Natalie

Following my rotation in Anatomical Pathology, I spent one week on accessioning review and another three in Chemistry. BCIT students get their phlebotomy competencies signed off during a two-week placement in Level 1, so whether you collect blood during the long block practicum is very much dependent on the practicum site. In Kelowna I had … Read more

Balance can mean something different to everyone but one thing’s for sure – it doesn’t come easy. Identifying what you value is one of the first, and more important steps in reaching a balanced lifestyle, because how you choose to spend your time should align as closely with these values as possible. I know what … Read more

This past week I was on the special stains bench. Performing special stains was my favourite part of Histology at BCIT; from pH to incubation times and temperatures, there is a lot that goes into quality staining and I found that quite interesting. So interesting, I took the course twice! (Kidding, not really. I did … Read more

Another three weeks in Anatomical Pathology have come and gone! Two of the three were 1-9 PM evening shifts, which was quite an adjustment considering all my shifts prior were morning starts. I was packing sandwiches for dinner half the time; it felt weird. The majority of each shift was spent cutting on a microtome. … Read more

Hey everyone! It hasn’t felt like a long while, but I am already two weeks into – or one-third through – my Anatomical Pathology rotation. My first week was split between accessioning, where the specimens are received and entered into the laboratory information system (LIS), and the gross room. The gross room is the first … Read more

I’m going to veer away from the excitement of blood and bacteria on this one and discuss something you wouldn’t want to mix with either (unless, of course, you’re a vampire)—food! Though it is understood when you enter the program, spending 40 hours a week at an unpaid clinical placement can still hit hard when … Read more

It’s been a relatively quiet couple of weeks; I bid a fond farewell to Vitros 5.1 and am now training on an analyzer located directly across from it, the Centaur XPT. Before I go any further, I want to clarify that Medical Laboratory Science is not, by any means, entirely automation. I’ve been referencing automation … Read more

It’s been a week since the start of clinical placement, and I can honestly say I’ve learned more than I thought I would considering how overwhelming the first few days were! I spent this past week in the Chemistry department—specifically, getting to know the Vitros 5.1 analyzer. As one might expect, there is a lot … Read more

Hello! My name is Natalie and I am a Level 4 student in the Medical Laboratory Science program. What does a medical laboratory technologist do, exactly? I’m sure many of you have had, or know someone who’s had, a sample (e.g. blood) taken at a clinic or hospital. The lab is where it ends up! … Read more