When I learned that Barnes-Jewish was in need of lab techs, I pursued it ….that was 17 years ago. Given my degree in Chemistry, the lab environment was a familiar place for me, and a clinical setting was more interesting to me than any other industry.
Your motivation. Our support.
In addition to routine lab work, I’m also responsible for reviewing weekly QCs, trends, and outliers, and presenting that data to our medical director on a weekly basis…and I started as a tech. If you’re motivated, there’s definitely opportunity for advancement, and management is more than happy to give you the support.
We’re also encouraged to further our education. Barnes-Jewish provides financial assistance to attend industry seminars and conventions; if it’s something that would benefit the lab, it’s fully supported. And executive management is very accessible. If there are opportunities I want to pursue, or if I have something to say, I just knock on their door.
Technologies that make things happen.
Because we’re such a large organization, we have the budget to invest in new technologies. I’m learning how to use it, and in turn entrusted to teach the other techs. As a teaching hospital, we have residents come through our department and we bring them right on the lab. It’s really exciting!