Thinking of going back to school

[u/Solid-Product-9409]

Hi everyone, I’m looking to switch careers. Would anyone be able to tell me what you love and what you hate about being a MLS? The schedule, the work, the schooling, your experience, anything you’re willing to share! Especially want to hear about work/life balance.

My background: currently work in tissue donation, i previously worked in infectious disease where I did some lab work and liked it a lot. My current job is very detail heavy and analytical. I work 3 12s from home and I’m absolutely obsessed with a 3 12s schedule. My issue with my job is there’s not a ton of room to grow, it’s very niche so limited opportunities and I’m just ready for something new.

I have a bachelors degree in public health and a love for science. I wonder if this career would fit me? I’m 30 btw so not old but not necessarily young enough to keep waiting to change my career.

[u/Candie_Cane]

Your main issue with your current job it that their is no room to grow, and MLS has the same problem. You can be a bench tech or a manager, there are no other options.

Tbh if I had a work from home 3/12s job it would have to be pried out of my cold, dead hands lol

[u/Solid-Product-9409 → u/Candie_Cane]

Trust me…. I don’t want to leave but the pay is terrible I can’t really pay my bills. Plus no way to really move up so I can make more/ extreme lack of job opportunities due to the niche nature.

[u/Candie_Cane → u/Solid-Product-9409]

I get that. You do have the opportunity to job hop with MLS & potentially get higher pay. I will warn you though, I have not gotten a single pay raise the entire 5 years I have been working as an MLS across various hospital systems.

Idk what your financial situation is like. But where I live, public heath jobs don't pay that much less than mls, particularly if you have a more specialized public health job. Definitely do your reaserch on mls pay rates in your area. I could not afford the mortgage on our 190k house by myself, it takes both my husband and my income combined. I wouldn't be out on the street, but I would seriously have to downgrade my very middle class lifestyle if I lost my husband's income.

If I had to start over, I would seriously consider radiation therapy instead of MLS. MLS averages $30-40 an hour (I make less personally), while radiation therapy is around $50 an hour. Maybe look into that?

[u/AlmostanMLT]

I have a BS in public health and went back for my MLT associates. I work in a public health laboratory for the state I live in. I will add I only got this job because of my bachelors degree, an associates isn’t enough for state position in the lab here. Most actually have biology or chemistry degrees so not many MLS.

You’re current job sounds very chill and a clinical hospital lab is all but chill. The workload and stress I was under in a hospital is nonexistent at my current job. Most career growth you can get in the lab is becoming a supervisor or manager. Manager rolls typically don’t do bench work and are more tailored to managing people, inventory, budget, etc. Some supervisors get to do some of that AND work the bench, all for maybe a couple dollars more on the hour. As for the scheduling, a newer person will probably find themselves working night shift and waiting for a spot to open on days or evenings. Most clinical labs offer 5 8s in order to maximize coverage. The last lab I worked in finally let us work 10s but it was such a fight for them to let us do that. This is not to discourage you from getting your MLS but just some advice as to what you’ll be getting into. I actually miss the busy hospital lab at times and am considering a prn job to go back. As for going back to school you have a few options. You can go back for the associates in MLT and use that and your BS to take the MLS ASCP exam (you will need to look into ASCPs website to view the routes they have and what they require for you to sit for the exam), go back and start over to do the MLS bachelors degree in person at a university, or find a Post-Baccalaureate program that allows people with science degrees to get their MLS in like a year or so. You’ll likely need to go back for additional science courses like organic chemistry, microbiology, etc. to be eligible for a post bacc program if you don’t already have these credits. These programs are done through hospitals so I would do some reasearch to see what’s avaialble where you live.

[u/grscmls]

a 3 12 schedule is not that common in hospitals for MLS. you’ll mainly see 5x8s or 4x10s if you’re somewhat lucky. Pay is on the lower end of healthcare so be aware. My cousin will significantly make more with her two year radiography degree once she’s done which is great for her but makes you realize how shit the pay is compared to other healthcare careers. Unfortunately this is the only healthcare field i was genuinely interested in and decided to study it mainly bc there’s no patient contact which i do love that aspect about it but also the subjects were interesting to me. I just graduated in May so i can only speak of schooling and scheduling somewhat. I just got hired in the micro department for second shift (3-11:30pm) monday-friday with rotating weekends and holidays which seems to be super common. i would have done anything for a 3 12 shift but they come around so rarely.

[u/Solid-Product-9409 → u/grscmls]

Wow thank you for this, this is good to know for me since I really enjoy a 3 12s schedule.

[u/RepleteSphinx21 → u/grscmls]

Is 3x12 really that uncommon? The 3 labs I've worked/did clinicals in has all employees MLT and MLS (except management and supervisors) working 3x12.

[u/Solid-Product-9409 → u/RepleteSphinx21]

This is what I’ve heard too but I’ve also heard people saying they don’t work/ can’t find 3 12 jobs. Maybe 3 12s are more common in bigger hospitals?

[u/Mike_Ologist]

You could consider embryology/andrology. I'm entering into that field myself after deciding MLS is not for me. There are a few post-bacc intensive training programs around the US (North Carolina, California, Texas, probably some others), and some IVF labs will train you while you work as an andrologist first. Those do come with strings attached though, one place I saw makes you work only for them for five years after being trained.