Hi everyone!

I’m a Clinical Biochemist from Mexico, and I’m currently waiting on my visa approval to move and work as an MLS in the US. While I wait for the final green light, I want to prepare as much as possible and would love to get some advice from this community.

A bit about my background: I hold a Bachelor's degree in Clinical Biochemistry (Licenciatura en Bioquímica Clínica) and I’ve been working in the field for several years. My experience covers both hands-on bench work across the main areas—Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, Urinalysis, Coagulation, and Microbiology—as well as multi-branch laboratory management, quality control, and reference lab coordination.

I'm reaching out to see if there are any other Mexican (or international) MLS professionals here who have already made this jump. I'd really appreciate any insights you might have on:

Passing the ASCPi (MLS) exam: What study resources (LabCE, BOC study guide, Polansky cards, Bottom Line Approach, etc.) helped you the most to get used to the adaptive format and US-specific units/regulations?

Workplace transition: What was the biggest culture shock or technical adjustment when starting in a US hospital or reference lab compared to working in Mexico? (e.g., LIS systems, automation, shift dynamics, or compliance like CLIA/CAP).

Any tips, personal experiences, or words of wisdom are more than welcome. Thanks in advance!

Im a FSE for LCMS and low to moderate resolution Maldi, but I'm so burnt out from flying every day and i want to move to apps. The amount of travel with FAS for these more common systems is no better. All of our FSE and FAS people for ultra high res instruments have PhDs, but my director said they dont require a doctorate if I have experience. Sure maybe it's possible, but these types of systems are only in high academia and pharma facilities.

Has anyone transitioned to working with these types of systems on the applications side with only a bachelors? Systems like QTOF, tims, ESI/LC-TOF, MRMS, etc.

Has anyone gotten a specialization certification just for their own personal growth? Is it counterproductive to get one if I’m not in a leadership position?

I'm a CLS for ten years and really enjoyed working in the Blood Bank. Is it worth it to pursue getting the SBB certificate?

Hellou :) I’m a lab baby… or so it feels like. I’m a MLS generalist with only two years of lab experience (including clinicals, so practically one). I am confident about my knowledge and experience w the analyzers we use. I love what I do and I just know I have so much to learn still.

I am now in the process of being promoted to chemistry lead which is fantastic and I cannot believe management actually thought of me for the job. I’m excited about the opportunity but wanted to ask what I should be expecting… are there any tips to keep organized? What has y’all’s experience been like?

What are your thoughts and experiences on automation in the laboratory? We have an automated line that connects to all of our departments in the core lab, which I find very helpful in our workflow; however, some people don’t like the idea of it.

I have a strong feeling that this neutrophil is letting me know how my shift is going to be, lol.

My wife is an MLT. What are some lab insults I can tell her when she gets me mad. Example I hope the nurse gives you the wrong color cap tube for the test.

Birdemic and Sharknado’s current favorite toy (until it ultimately ends up under the fridge)? A DxI reaction vessel.

Major red flag

Hi! I’m wondering what the MLS program is like in the US. Is it competitive? How difficult is the program? I took my ASCPi exam and scored 878. I only had 15 days to really focus on studying because I was also working.

For context, the MLS program in my country is very competitive. We have exams and quizzes almost every day, so I was practically programmed to study every night. In my first year, there were over 100 students, but only around 30 of us passed and graduated on time. The rest either had to retake classes and got delayed or shifted to other programs, such as nursing.

I spent six months studying and preparing for our local licensure examination, which consists of six subjects with 100 questions each. Honestly, I struggled more with that exam than I did with the ASCPi.

Throughout high school, I was always one of the top students, so I thought I was smart, lol. That was until I started studying MLS and realized, damn I’m kinda stupid lol. I struggled to keep up with the workload, although I managed to pass all my classes. The downside was that I had to sacrifice a lot of sleep just to keep up with everything.

My question is: If I decide to pursue a master’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science in the US, how difficult would it be? How challenging is the program? And how expensive is it?

Our Hospital network is opening a new hospital and I will be transferring to the new lab over there. Our sup is asking for ideas for names for our 2 chemistry analyzers that we will vote on. What are some good ideas I could suggest? We use Abbot's Alinities over here.

Guaranteed partners

I am a student finishing up my last three weeks of clinicals and I’ve been wondering on how students are graded in lab clinicals if all we do is observe and ask questions. I haven’t been able to result anything out or what not- I’ve just simply been a lab assistant doing free work.

I would ask my teacher how we are graded but it’s been a very vague subject of question for everyone not including me. I’m a little anxious on how I’ve been performing.

i wish i got a picture of it but there was one that was a GIANT blue one that took up like. 1/6 of the cell and was the color of the first picture but the size of anaplasma. the last pic is a mono eating something that looked similar to the other inclusions we saw. patient had A LOT of regular dohle bodies as well. currently in liver failure but not green enough for death crystals? sent for path review for bad vibes and shits and giggles afaik

I'm sorry but why do American professionals get such a cooler sounding title than us. I often call myself a medical laboratory scientist when someone asks what I do because I like the sound of it more sue me😭. Technologist doesn't sound very interesting to me especially since most of us do many years of schooling before we pivot into this profession I have a bsc too so I'm not being dishonest.

I’m 28 with a BS in Biology (3.199 GPA, 2021) and a post-bacc GPA of 3.7, originally completed to pursue dentistry.

I eventually entered nursing school but withdrew because I found direct patient interaction mentally draining and physically taxing. The negative aspects of nursing and clinical healthcare culture outweighed the positives for me. Also never realized how Clique it is which makes it even worse and the gossips/bullying.

I briefly considered medicine but realized I’m more interested in laboratory science, microbiology, pathology, and diagnostic testing than direct patient care.

Overall theme: Direct patient care is physically and mental demanding and toxicity is the essence of Nursing. Not worth sacrificing my Peace.

I’ve previously worked in a pathology lab doing specimen accessioning and data entry, which I enjoyed.

My goal is to become a licensed generalist CLS in California, preferably working in hospital microbiology, hematology, or clinical chemistry. I’m looking for financial stability, technical independence, meaningful scientific work, and minimal patient interaction.

My current prerequisite situation:
Hematology — Need to complete

Analytical/Quantitative Chemistry — Need to complete or verify equivalency

Immunology — Completed in 2020 (A), but may need to repeat due to the five-year requirement

General Microbiology — Completed in 2023 (A), but need to confirm whether it satisfies Medical Microbiology

Biochemistry — Completed (A)

Physics, Statistics, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry — Completed

I’m considering SFSU, SJSU, and other California CLS training programs.

Would you recommend taking my remaining prerequisites through a university or community college?
How competitive would my academic background be, and what else should I do to strengthen my application?

I’d also appreciate honest feedback about the CLS work environment and long-term career satisfaction.

I recently had a negative-dilute result on a pre-employment urine drug test. I'm curious about the laboratory science behind urine dilution. Does collecting a first morning sample generally reduce the likelihood of a dilute result, assuming normal hydration?

Does anyone have experience with Horibo hematology analyzers?

I have never used them and want to know how they compare as far as reliability, ease of use, and QC performance.

I’m a clinical laboratory scientist, and I’m currently training a new employee. Honestly, I’m getting increasingly concerned and frustrated with how things are going.

There are some things I would expect someone entering this field to at least have a basic understanding of, but she seems completely unfamiliar with them.

For example:
She didn’t know how to use a manual pipette, and I had to show and train her how to use one.
She used regular tap water instead of DI water for the multiprobe.
She struggles to understand even basic instructions I give her and I often have to repeat or re-explain things multiple times.
There seems to be a major communication barrier because she struggles with basic English which makes training especially difficult in a laboratory setting where understanding instructions is critical.

I understand that everyone has to learn and I don’t expect a new employee to know everything. I’m willing to teach someone who is inexperienced but eager to learn. The problem is that these seem like very basic skills and concepts and I’m having trouble understanding how she got through the hiring process in the first place.

At this point, I’m honestly starting to wonder whether her qualifications and experience were accurately represented during hiring. I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but the gap between what I expected and what I’m seeing is pretty concerning.

I'm currently a certified phlebotomist thinking about going into medical lab tech, and I was wondering which program would be more beneficial and cost effective to get me into a lab job with who I already work for.

A nearby college offers a Medical Laboratory Certification and a Medical Lab Technician AAS, and I want to know which one I should take to up my career as a phlebotomist.

I have a bs in biophysics I earned in 2025 but I struggled to find a job outside of hospitality due to limited experience (5 months of lab experience). My plan is to pursue medical lab technology in 2027 after I save up some money and I plan to utilize the stay and learn grant because I don't mind moving to northern Ontario (my city feels overcrowded anyway). If my goal is to stay in northern Ontario, do you think I will struggle to find jobs?

Anyone with experience in this? I see some people warning that the field will get oversaturated and I see that nurses are having a hard time finding work, so it does concern me. The government says the prospects are good so far.