Lab Diaries | day in my life as a medical laboratory scientist (happy lab week!)

[@kayc421]

As a fellow MLS I am so glad you're doing this. We SERIOUSLY NEED more techs. 😫 the shortage is severe

[@domilarae]

Thank you so much for supporting my content! I really hope it helps bring more interest to the field because I agree, there’s not enough techs.

[@domilarae]

Happy Lab Week!! 🔬🥼👩🏾‍🔬 Something weird happened with the audio towards the end of the video. So, the audio does not match the video. I didn’t realize until after I uploaded, Sorry y’all!! I’ll do better 😂

[@chriszanders23]

🤩

[@NiqLT]

Yes black women in the lab!! Not many people know about this field so that’s cool to see

[@NiqLT]

@@LyslScentedLife It’s not about skin color being important. It’s about introducing a career that at least from my experience a lot of people don’t know about. I have worked in a microbiology lab and I currently work in a fertility lab. I have worked with very few black people. That hasn’t been an issue for me but I’m glad to see other black people getting exposed to a career that I enjoy. Not everybody wants to be a nurse or a doctor and outside of research not many people know about clinical lab work. So as I said I’m glad to see more black people in the lab ♥️

[@NiqLT]

@@LyslScentedLife I’m glad that anybody, regardless of their race, can find a career that makes them happy. Is there a specific reason why you can’t become an MLT if you don’t mind sharing?

[@NiqLT]

@@LyslScentedLife I really do hope that you are able to find a way to make it in a lab but if not there are so many other great things I know you would be great at.

[@jaimel.1479]

@@NiqLT Im starting my clinical rotation soon!! Yes, Ive heard there are not many of us in the lab. We are making our way there! :)

[@domilarae]

@@NiqLT yes! 💕 Representation is so important. The lab I work at is majority minorities, with all black leadership. So it’s a very motivating environment to work with people that look like me!!

[@alyssad5900]

Thank you for making this! I just got accepted into the MLS program and am now watching all your videos to prepare for this upcoming semester.

[@domilarae]

Thank you for watching! Good luck on your journey to the lab 💕

[@brandonmolina9061]

I’m about to graduate in May and this is a field I really want to go into. Thank you for the video, there’s not a lot of people who do these jobs and vlog them. So thank you for doing this and please keep doing more of them.

[@domilarae]

Awee thank you for your kind message! I wish you the best as you begin your journey to the lab. Good luck with your last few months of school!!

[@arosebski]

Thank you for making these! I appreciate the look into your daily life! I’m going to be a senior in my undergrad program (BS in genetics) this upcoming year. I currently work in a clinical research lab at a medical school and in cancer care at a hospital. I’m trying to decide between medical school and the MS in MLS program my undergrad university has. I’ve been able to (sort of) shadow physicians through working in the hospital and have experienced patient interaction but have been finding it extremely difficult to find people in the lab that I can shadow. The most exposure to it I get is running to and from blood bank for physicians and RNs. It’s so hard to decide because I like parts of both and don’t like parts of both. I had initially thought I’d go into research but discovered I’m not a huge fan of academic research and prefer the medical field but love lab work… but also love patient interaction. Both are such a time and money commitment too so I’m scared I’ll pick one and decide I don’t like it.

[@domilarae]

Maybe reach out to the lab director at your hospital. They might be able to facilitate a shadowing experience for you! What sort of things are you considering pros/cons for MLS?

[@arosebski]

@@domilarae pros for sure is the lab work without having to come up with the experiments yourself (I love doing experiments at work but I despise having to come up with the whole thing on my own). I also like how integral they are in the diagnosis process while still being sort of behind the scenes. It also has so many possibilities in terms of what you can do after getting the degree. Cons is lack of patient contact (but that’s also not a deal breaker for me) & I’m worried there won’t be enough variety day to day. I’d been leaning more towards MLS for awhile and now I’ve switched to medical school and I really just can’t make up my mind but I need to fairly soon

[@shadrackkiundi]

Am loving what you do

[@coffeepandacat]

Yay been waiting for you to post this!:)) I've been split on pharmacy and mls, and I think I am just going to stick with medical lab. The profession just makes more sense to go into vs pharmacy going belly up. It's summer, currently prepping for the future chemistry classes that I will have to take ugh..

[@domilarae]

Good luck on your journey to the lab! Chemistry isn’t that bad 😂 I think there’s a big shift happening in health care as a whole. But, there’s a lot of opportunities in the med lab field, just have to find your interests/passions.

[@coffeepandacat]

@@domilaraeThank you 💜👍🔬🧫 Congratulations on your position!! :))) I actually got through fundamental chemistry but struggled a little haha!!! The math isn't that hard, it's all the rules that you have to remember to put everything together correctly. So I am practicing on all that now

[@yonimelanin9807]

Hi Dominique, I appreciate the night in the life video. Being able to see you working in a lab is so cool. Do you feel that you will try and work in a specific area such as hematology or do you prefer a more generalized approach. Keep up the good work✨💙

[@domilarae]

Thank you for watching! I would love to specialize in one area like microbiology. For now, it’s nice to have the chance to develop skills in all depts.

[@hellmira3763]

I’m looking to enroll in a program soon and your vids along with others have gave me quite a bit of insight

[@domilarae]

Good luck on your journey to the lab!

[@Slimmx]

Soon as I saw Chem, I wondered what analyzer your hospital had. Looks like the Cobas. Currently, in my final rotation, which just so happens to be chemistry. 2 weeks till graduation & I can’t wait to get a 2nd shift position. These 6am’s are draining me dry!

[@domilarae]

Yep! I’m working with one of the cobas models. How is your chemistry rotation going? And congrats on making it to the end of your program!

[@Slimmx]

@@domilarae It’s going well so far, it’s just an adjustment going from the classroom with not as much QC to the full-blown instrument. Getting used to what QC / Cal bottle goes with what test & then keeping up with them especially if they fail. I get lost in chemistry, it’s a maze to me compared to the other departments. Thank you, and I hope you reach your six-month confidence goal! 🙌🏾

[@kayc421]

🤣😂

[@makayladolores]

Hi! I loved this video of showing your day in the life of a CLS/MLS! I’m an incoming freshman majoring in CLS and want to pursue the same career as yours. What was it like finding a lab job? I know it’s a little early for me to stress about finding a job hahahah

[@domilarae]

I wish you the best on your journey to the lab! I had no trouble finding a job, I was hired somewhere before I graduated lol. Maybe consider getting a job as a lab assistant. It’d be a great way to get lab experience while you are in school.

[@francemaldonado6705]

Love to see you back ♥

[@domilarae]

Thank you! Im going to try and get back consistent soon. It's been a hard adjustment lol

[@Cloudsthetic-l1q]

I’m going to apply to txsu to become a cls next year. I love watching your videos it gives me insight on what the job is like.

[@domilarae]

Good luck on your journey to the lab! I'm glad the videos have been helpful!

[@Shawnee11759]

Yay!!! I missed you.

[@domilarae]

Hey!! 💕 How is your semester going?

[@zafae05]

hi. new subscriber here. I am also an MLS from Philippines. And i hope to work in America soon. Thank you for your videos, i can get a glimpse of how labs in US look like 😅

[@domilarae]

Hi! That’s so cool, I wish you the best on your journey in the lab 💕

[@zafae05]

@@domilarae thank you 🥰

[@Giaiwtbm]

I have a question: is there a competition for 1st shifts? Most videos I've seen are people working the 2nd shift.

[@domilarae]

I’ve worked first shift for the last 2 1/2 years, it’s not really competition. But guess it just really depends on where you live and timing it right

[@MaddScientist]

so I just came across your page and I'm geeked. I am currently a Medical Technologist at Quest Diagnostics but I think I want to take the exam to become certified, just in case I decide to go to another company, such as a hospital. Also I am not trying to go back to school, I just want to take the exam and then boom, LOL. I been in the lab field for 4 years now but only been a Medical Tech for a year, also my undergrad is in Biology (so long ago, lol). What State are u located and how old are you, if you don't mind me asking? So I am excited Ive found your page. This make me want to create content about working in the labs (I have been trying to think of content that I can do and stay consistence with). Happy Belated Lab Week!

[@domilarae]

Yessss, we need more med techs on social media! I’m gonna try TikTok soon 😂 How has your experience been at Quest!! What departments do you work? I’m 24, living in Ga - how about you? I did Biology as well in undergrad, then went back to school since jobs here required the certification. I’m working as a generalist now in heme/coag, chem, blood bank and micro. There’s a lot of resources available like media lab that can help you prep for the exam!

[@MaddScientist]

@@domilarae I totally agree. I Love Quest but of course its a huge company therefore its a lot of work. I work in Micro, I am doing training in parasitology this week. I am thankful we have mycology, bacterial, and parasitology all in my department so I work with them all. I am 33 just moved to Tx, I am from Memphis, TN. I went to law enforcement after I graduated (was a police officer then CO) I decided that I wanted to use my degree so I picked Dallas to "start over" yes, I went through all your video and pretty much I got everything u suggested. I already have the BOC book, just finally opened it.

[@domilarae]

Your journey sounds so cool! I hope to specialize in microbiology in the future. Getting my generalist experience out of the way first 😂 theres also a website, wordsology.com, that has alot of high yield notes for each medical lab subject!

[@MaddScientist]

@@domilarae ok thank you! I will check it out!

[@labreadanielle]

Look I got the light up pen (highlight of my purchase 😂), the Microscope pin, with two shirts and couldn’t even participate in my lab week 😭!

[@domilarae]

Girl!!! My lab tried their best to include us night shifters 😭 Where’d you get the pen from 😂

[@briasa4357]

black women in STEM🖤🦠🧬 will be me soon🤞🏾🙏🏾

[@domilarae]

Love it! ☺️ Good luck on your journey to the lab. We need more of us in the field 👩🏾‍🔬🔬🦠

[@cherylvlogstv3571]

need to go to clinical lab scientist program, i passed already the ascp but need to learn more , no exprerience in cls yet, pls help me how to participate in the program

[@domilarae]

Are you working?

[@cherylvlogstv3571]

yeah as a caregiver right now..but CLS, I have no experience yet,need to go to cls program to know more

[@domilarae]

Why go back to school if you are already certified? A job in the lab field would be more beneficial

[@kaylawyatt5163]

Do you like your job? i’m about to start college as a MLT and then i’m going to go into MLT probably. i’d love to hear some one else’s input on it who’s been in the field for a while :)

[@domilarae]

I like the job! It can be stressful during certain situations, but overall its been nice.

[@camillejumawan4023]

I just want to ask, what are some chemical compounds that you used in lab?

[@domilarae]

The main chemicals I use are for disinfecting lab equipment (bleach, NAOH, ETOH, etc). The majority of reagents for patient testing are stabilized chemicals that are in closed systems on the analyzers. I also use chemical dyes to stain slides in hematology and microbiology. I hope this makes sense!

[@valkyrie1904]

Hi, i'm an upcoming grade 12 stem student here in my country. After 3 years of stopping after i finished grade 11 because of personal reasons, i'm studying again. I'm going to be enrolled in a medical school as a senior high school student, the school offers medical laboratory science undergraduate program for college and i have been researching about it online. Few of your videos have inspired me a little to mybe pursue the course for college, because i don't really have anything interested in or pasionate about, maybe i'll try to be more interested to it later on. I'm bit scared becayse i don't know how is it gonna be, i'm an introvert and i don't go well with people, i also know that studying medicine is very hard and i'm not really very smart. But i guess i'll just have to see what happens, thank you.

[@domilarae]

Are there opportunities to shadow/intern in labs near you? It might help you decide on pursuing this career. ☺️ There are a lot of disciplines in medical laboratory science that might peak your interest as you begin studying.

[@zoev4367]

Hi I’m upcoming senior in college and I have a question on how did you know what did you want to do in the lab. I’ve been seeing various lab title and they all kinda do the same thing so I’m confused. I have done research and I saw one they fit me ( cytotech). I

[@zoev4367]

My major is Biology btw

[@domilarae]

I can see why the different job titles can be confusing. A Medical Lab Scientist (Medical technologist, clinical lab scientist) is trained to work in various areas of the lab including microbiology, Hematology, blood bank, and urinalysis/serology. But there's several titles this job might go by, it just depends on your location. Maybe consider a shadowing experience at a local hospital near you. It might help you decide if cytotechnology is right for you ☺️

[@zoev4367]

@@domilarae thank you so much I love your video ! Good too see African American women in the lab. Stay safe 💕

[@fiorellagish.1058]

Do you guys always have to wear a mask during work?

[@domilarae]

Sometimes, but masks were required for all clinical staff during Covid.

[@PooleySteen]

Do you know a cheap labelling system to mark reagent bottles with details and is alcohol resistant, but has to be erased and changed frequently?

[@domilarae]

I labely qc bottles with a sharpie marker and small label stickers that are removable. Maybe something similar could work?

[@PooleySteen]

@@domilarae I was wondering perhaps you might know of a transparent flap that can obscure it or a pen marker that has ink that is not dissolvable in polar solvents.

[@PooleySteen]

@@domilarae Thanks anyway, my boss keeps blaming me that I not observing GLP. I do write it on but by over zealous disinfection by co workers at my work station gets me in trouble.

[@domilarae]

@@PooleySteen maybe try Klinipath markers! I use them for labeling frosted slides/gram stains, the ink doesn’t fade away with alcohol use. I get what you mean now, sharpies/pens can definitely wash off and become illegible quickly.

[@PooleySteen]

@@domilarae Thank you for taking the time to consider and reply I will try it.

[@autoxetai1464]

Hay quá

[@jocelyntrejo13]

Is that a roche??? We have so many issues with ours 😫

[@domilarae]

Oh man! I like them a lot, but Roche is all I know for chemistry 😂

[@kayc421]

Roche is a mess! Welcome to the lab Dominique 🧪. I've been at it for 5 years now and the career is very rewarding. I'm traveling now and wouldn't trade it for anything.

[@amyheller3362]

Any tips for writing my personal statement for applications?

[@domilarae]

It’d be a nice touch to add in your statement - how you found the field, why you are interested, as well as what goals you have for yourself by pursuing medical lab science. I think it will help your application stand out by demonstrating that you’re serious about choosing the major

[@amyheller3362]

@@domilarae thank you!!

[@khalidalnour6061]

how i can get visa for USA as medical laboratory specialist

[@domilarae]

I’m not familiar with the visa process

[@bea6073]

can i do this career path with a Chemistry, BS major?

[@domilarae]

Depending on the state, kinda. But generally, studying medical lab science is the quickest path to certification and working

[@akshatsaluja6007]

Thank you for making such infotmational vedios. Please can you guide about the benefits of doing masters in biomedical science from australia as i have completed my bachelors from india or should i consider clearing AIMS exam and then migrating to australia as medical laboratory scientist, and what will be the salary in both cases. Will i be paid more after completing masters Please help me in any way possible, only little bit of input from your side would be very beneficial for me

[@domilarae]

I cannot guide on studying abroad nor taking AIMS exam for Australia. I am in America and have not worked outside of my country.

[@akshatsaluja6007]

@@domilarae thank you for replying, can you give an idea about the pay rate in USA

[@hoiamomnia1970]

Please help me, I already pass Ascpi

[@domilarae]

How can I help?

[@hoiamomnia1970]

Hi dear how i can apply for job in usa?

[@domilarae]

Apply to jobs online in an area you want to work

[@tttuu3309]

Is thr man in this field. I mostly see women

[@domilarae]

Yes, There are men in the field lol.

[@mariekoffi7602]

Hey which book did you use to prepare for your ascap exam @dominque larae

[@domilarae]

Check out my ascp exam day vlog! I have another video coming soon with tips to help prepare for the exam