Indigenous In honour of National Medical Laboratory week, we are proud to celebrate our Medical Laboratory Science and Medical Laboratory Assistant/Technician programs—pathways that prepare students for vital, roles within our health care system.
As part of the celebration, we’re shining a spotlight on Olivia Morihovitis, a third‑year Medical Laboratory Science student. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry, Olivia knew she wanted to pursue a career as a Medical Laboratory Technologist. She enrolled in our Medical Laboratory Science program to turn that goal into a reality.
Upon graduation, Olivia will be eligible to write the general certificate exams of the Canadian Alliance of Medical Laboratory Professionals Regulators (CAMLPR) and become a certified member of the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science.
Currently completing a clinical placement at Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Olivia shared how transformative the experience has been: “I feel so much more prepared for my future career now than I did after finishing university.”
What inspired you to choose Medical Laboratory Science as your field of study?
In 2022, I graduated from university with a degree in Biochemistry. I struggled for a year trying to get into work that was relevant to my studies, and I felt very aimless. I knew that I enjoyed laboratory work, but I had minimal real-world experience with it and there weren’t many jobs available.
During my job search I came across so many postings that required certification with the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science, but I had no idea what that was. After some research, I thought the Medical Lab Technologist career sounded like a good fit for me, so I decided to apply to study MLS at St. Lawrence College. I am so glad I did, because I feel so much more prepared for my future career now than I did after finishing university.
What has been the most interesting or surprising thing you’ve learned so far in the program?
One of my favourite lab disciplines to learn about in school was Transfusion Medicine. Going in, the only thing I knew about blood types was the standard A, B, O, and AB grouping. It turns out there are 48 different blood group systems in total, which adds a layer of complexity when it comes to finding compatible blood for transfusions.
I think most people are aware that O negative is considered the ‘universal donor’ type, but there’s a lot more to it than that. Every transfusion a patient has presents a possibility of them forming antibodies to one of the many other blood group antigens, which makes finding subsequent donor units more difficult if the patient needs another transfusion in the future.
It’s one of the reasons why blood donations from the public are so important, because the more people who donate, the more unique combinations of antigens are available for patients with particular antibodies. I would encourage anybody reading this to donate blood to Canadian Blood Services if they can, as they could be uniquely able to help someone in need!
Why do you think medical laboratory professionals play such an important role in patient care?
I learned during my time in the MLS program that about 70% of medical diagnoses are made by using diagnostic laboratory results. I think that statistic alone speaks to the importance of laboratory professionals in our healthcare system!
There are so many things that go on behind the scenes in a clinical laboratory that I don’t think most people are aware of. Clinical testing requires a team of highly trained individuals to ensure testing is accurate and efficient.
Like all other healthcare professionals, the main goal for people in the lab is to provide the best patient care we can, even if we don’t always work directly with the patients. We work with the nurses, physicians, and other hospital staff to ensure that they have the patients’ full clinical picture when making treatment decisions. Everyone has their role to play in the hospital, and the lab professionals are an essential piece of the puzzle.
What skill or experience from your training are you must proud of developing?
Studying Medical Lab Science has been a great tool to develop my problem-solving skills. Lab results can sometimes be a bit of a puzzle, and as a lab professional you must be able to make sure everything correlates. I have learned how to recognize patterns in lab results that come with certain medical conditions or even results that don’t make sense and indicate errors in testing.
Being able to take a step back and consider how individual results relate to one another has helped me in my life outside of work or school as well. It’s made me more methodical, and I’ve really learned how to operate under pressure while making sure things still get done correctly.
During National Medical Laboratory week, what advice would you like to share with staff and future students about the lab profession?
My advice would be to take some time to investigate what the lab does for our healthcare system. The CSMLS website has some fantastic resources for the public to educate them about the importance of our clinical labs. If you know anyone who works in a clinical lab or as an MLS educator, take a minute to say thanks!
I hope that during Lab Week, the hard-working people in our clinical labs can feel appreciated for their dedication to providing Canadians with the help that they need in their toughest times. I would also tell the MLS students in particular – present and future – to be excited about the career they have chosen! The program is tough but extremely rewarding, and I believe they will come out the other side proud of their achievements. There are some fascinating things to learn in the MLS program, and they will meet so many great students and educators along the way.
Medical Lab Science Student Spotlight Olivia Morihovitis
