Natalie 
Hey, everyone! Long time no blog. Between moving, and studying for (and writing) the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science certification exam, I haven’t had much time to gather my thoughts. Though I’ve started working as a tech now, I wanted to touch on a few topics I missed before practicum finished. My last 6 weeks … Read more
This past month has kept me busy, which would explain the large gap between posts! The highlight, if you want to call it that, was my first real job interview. It was nerve-racking, but I did a good deal of prep leading up to the interview and I think it went okay. Crazy that there’s … Read more
After spending the past few months split between Chemistry and Hematology, I’m finally in a new department! Microbiology is the study of living organisms too small to be seen with the naked eye – hence the ‘micro.’ In Chemistry and Hematology, you’re predominately testing the levels of specific analytes in blood; these samples are collected … Read more
Okay, folks. Time to get personal. As I’ve mentioned in a past blog, my journey in the Med Lab program has been longer than your average students’. That’s because once upon a time, in Level 3, I hit a roadblock and that roadblock was failure. I’m not talking about failing one test; I’m talking about … Read more
Poikilocytosis is a term used to describe variation in red blood cell (RBC) shape. Normal, mature RBCs are round and with a zone of central pallor—shown in their deeper pink/red edge and paler center. It is not uncommon to see a few abnormally-shaped RBCs amongst hundreds and hundreds of cells. Guided by lab protocol, technologists … Read more
During our long block practicum, we have one online course per term. The course we finished earlier this month, Integrative Studies 2 (Integrative Studies 1 was part of our Level 1 curriculum), focused on quality management systems, and the application of critical thinking and ethical practice in the profession. There were a few quizzes and … Read more
As promised in my last blog, here’s a case study that more or less mimics the thought process of a technologist on the Hematology bench. The CBC analyzer flags a platelet count of 67 x 109/L (the normal reference range is 150-450 x 109/L). It is the first time this patient’s platelet count has dropped … Read more
Happy December, folks! I am now into the third department of my rotation—Hematology, which is the study of blood and blood disorders. There are three categories of blood cells: white blood cells (WBCs), red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets. All three arise from stem cells in the bone marrow, differentiating to perform diverse roles in … Read more
I’m just about halfway through my 38-week placement, so I thought it’d be an appropriate time to compile some thoughts on my experience(s) thus far. Ask questions. You’re not expected to know everything going into practicum – but you are expected to soak up plenty of knowledge while you’re there. Whether it is clarification on … Read more
Hey everyone! Today’s focus is the final two weeks of my Chemistry rotation, which was spent on the ‘manual’ bench. It was more of a miscellaneous bench, really, with testing ranging from urine drug screens, to blood gases, to hemoglobin A1cs. I suppose microscopic urinalysis and point-of-care testing (POCT) are more visual and/or hands-on than … Read more