Off the Bench

Is This the New Norm? Trends in Healthcare

Are you currently working in the laboratory wondering when the staff shortages end? Or maybe you're considering leaving the hospital/clinic workspace for another opportunity such as industry or IT? This podcast is for you. Host Galina speaks with Rick Panning, Senior Healthcare Consultant at ARUP Laboratories, about the state of healthcare today and how the major trends in the medical laboratory science field shape our daily life. More importantly, we discuss how we can be the change that moves the needle in a positive direction.
Take action! Learn how you can help lend your voice to address funding for medical laboratories: https://ascls.org/labvocate/

Halloween Episode: Lab Horror Stories

In this special Halloween episode Sophia and guest hosts Romy and Mackenzie read and react to medical laboratory horror stories submitted by Off the Bench listeners. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll be totally grossed out.
Please note: This episode contains graphic and potentially triggering things witnessed in the medical laboratory and hospital, including amputated limbs and maternal and child mortality.

10 Common Lab Deficiencies

In this episode produced by April Shields, graduate of the 2021 ASCLS Leadership Academy, Lucia Berte, MA, MT(ASCP)SBB, DLM, President of Laboratories Made Better! P.C., shares laboratory accreditation organizations' data on the most common deficiencies reported by their assessors. She also presents resources for reducing or eliminating deficiencies. The episode is available for one hour of P.A.C.E.® credit. Visit https://ascls.org/offthebench/ to learn how to earn credit. Free for ASCLS members ($10 for non-members). 

HLA Typing and Why It's Important

Hosts Justin Hanenberg and Galina Dronova find out how the HLA laboratories help clinical care teams monitor patient care for solid organ and hematopoietic cell transplants. Dr. Justin Kreuter, a clinical pathologist at Mayo Clinic, uses case studies to explain why HLA typing is important, as well as discusses the history and the future of the field.

The Science (and Art) of Home Brewing

This month, hosts Sophia Chandrasekar and Justin Hanenberg talk about microbiology and home brewing with Neva Parker from White Labs, a biotechnology company that provides liquid yeast cultures, analytical services, and consulting for the fermented beverage industry. Neva started at White Labs in 2003 as a lab technician and now serves as Director of Operations.

Teaching During COVID

Host Sophia Chandrasekar talks with Clinical Laboratory Science Student Gabbi Frimpong and Assistant Professor Lisa Cremeans, both at the the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Division of Clinical Laboratory Science, about how COVID has affected the medical laboratory science education system.

Leadership: Foundations that Follow

Host Galina Dronova sits down with Patrek Lundstrom, Leadership Development Specialist, for a discussion on how to develop your personal leadership philosophy and helpful advice on how to successfully take on leadership roles. Patrek currently works for the U.S. government and has held leadership positions for over 10 years at various organizations. His area of expertise is in emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and leadership theory.

History of the Medical Laboratory Science Profession with Elissa Passiment

Sit down for an inspiring conversation with Elissa Passiment, EdM, MT(ASCP), about the general history of the medical laboratory science profession, the role of ASCLS in making positive change, and why medical laboratory professionals are so important to quality patient care.

First Lab Job Interviews Part 2: During and After the Interview

In this Part 2 of First Lab Interviews, Sophia Chandrasekar, Galina Dronova, and Justin Hanenberg give tips and tricks on what to do during and after the interview, with story time—including an actual job interview answer that involves telling a man to take lingerie out of his pants!
Disclaimer: Based off of some feedback from First Lab Interviews - Part 1, while the hosts may have used the terms, tech, lab tech, and med tech, what we meant to say was medical laboratory scientist. Moving forward, we will do our best to use more appropriate language to give recognition to our profession.

First Lab Job Interviews Part 1: Preparing for the Interview

In this first of two podcasts, Galina, Justin, and Sophia talk about their first laboratory job interviews. The three hosts discuss some basic interview prep and tips, the need for perseverance through the first several interviews, the importance of trying to find a place that is a good fit for you, and how it all goes back to, "What do you want in your job?"