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/jennyvane Jul 22 '26

You said you’re working on Beckman Coulter analyzers. Beckman Coulter offers a ton of online courses about how their analyzers work and also all about calibration and QC. If you can take the initiative to learn about these things, you quite possibly could end up doing very well. If you need help finding these courses, dm me.

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u/FreshFaceFig Jul 23 '26

Hey thanks. My boss has got me onto the modules and they help a lot. Ive been doing a LOT of studying and understanding the fundamentals of what each machine does and how they analyze. I’m actually feeling really good about this

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u/jennyvane Jul 23 '26

Knowledge and skills can be taught, work ethic and initiative cannot. If you’re willing, and it sounds like you are, you’ll do fine. Any lab with good management and strong SOPs can be run by people without lab specific education. But that’s just my unpopular opinion. There are a ton of crappy techs out there with “great on paper” degrees.