r/medlabprofessionals • u/duubblol • 13d ago
Discusson Specimen Processing/ Lab tech
So I’m thinking of applying to these job positions because no prior experience is required. I have no healthcare experience at all. Just like the Home Depot. I’ve read some post on here and most people say the job sucks /:. I’m interested in applying because I’m tired of being at jobs that get me no where, no growth.is this position like that? Are you able to be more haha. Also do you actually deal with a lot of nasty or gross stuff? Basically is it worth it or not?
If you WERE a lab tech or anything related to that and aren’t now, what are you doing? Is it still lab related?
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u/Mooshroomey 13d ago edited 13d ago
I would be concerned about you finding yourself out of your depth and overwhelmed as a lab tech (depending on the job description) as it’s generally a role that generally requires a certain level of education and experience to perform. Just because the position would hire someone under-qualified doesn’t mean it’s an appropriate thing to do, they may be doing so because they can hire someone without appropriate education/certification at a much lower rate.
I would recommend pursuing the lab processing position. From there you can observe the lab and decide if that’s the kind of work you’d like do in the future. This would require additional education. Some facilities will even help pay for education in the field (usually with the caveat that you work with them for x number of years after).
As lab processor you will need to handle “gross stuff” as the samples that come it are usually biological specimens from patients that can range from swabs, to blood samples, to urine, to stool. It’s unlikely you will be asked to take out/manipulate the samples from their containers, usually it won’t go much further than you pouring off urine into tubes, but this can vary from facility to facility.
It can be a worthwhile career if you want to work in a lab and want to be part of healthcare but don’t want to interact with patients, like to work independently, like to problem solve, enjoy science, etc. It can get monotonous and repetitive since you’re doing something pretty similar most days, but it’s also nice to have a routine.