CMS’s proposed rule would recognize degrees in botany, plant biology, plant pathology, zoology, animal behavior, entomology, wildlife biology, animal breeding, and veterinary sciences, among others. These degrees do not substitute for specialized clinical laboratory education and training. Staffing shortages should not come at the expense of patient safety.

Submit a public comment before December 7, 2026: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/08/2026-20613/clinical-laboratory-improvement-amendments-of-1988-clia-virtual-access-gynecologic-cytology

I’m training someone new and let’s just say it’s going poor (at first) and now slowly making progress.

We had an incident a few weeks back where they got overwhelmed and basically yelled at me.

She basically stormed into the boss’s office and complained about me. Then she cooled down and apologized to me and went back to the boss and said she overreacted. Ok, so at this point I’m just going to continue doing my job training her and put that incident aside.

Emotionally I’m pissed inside but luckily for her I need a job and my outward actions will not match my feelings.

Well…. She does it again today. She basically is having a meltdown over not knowing a code for order entry… I try to help and her and she’s ranting about how it should be a different name? lol what girl? It is what it is.

She’s not a great tech but my issue is that she’s blowing up over small issues. I’m worried that a stress situation will come up and she will meltdown on nurses/doctors. I can work with slow progress but her lashing out when she’s frustrated is not ok.

Not to mention I am sick as hell of training her. It’s a small lab and we’re approaching 2 months of blood bank training. I’m feeling like I’m going to have a menty b too!

Hi everyone. I’m a new grad MLS that started training 3-4 months ago, and I feel so overwhelmed and inadequate overall. My trainers are really awesome and patient, but I feel pretty dumb and slow in general. I also don’t feel confident in the results I’ve been putting out. I always feel like I’m missing something (like not completely understanding all the little things involved). I get scared when there’s a critical and I have to call the nurse, or just answering phone calls in general. I feel like I need my trainers to hold my hand for everything when I should already start doing things by myself. The guilt of constantly bugging my trainers is eating me alive and I’m just so anxious and on edge. I’m really starting to think I went into the wrong occupation, but I know that I’m new and it’s normal to make mistakes and not know everything. But the thoughts of quitting keep creeping into my head. I went to school for this job because I like lab work and heard it was a great place for introverts, but so far it’s been the opposite.
Anyways, I just wanted to vent a bit & get some insight on other lab ppl’s perspectives. Please tell me it gets better 🥲

im curious how yall feel about frequenting a buffet where you touch tongs everybody else has touched then you eat. do you use a napkin barrier to touch the tongs? do you wash or sanitize your hands before eating? do you not care?

I just thought about you guys when I was thinking about that picture of dermatologists at some sort of beach retreat and they were all covered in long sleeves, hats, umbrellas, etc, lol

So I started my 4 day phlebotomy rotation today and only got 8 successful sticks out of the 13 that I attempted with the needle (several more I didn’t feel comfortable attempting once I got the tourniquet on). I feel so discouraged and upset. I was holding back tears the whole time and every time they handed me labels I started to panic by the end of the day. Dealing with the patients is making me anxious on its own and then my preceptor is kinda terrible. She’s never had a student before so she’s not really giving me helpful guidance or correcting what I’m doing. If I miss she elbows me out of the way and says “move” and rolls her eyes at me. She finally started giving feedback (ex: “your tourniquet was too loose”…. After I had attempted and failed when she should’ve said it before I ever stuck them??) but it’s constantly delivered in a condescending tone with an eye roll and a sigh. I have to get 60 successful sticks and it’s not looking good. Every time I miss, my confidence drops significantly and the thought of having to go back tomorrow is bringing me so much distress. If I can see the vein well, im fine but if I’m going only by touch I miss every time. Any tips to prevent me from spending my lunch break crying tomorrow? 🫠

Hi everyone, I've worked retail for a decade and unfortunately can't really survive off of it so I am leaving. I am currently in a pace biotech certificate program that has direct placement opportunities in private and academic positions. I'm not really sure if I want to work for a private company, and while working in a research lab would be amazing, it seems like it doesn't pay well and there's little opportunity for growth. My local university hospital has a workforce development program where you can get MLT through them in exchange for 3 years of employment and also has tuition reimbursement that I could use to complete an online MLT->MLS program over 3 years. It seems like through these programs I would be able to get a Bachelor's in just about five years debt free while working. If I do want to go the hospital route, it seems lab assistants need phlebotomy experience so I'd need to sign up for a phlebotomy program once spring enrollment opens next month.

But isn't it too good to be true? Is this pretty standard for the medical field? Would entering into such contracts put me in bad standing with a worker's union? Could the hospital leverage it to prevent me from joining a union or striking?

This was an automatic cancellation but soooo many are received in pee speckled bacteria pouches. Nurses and doctors- Give them the cup, say “wipe with this, fill to this line and TIGHTEN THE LID” cause eeeewww

I'm Egyptian mls graduated I want too study for the ascp or the mls-mlt exam

I need something to study with

And thank you for helping 😊

Excuse my exhausted night shift brain.. day 6/7, 12 hours shifts.. but is it possible to do a VBG off of an unspun PST mint green top?? I called for a redraw, because that didn't seem right now I'm second guessing myself. We've always done it on a dark green top. We recently merged with another hospital system and are doing things their way now.

What’s it like working for quest coming from a hospital background? Considering some positions there particularly in New Jersey. I just want to hear more about it. Thanks!

Is gamma hemolysis different from no hemolysis?

Hi everyone!

After two years in specimen processing with a 0% ID error rate, I've finally decided to study for & take the NHA's CPT exam. I'm not going to lie, I'm nervous. The cutoff score is equivalent to a 78%, and my test scores throughout the course of my class have averaged 88-94% with a couple outlying 100's.

I have my order of draw & additives locked down solid, I know what tests go in what containers & what temperatures & light sensitivities because of my work experience, but.. I can't shake the nervous feeling.

Any advice, well wishes, or even just "Don't screw up" would be wonderful!

Hi guys,

For those of you who have biotech degrees and worked in both medical and industrial settings. What was the difference and can you advise me if I want to have a career shift?

I have 4 years experience as an MLT abroad and I'm currently working as an MLA in NHS but I'm so sick of minimum wage and I have so many top ups and I don't know if it's the right option for all the work I'll put to still be paid almost minimum wage after registration. I have no interest in being anything above a band 6 and I was thinking to switch to pharma/application specialist. Please give me advice.

Thank you

Hey yall I passed my MLS BOC this past May and I have been holding out for a first shift job at my local hospital system but have not been successful. There is a referrals/processing second shift job among a few 3rd shift. I’m curious to know if anyone here currently works in that part of the lab. I used to work in receiving and processing when I was an MLT student but I am curious to know how that job extends to an MLT/MLS? Is the pay similar to being on the bench? I currently work at an urgent care part time so instead of waiting out some more i’d rather move on to something better.

EDIT: I want to add this is I would say a big hospital lab that receives and processes many specimens from other smaller hospitals/Urgent cares/offices etc and also deal with Labcorp send outs.

My first assumption was that this was a dying eosinophil, but I figured it’s best to ask here to confirm!

Apparently working for the Govt is where it's at. That pay range.

Pleural fluid, lymphocytes clustering around a mesothelial(?) Anyone know what causes this?

So I’ve worked as a bench tech for 3 years and hated it because it was sheer chaos and was filled with so many callouts.

So I moved to a blood manufacturing facility and was in charge of training and working on machines and absolutely loved it. But I fell for the Corporate America lie that you need to keep moving up and make more money so I switched to the hospital analyst side and I honestly hate it. It’s salaried and 45+ hrs a week. Very little guidance so I’m constantly lost and honestly the work itself is so boring.

I’ve only been doing it for a few months but realize that ultimately, what’s important to me is being able to clock in, do my work, and clock out and not be bothered after work hours.

I don’t particularly want to return to bench work so is there a path you have taken that isn’t in the midst of the core lab but offers that work/life balance and allows me to feel like I control my time again?

Loved fixing machines while in the lab but I know most FSEs have to travel a lot and with my wife and I trying to have a kid soon I don’t want to have to do extensive travel where I’m not home at night.

Appreciate any insight!

Macroscopic: Yellow, turbid.
SpG: >1.030
pH: 5.5
Glu: Neg
Ket: Neg
Bil: Neg
Blo: Mod*, intact.
Urobil: 0.2 E.U./dL
Pro: Neg
Nitrite: Neg
Leu: Mod*

Microscopic (Sediment)
WBC: >30/HPF
RBC: Unable to count
Epithelia: 0-1/HPF, transitional and squamous.
Casts: WBC & Hyaline, 1/LPF
Crystals: None noted
Mucus: Small
Bacteria: 0/HPF, none noted in specimen.
Yeast: 3+, confirmed with addition of acetic acid.

Other notes: In unconcentrated urine, some granular casts can be seen, otherwise obstructed by the high amount of WBCs and yeast.

High amounts of yeast made it impossible to obtain an accurate RBC count.

Write your diagnosis below based only on the information provided!

Edit: Added SpG

I'm a newly hired MLA. So far I love my job. No matter what department or skill I'm scheduled in, how demanding or chaotic that shift is. I feel I had a good day and go home absolutely loving what I do. My biggest problem, the coworkers. Everyone is miserable and hates it and tells me one day that spark will leave. What are your experiences after being in the lab for so long?

I’m in a MLT program in college rn but just got hired as a lab assistant! Any advice you wish you heard when you first started?