Hi! I've been a tech 4 years, coming up on 5. I've worked for a Catholic hospital system in a red state this whole time. Currently, I'm core lab at a fairly large hospital. They're the best-paying or very close and management runs things well. Recently, I've done a lot of internal work and come to a place in life where I've felt safe acknowledging the fact that I'm not cisgender.

I'm a good tech, I get frequent compliments on the quality of my work and my work ethic. My coworkers and I generally get along. I feel like I'm a part of the team. I have friendly interactions and amiable relationships with mostly everyone. My leads all like me and it feels nice. I feel valued in my workplace and I want to stay here.

I'm planning on starting testosterone sometime next year, and i'm likely going to start socially transitioning and going by a different name among friends and maybe family (separate issue).

I'm not sure how to navigate that in a fairly unsafe work environment. I know that several of my coworkers would change their tune and be much more unfriendly if I were out or when I show visible signs of being on testosterone. It is a religious hospital, and many people here are religious with their own biases.

I have a feminine legal name, so I'm worried about someone flipping out if I end up with a deeper voice and still go by that name. I'm scared that if I, alternatively, just come out, I'll be discriminated against or ostracized when I just started feeling comfortable. I've already had to change locations once when my former lead found out I was queer and started singling me out.

Has anybody else come out or started transitioning mid-career or early-career? What was it like and how did you navigate it? What's the most professional way forward in this scenario, and what would be the safest way to do this while projecting my job?

Are local and state legislators already allowing companies or hospitals to use AI in diagnosing patient cases ? Not educated in this area. Like to know what your thoughts are. Please be nice. Just shocked how this already is happening on the clinical side.

What’s the difference between ASCP and ASCPi?

Patient Profile
Age: 72
Sex: Female
Medical History: Pulmonary embolism

Laboratory Data
WBC: 24.6 x 10^9/L
RBC: 2.03 x 10^12/L
Hgb: 73 g/L
Hct: 0.220 / 22%
MCV: 108 fL
MCH: 36 pg
MCHC: 33.0 g/dL
PLT: 35 x 10^9/L

Peripheral Blood Smear (PBS) Findings (Manual Differential)

WBC Series: Presence of blasts, vacuolated abnormal lymphocytes (initially misidentified as monocytes), basket / smudge cells, hypersegmented neutrophils, low eosinophil and basophil counts

RBC Series: Nucleated RBCs (nRBCs), Howell-Jolly bodies, schistocytes, echinocytes, spherocytes

Platelet Series: Giant platelets

What does this patient have and what additional laboratory tests would you recommend?

Hello everybody! I am a Plant Science major in a state that doesn't require a license. I am thinking of applying to post bacc mls programs next year.

I am still taking many of the prereqs right now. I plan to take summer classes as well so that I can complete my bachelors in Spring 2028. However, due to the courses required for my major and the limited offerings of certain classes, I may not be able to take all of the prereqs needed at my uni, especially not by the application period.

Is it bad if multiple prereqs (biochem, general microbio, immunology) are still in progress when I apply? Do I need to have all of the prereqs completed before applying, or do I just need to finish them before the mls program starts?

Also are there any other tips you would like to give me at this point? Thank you!

Does anyone here work in El Paso? I just moved here and it looks like there’s almost no jobs for an MLS here. Tons of hospitals and 0 job postings that I’ve found. I know it’s a long shot but if anyone works here and knows they have an opening in their lab I would HIGHLY appreciate it!!

This question is specifically for those in Manitoba/Canada, but anyone can answer (please specify where you are located)

I’m preparing to apply to a program very soon, and I thought that it was important for me to get as much information as possible in order to prepare myself.

So what’s the hardest part of being an MLT? What character traits are important to have? What character traits are bad to have? How can one be a successful MLT?

If you have any other information about this career path that you would like to add, please do! I’m trying to get a very deep understanding of it.

In addition to that, if anyone has advice for me that will help me be successful in applying, that will also be very appreciated!

I work in veterinary medicine. 7 year old German shepherd. Very sad to see.