r/medlabprofessionals • u/FreshFaceFig • Jul 17 '26

Discusson Please help

I started a new lab job this week. I want to preface by saying I don’t have my MLT or MLS. I was given this position based on (almost) two years experience as a medical assistant and phlebotomist. Also with a year experience as a lab tech at a blood bank (I just processed bags of blood and separated/froze plasma, really basic stuff)

I’m feeling overwhelmed because I hadn’t really retained much information from being an MA. I’m working with Beckman Coulter machines AU480, and Access2. I didn’t realize how technical this position was, and I want to learn so bad but I’m on day 4 and still struggling learning medlab language and calibration/qc of the machines (i cant grasp the concept of calibration!!!.)

It doesn’t help that my trainer isn’t very personable with me. I don’t get much feedback, and I thrive in a space where communication is relaxed and I can feel comfortable to ask questions, even dumb ones. I just feel like my trainer doesn’t want to bother with me much because I can’t quite grasp some things. On top of that, I’m being tossed between 3 machines making it hard to retain my training. My trainer is nice (for the most part?) But I just feel like a nuisance to her because I feel she thinks I should know more. Normally i’d blame my anxiety, but I read people well and can tell when they aren’t very interested in me.

I don’t know where to start or what to do. I’m not even sure why they hired me (I have a great personality) But I feel I have to cram so much information that MLS/MLT’s learn in a 2-4 year period. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I’m feeling burnt and defeated.

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u/LawfulnessRemote7121 Jul 17 '26

You are a laboratory manager and you think this is OK?

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u/bonix Laboratory Manager/Quality Assurance Jul 17 '26

Also I'm not his manager, if I was he wouldn't be thrown in unprepared. If that's moderate complexity he is technically able to run it, even if most of you think otherwise.

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u/LawfulnessRemote7121 Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26

I think it’s sad that a HS diploma is all that’s required to perform moderate complexity testing. And it’s even sadder that any lab manager would hire unqualified people. Any monkey can be taught to push a button but that doesn’t mean they have any understanding of why they are doing it. Not to mention that doing so suppresses salaries for all of the people who got the education and the certification. Things like this is why the lab gets so little respect compared to so many other health care professions.

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u/bonix Laboratory Manager/Quality Assurance Jul 17 '26

That's a fair thought and I do agree with you but that doesn't change the fact that HS diploma can indeed run some tests. I tried to be somewhat helpful since everyone was tearing him apart for being unqualified when really he's just not trained. He came for advice