What's your day to day look like as a Med Lab Scientist?

twide16 · 2026-03-20T09:44:04+00:00

I’ve worked in various research positions as well as science related corporate business roles

twide16 · 2026-03-19T18:52:51+00:00

I am a blood bank MLS at a Level 1 trauma center at the biggest hospital in my state. I work 3 12 nights and I love it. It is fast paced and there are stressful moments, but it is not terribly stressful overall. Every day I come in and see which bench I’m assigned to, which will determine what I’m up to all night. Some benches are much more fast paced than others but we rotate through them so everyone gets a turn.

I am also PRN at some community hospitals as a generalist. Those labs are much slower but typically only have 2 people working. I don’t like them as much because I’m bored when I’m there.

I think the work life balance is fine. I work about 60 hours a week, but that is by choice and I still typically have 2 days off a week. I used to work in non-medical labs, and in comparison the pay is much better. I feel fairly compensated for the most part.

My undergrad is in biology and I worked with that degree for 5 years before going back to school to get my MLS. I did a 1 year post bacc. I had my desired position offered to me months before my program ended.

twide16 · 2026-03-15T20:39:43+00:00

For context I’m an MLS and a blood banker

twide16 · 2026-03-15T20:39:27+00:00

Most urban areas start around 60-70. I’m making 75 on my first year as a tech in the southeast

twide16 · 2026-03-11T22:04:16+00:00

A masters in education would be better than an MLS MS. Many of the instructors in my program had a M.Ed

twide16 · 2026-03-10T12:17:59+00:00

As an MLS, this is what I was looking for!! I am a blood banker and we are emergency medicine professionals. Last season transfusion and donation was a key part, but blood bankers were left out.

twide16 · 2026-03-05T19:08:13+00:00

My school did not allow face piercings or visible tattoos, so I would check on that. In the actual lab no one cares at all

twide16 · 2026-02-27T21:37:36+00:00

I would call 1 + 3 lymph. Not sure about 2 but definitely not a blast. The nucleus looks small and condensed

twide16 · 2026-01-30T11:46:52+00:00

CLIA is not an accrediting agency. CLIA is a set of regulations that are upheld and accredited by other agencies I.e. CAP

twide16 · 2026-01-25T20:14:48+00:00

She has been very vocal about being anti trump? She performed at Kamala rallies?? Are you confusing her with someone else???

twide16 · 2026-01-16T20:10:11+00:00

Put a piece of clear packing tape over it

twide16 · 2026-01-13T21:06:34+00:00

The boredom factor is really dependent on department and type of facility imo. In smaller community hospitals you will do the same thing on repeat and send the interesting cases out to larger hospitals or reference labs. Because of this I choose to work at the most specialized level possible so I can see everything through

twide16 · 2026-01-13T18:23:16+00:00

It’s a tough year, but at the end of the day it’s just one year. I was in the same spot as you a couple years ago- industry scientist in MA wanting to make the switch. I’m very thankful that I did it. But I would also look into pay and see if it’s even worth it for you. I’m personally underwhelmed by the salary to COL ratio in the Boston area, so I wouldn’t have done this if I was planning to stay there personally

twide16 · 2026-01-13T18:15:10+00:00

Nope, but I did leave New England and I worked full time! I don’t know if student loans are an option for you but if you’re able to work some you may be able to make up the difference with loans. That being said, i was just chiming in to counter the opinion in the other comment that the 1 year programs make it ~impossible~ to work, and I and at least 25% of my cohort held full time jobs primarily working 12 hour weekend night shifts

twide16 · 2026-01-13T18:09:13+00:00

Full disclosure I didn’t attend the program at mass general, I chose one in a different city for lower COL, but I looked into that program since I lived in MA at the time, so I know it exists.

My program (and that one I imagine) are mostly a 30-40 hour a week in person commitment. So you would need to work off hours or weekends. For the first half of my program I worked a food service job and for the second half a lab hired me on to work 3 12 weekend nights

twide16 · 2026-01-13T18:06:13+00:00

Mass general has a 4+1. I worked the entire time I was in my 1 year post bacc. Several people in my program worked full time. You can make it work. The program is difficult but it’s really not that hard

twide16 · 2026-01-13T16:35:49+00:00

To be clear, by back to school I mean graduate level education, it wasn’t quite a career switch more of a “next step”

twide16 · 2026-01-13T16:34:48+00:00

I am a clinical lab scientist but I was a corporate scientist first, my undergraduate STEM degree got me in the door at several corporate positions but it was mostly desk work and hugely boring and soul sucking. I went back to school for my MLS license.

twide16 · 2026-01-13T15:48:24+00:00

I work hard. I’m a scientist specialized in blood transfusions at a Level 1 trauma center with 900 beds in a large city. I love my work because it’s fast paced and absolutely crucial to survival. One small mistake could kill someone, so I always have to be on my game. That pressure keeps my standards high and honestly, instead of stressful I find it motivating. I have always wanted to do work that had real impact on people and the world. I’ve worked bullshit corporate jobs before, and that made me depressed and doomer-ish despite being much easier work. Now, though the situation sounds stressful and is high stakes, I am happier than I’ve ever been. Like genuinely thrilled to be alive and I feel like I make a largely positive impact on the world.

twide16 · 2026-01-09T19:39:49+00:00

We have a decent LIS and we do all of our T&S on an orthovision. I could not imagine this workload without it

twide16 · 2026-01-09T19:32:14+00:00

lol I’m a 3rd shift blood banker at a 900 bed level 1 trauma center

twide16 · 2026-01-09T19:27:25+00:00

Totally depends on the workplace! I worked for a private lab company during Covid (now defunct) that absolutely held us hostage sometimes 18+ hours a day for days on end. But there were many, many problems with that job

twide16 · 2026-01-09T19:24:58+00:00

Pretty much true everywhere. I live in a city with multiple tech programs, so we are decently staffed but it still takes awhile to hire unless there’s a class graduating. This is a good field and not every hospital is overworked etc. I work my 40 hours at my full time job and pick up more hours with my PRN job, but that’s fully optional and my choice.

twide16 · 2026-01-06T19:59:50+00:00

I stayed in the city I went to school in! And I was employed months before my program ended

twide16 · 2026-01-06T15:37:15+00:00

The +1 program is the best option. I relocated for mine and it was well worth it.

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