Sahanya’s Questions to Natasha:

1. What do you do?

Some of the things I do; I operate instruments that run patient samples. In a Biochemistry laboratory, we have blood samples, urine samples that are processed on instruments as presented below.

I carry out the specific maintenance for the instrument or instruments, do all the checks like probes cleaned, waste removed, etc., run quality control tests before running any patient samples. Why are quality control checks done? To check if the instrument is technically valid to run the patient samples, if the reagent on board is valid to release patient results to the clinicians and many other checks are carried out to deliver the correct patient results.

I am also responsible to validate any abnormal patient results. I will check if the result is correct as in the right specimen type was collected which was tested for the correct ordered tests by the clinician that are valid to be released due to the correct quality control check. And that it has the correct comment if need be and report the patient result.

2. What do you love the most about your job?

Making a difference in health care.

Getting the results out to the patients, contacting doctors when needed for critical results.Working in an environment that is worth coming to and making a difference in the community with a team that works as one.

3. What advice would you give to younger students who aspire to have a career in your field of work? 

If you are someone who is passionate about health care and would love to make a difference in the community, this is for you. When you call a doctor or nurse at 8pm or midnight and give them their patient’s results and the fact that you hear the doctor thanking you for getting the critical result to them and will send the patient to the hospital, is a delight and satisfaction that you have made a difference in that individual’s life.

4. What degree did you undertake to be in your current role?

At Auckland University of Technology, I did Bachelors of Medical Laboratory Science.

5. How many years of study were required for your career?

4 years

6. How do you think the industry has changed over the years?

Became more competitive. Also, opportunities in the molecular field.

7. Has the development of A.I. impacted your career?

Technology is always growing and getting better. It has been a big factor since the start and will change our future. Who knows if in future we are no longer needed and machines will be validating results by looking at the algorithms.

Currently, it makes things better. For example, it helps narrow down the abnormal results or trouble samples to be looked at only.

Technology is always growing and getting better. It has been a big factor since the start and will change our future. Who knows if in future we are no longer needed and machines will be validating results by looking at the algorithms.

Currently, it makes things better. For example, it helps narrow down the abnormal results or trouble samples to be looked at only.

8. Would you have pictured yourself with your current career ten years ago?

Yes and no.

I always wanted to be a doctor but being in the health sector is what I wanted.

9. How has COVID 19 impacted your career? 

I see it as opportunity. Medical laboratory profession is seem as something and valued more nowadays.

10. Can you share something most people don’t know or understand about pathology?

Pathology… before, when doctors examined a patient’s chart and diagnose, I used to be amazed. Like wow. But little did I know when I was young, that we medical laboratory people are the helping hands with patient diagnosis.

For instance, if a patient has acute kidney failure; we laboratory technicians and scientist analyse patients results and contact the doctors.

Acute kidney injury is when one’s kidneys stop functioning all of a sudden. Sudden damage to the kidneys can be due to not enough blood flowing through your kidneys or injury to the kidneys. This is very critical and requires immediate attention. Therefore to stop your kidneys getting worse, treatment needs to be given right away. It is always better try to cure acute kidney injury and prevent it to further get worse and lead to chronic kidney disease.

Laboratory professions are integral to this process of getting results to the clinicians and saving lives.