’s assistants to use.
Find a job as a pathologist’s assistant.
Source:
Savaloja, Lynette C. (November 3, 3008) Choosing the Right Molecular Tests. Advance for Medical Laboratory Professionals.
Which Molecular Tests should a Pathologist’s Assistant’s Lab Perform – Part Two
Laboratory leaders must consider the skills the pathologist’s assistants and other laboratory employees have as well as how much molecular background the employees have.
One big advantage laboratories have in performing tests in house is that they can control the quality of the work. Another good thing about doing testing in house is that there is much less risk of a sample getting lost or damaged. Furthermore, when testing is done in house, the testing can normally be done more quickly. Billing can also be made simpler when testing is done in house by pathologist’s assistants. In addition, when testing is done in house, all of a patient’s test information can be found in one place. This makes it easier for providers to find a patient’s information, and it allows the laboratory to have all of the information available if they need it for statistical information.
A laboratory leader must think about whether there is enough space available in the laboratory to run additional tests. First of all, there must be enough space for the pathologist’s assistant or other laboratory professional to run the test. Some tests require venting equipment, which can take up a lot of space in a laboratory. There also needs to be space for samples and testing reagents to be stores.
If all other necessities are available to run additional molecular tests in a laboratory such as space and qualified pathologist’s assistants or other laboratory employees, a cost analysis is in order. There are many factors to be considered and this makes cost analysis a difficult process.
Check back soon for the next part of this blog.
Find a job as a pathologist’s assistant.
Source:
Savaloja, Lynette C. (November 3, 3008) Choosing the Right Molecular Tests. Advance for Medical Laboratory Professionals.
Which Molecular Tests should a Pathologist’s Assistant’s Lab Perform – Part One
All types of laboratory testing are not usually done in one laboratory. However, there are many laboratories which could benefit from doing more testing than they are. Most laboratories where pathologist’s assistant’s work must frequently reevaluate to determine if they should be performing more, or less, tests in house. It is usually unrealistic for a lab to perform all tests within one lab, and it often makes sense to specialize in some tests and outsource others. It can be expensive for a lab where a pathologist’s assistant works to get started doing their own testing, but there are many advantages to doing tests in house. 
The fact that the health care field is always evolving complicates the decision as to whether certain tests should be done in house or outsourced. Some tests may become obsolete, while others that were never done before may slowly become normal. Labs where pathologist’s assistants work must constantly consider which tests they should be doing at any given time. For example, recently, human papilloma virus testing has recently been recommended to do along with a regular pap test. It has become very standard, and many labs where pathologist’s assistants work have brought human papilloma virus testing in house because it is done so often.
One of the first factors that a laboratory leader must consider when thinking about bringing a test in house is whether qualified pathologist’s assistants and other laboratory personnel are going to be available to perform these tests. Some states require certain qualifications that pathologist’s assistants or other laboratory employees must have to legally perform molecular tests.
Check back soon for the next part of this blog.
Find a job as a pathologist’s assistant.
Source:
Savaloja, Lynette C. (November 3, 3008) Choosing the Right Molecular Tests. Advance for Medical Laboratory Professionals.
How a Cytotechnologist can Plan Strategically – Part Two
It is useful to compare what cytotechnologists are doing in one lab versus how they are practicing in other labs. It is worth the while for a cytotechnologist to follow what large labs are doing and what they are investing their money into. A cytotechnologist may want to try to work for the employer who they feel is the most abreast of new technology in anticipation that those employers who are behind in technology may fail.
Now, knowing all of this information, a cytotechnologist must think about a strategy to follow. A cytotechnologist might see that pap tests are not being done as often, but HPV testing is done often in a lot of the pap tests that are done. So, it might be a good move for a cytotechnologist, seeing this trend, to learn how to perform HPV testing. Perhaps the lab a cytotechnologist works for is going to start doing new testing. It might be a smart move for a cytotechnologist in this situation to think about whether this testing is going to be a thing of the future, and learn how to do it if so, even if it means having to take the time to get trained on how to do it. A cytotechnologist in this situation should volunteer to learn how to do the new testing. Employers will see that this cytotechnologist is actively trying to advance their career, and an employer may view them as a more valuable asset.
This process must be done over and over again often, because technology is always changing in the labs where cytotechnologists work.
Find employment as a cytotechnologist.
Glenn, David MT(ASCP) (December 3, 2007) Looking Forward. Advance for Medical Laboratory Professionals.
