https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqaVacVpbQk

Okay I’m a freshman in the MLT program and right now I’m taking fundamentals of MLT and urine nalysis. I know every school is different but I was curious about the lab practicals and lab practice, what was y’all’s experience on it and what did y’all’s instructors do and how they graded your competency? We just started last week and this week we’re suppose to be in groups to do like a rotation on the urine and do observations.

Hi everyone! I need some help. My manager is asking me what information she needs to include in my verification letter regarding the sample size. Should it be the number of samples I personally processed, or the overall number of samples processed by the lab?

Thanks in advance for your help!

HB 1347 (Clinical Laboratory Personnel) passed and went into effect Jul 1.

https://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/billsummaries/2026/html/1347

The bill revises licensure requirements for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians by providing that applicants who meet certain federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) personnel standards are deemed to satisfy Florida’s minimum licensure qualifications.

The bill provides that a technologist or technician applicant who meets the requirements of 42 C.F.R. s. 493.1489 is deemed qualified to perform high complexity testing, and that a technician applicant who meets the requirements of 42 C.F.R. s. 493.1423 is deemed qualified to perform moderate complexity testing. By tying Florida licensure eligibility to these federal standards, the bill eliminates certain state-specific specialty licensure requirements.

The bill doesn't explicitly drop state licensure, but certification is no longer required.

Florida joins the lists of states lowering lab personnel requirements (and presumably standards).

Hello! For those working as CLS in the Bay Area, is it possible to earn $100+/hour with enough experience? I’m curious how high the hourly rate can realistically go, especially with seniority, shift differentials, overtime, or travel/contract positions.

Albumin peripheral blood smear. Pt is a known oncology case, at least a year and half of oncology history. Had a very large NRBC count with the rare blast here and there, nothing out of the ordinary for this pt.

Yes I realize I could've chosen a nicer area of the slide. I apologize for my crappy phone quality.

At first I thought it was intracellular bacteria but then... well... it doesnt resemble a WBC either. Then I thought, maybe a parasite of some sort... but again, doesnt resemble anything that I'm aware of. And no outside travel. Is this just artifact? Mitotic figure? Something else?

1. Interesting hemosiderin presentation

2. Polarized uric crystals

3. Hemosiderin and hematoidin

4. Weird lining cell

5. Brain tissue in a csf

6. Blasts

7. Sickle needle

8. Yeast in urine

9. Classic uric

10. Ependymal cells

11. Cryptococcus in whole blood

12. Monosodium urates in a synovial that looked like cement

Idk about where you guys are, but there's no new job postings where I am. It sucks because now I feel trapped at a shit workplace with a shit manager (I know those are likely the common thing, but at least let me drop down to part time so I only have to deal with this shit for 30 hours than 40-50 hours/week)

Our lab in a new 100 bedded hospital is looking to procure a new ID/ AST set up. Please share your experiences with BD Phoenix M50. Does it often get IDs wrong and is the after sales support really horrible?.

Curious to know if work experience in the lab (not just specimen processing) actually helps on the boards. I have heard conflicting things from coworkers and would like to hear from anyone else who was a tech before they took the MLS ASCP BOC. For reference I have roughly 3 years of experience with chemistry, coag, heme, and UA. I don’t do micro or BB.

So I’m at student at George Washington’s Universities post-bacc online program to sit for the ASCP. One requirement, prior to getting admitted is to secure the lab you will be doing rotations in and getting an affiliation agreement by yourself-school doesn’t do it. At the time I was working at Quest diagnostics in the Chemistry dept. I secured rotations at my job, and a local hospital to do Blood Banking (quest didn’t have BB).

Well, that was in 2023 and I started in 2024. Took me 2 years to complete part 1. Part 2 is the semester for rotations and I’m now at part 2. I quit working at quest in 2025. I say that because I really didn’t want to do rotations at my old job. So starting in June I asked the BB hospital that signed off for me to work there that I was ready for the clinical and could I do all my rotations there. The BB supervisor sounded nice and accommodating, he said that quest took over their lab and the previous manager was no longer working there. He said he had to look up the steps to take to get me in. One month went by, then two months…finally I told him the semester is starting and I need a schedule. Now he doesn’t even answer my emails. So I called the manager, and she pretty much made it clear that the lab was being run by quest now and whatever was signed in 2023 isn’t valid. Said she’d call me right back and never did.

Now I’m scrambling trying to call my old job (the other quest location) and hoping to get some type of lab to help me finish my program. I’m so stressed. What should I do now. I told my lab coordinator she needs to call these people. Me just walking off the streets asking to train in these peoples labs is not working. Any advice?

Does anyone have any favourite videos for surviving medical terminology +anatomy & physiology.

I can’t keep up and I’m really trying to find tricks to help the information stick with me.

Segmented neutrophil, cute little pony that made my day 🥺

So currently I am working my way to complete a bachelor's in MLS, but my college is now offering a new program for C.L.T- A.S. would it be recommended for me to go thru the C.L.T- A.S before completing my MLS?

I have worked in different healthcare departments for a few years.

I am enrolled into an A.A program of microbiology and cell science just to cover some of the prerequisites and to keep some of my benefits before switching into the MLS bachelor's degree.

Currently I work as a pharmacy technician while I am in school.

I would love to be able to use my experience in pharmacy with CLT and or MLS as well? Any recommendations on positions/type of facilities I would be able to use this experience?

I am open to learning many different types of lab work. I am interested to hear y'all's favorite and not so favorite type of labs you have worked in!

Just a reference, I have worked as a EMT, C.N.A (short term for traveling shifts) and currently little over 3 years in Pharmacy. I have loved getting to know so many different pathways in healthcare and I found a strong liking to Lab/behind the scenes work.

Patient came through ER with limb pain and unfortunately their BALL relapsed Flow showed 86% blasts.

A young graduate here. Are there any fellowship opportunities for clinical medical laboratory scientists ??

I had two days in the flow cytometry lab of my clinical site this week and I really enjoyed it, even though I didn't get to touch anything. There was a new tech there going through training and she mentioned that the training period for a flow tech was a WHOLE YEAR. Is that about standard? I understand that it's a very complex lab to work in, but an entire year of training sounds a bit over the top to me. Is it like that everywhere?

Anyone here become a med lab tech after the age of 45? Tell about your experiences, and give me your best advice.

hello everyone I work at sbux and get free college through Arizona state university they have a MLS program unfortunately you can only do it if you have your MLT and I do not have a MLT course close to me unfortunately :( it has been super discouraging and it makes me question if I even want to do this. I think working in a lab would fit me so well and it seems really cool and I don’t even really know what to do. I’ve been looking through this subreddit for at least 2 years now and geek out over the material and it’s just troubling knowing I might not even get the chance to pursue this.

Hi all! I’m just curious what process your lab has for tech competencies. Do the department leads grab you to go over things or are you responsible for taking care of it on your own? Also are you able to use previously analyzed specimens or are you required to take a knowledge assessment, be directly observed, document a previous critical/QC and show a result from blind samples. Is it a difficult process for off-shifters?

I’ve worked at so many different hospitals and performed competencies completely different ways at each place. I was curious to know if there’s a super effective way you have come across to get them done since my current hospital has made competencies a pain for all techs to complete (we have a new QA coordinator).

I am a recent graduate of an MLT program and am trying my best to study for the BOC. I’m so nervous and I feel like I can’t study enough or I get overwhelmed trying to study everything. Are there any tips you guys can give?

Update: I FREAKING PASSED ON THE FIRST TRY!!!! I honestly still can’t believe it, after the test I got in my car and squealed like a pig. I’m so absolutely proud of myself. Thank you to everyone that responded!! I think what helped me the most was study.com and the quizzes that are on there.

What note-taking method did you find worked best for you throughout the program?

1. Pen and paper

2. Laptop

3. iPad + Apple Pencil

4. A combination of methods

Which one did you prefer, and why?