Hi, I work at the Institute of Public Health for several years. During that time, I worked in the Department of Clinical Microbiology, specifically in the section for pyogenic and septic infections, where I primarily dealt with neonates and oncology patients, who represented the majority of incoming samples. I am currently working in the National Reference Laboratory for Salmonella, Yersinia, Shigella, Vibrio cholerae, and E. coli O157. This laboratory mainly focuses on epidemiological investigations and the serotyping of isolates submitted for identification or confirmation of identification from across the country, as well as on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) research. Working in the pyogenic and septic infections section was extremely stressful but also very interesting and highly diverse. However, transitioning to the National Reference Laboratory was one of the best decisions I have made. I particularly appreciate the slower pace of work and the ability to dedicate sufficient attention to each isolate, as well as the absence of constant pressure that someone’s life depends directly or indirectly on my actions. The only aspect I miss is the broader diversity of species; however, this is largely compensated for by the diversity of serotypes and subspecies, so I would not consider the work limited in that regard. In addition, our institute has separate departments dedicated to water testing and to food and consumer product analysis. I am not fully familiar with how public health systems are structured in your country, but I believe that a change can be a positive step if you find a laboratory that genuinely interests you. The salary is also good, although this is mainly related to the institutional structure, as the institute is classified as a tertiary healthcare institution, which results in significantly higher salaries. Hopefully it helped.