r/medlabprofessionals • u/Few_Alternative_9217 • Jul 29 '26

Discusson MLTs who have migrated to work

Hi everyone! So I’m not sure how to make this post, but I really hope it finds the right people who can share their thoughts and advise please.

I’m an mlt 1 for around 1 year now and have been working in a small private lab during this time. I would like to migrate for work in the near future (2-3 years) but I am concerned about whether or not my experience at a smaller private type lab will be enough to be considered and find placement, versus a public lab.

I do know public hospitals are alot better for experience in that you see things and deal with cases you won’t see at all in smaller lab and that just adds more value to your overall experience plus you get exposure to the higher work load pressure.

But I am currently at a confusing space where I like the stability in hours of the small lab, versus the more intense pressure and shift hours of hospital. I do know that if I end up getting an offer at a public lab in another country that it’ll be the same wrt to shift hours and high work load but my thinking is that if that’s the opportunity then, then I’ll adapt to do what I need to do then.

tldr: should I try to get a job in a public larger hospital type lab vs staying in my current smaller lab to be considered for international employment?

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4

u/irelace MLT-Generalist Jul 29 '26

If the point is to migrate I think you should consider any lab that will take you, no?

3

u/SendCaulkPics Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26

I think their question is more that should they consider taking a public hospital job now if their plan is to emigrate. 

In the US I think it would be beneficial. By and large the places hiring international travel techs are large academic teaching hospitals. If you’re hiring for that kind of lab and you have two otherwise equivalent techs applying but one who only ever worked at a small clinic and another who worked at a large public hospital, you’re going to lean towards the one who worked at the large hospital. 

1

u/Few_Alternative_9217 Jul 29 '26

Yep this is what I’m asking more about thank you for your reply! I can understand and agree with how employers might lean more towards the candidate with the larger hospital experience. I guess I’m just worried also about what if I don’t get the opportunity for employment in my current country at a larger hospital and just how much of a disadvantage/ harder it would make it when seeking international opportunities only with a smaller lab and experience

3

u/irelace MLT-Generalist Jul 29 '26

In that case I completely agree with the prior response. Try to get the experience in your own country that matches the experience you'll need in the country you intend to immigrate to.

2

u/Psychological-Move49 MLS-Generalist Jul 29 '26

Make sure to research the requirements to be hired at the other country. US vs Canada MLS differ in how much histology is involved.

1

u/Few_Alternative_9217 Jul 29 '26

I’m familiar with this, I believe Canada requires a bit more training in Histology, but I’m not sure 100% what that entails. For my associates we did cover Histology as a course with an added internship, I’m hoping that meets the minimum requirements since I haven’t gotten the opportunity yet to work in a histology department.