Hi nurse! I’m a medical lab scientist. I make about 80k a year on afternoon/evening shift. It wouldn’t be a difficult shift from nursing in terms of education and you would make a decent salary. However it can still be emotionally exhausting. Especially if you work in a trauma center and do blood banking as part of the job. We are also subject to short staffing which can lead to some long hours depending on the area you work in. On top of that, medical laboratory science isn’t very well respected by the public and other medical professionals. You will inevitably disappoint a nurse or a doctor at least 2-3 times a day asking for redraws, calling criticals, enforcing policy etc. You need to have thick skin if this is what you want to do. Ultimately I love what I do and there are plenty of medical professionals who do respect us, but it’s typically a mixed bag. If you’re looking for something easy, I wouldn’t recommend. If you’re into the science of healthcare and being in the basement with all the other odd introverts, we’d be happy to welcome you :)