Medical Technologist
By KEN MOSIER
For What2Be
Who am I?
Name: Carrie Livesay
Title: Medical Technologist, Pathology Lab
Affiliation: Kettering Medical Center
Education: Associate degree, Kettering College of Medical Arts
Bachelor’s degree, University of Cincinnati
Quote: “I spend a lot of time at the microscope — which is my favorite thing to do,” she said.
What’s2Like:
►Something new every day
►Decent pay
►Teamwork and camaraderie.
►Many job opportunities
What’s Not 2 Like:
►Long periods of standing or sitting
►Possibility of shift work.
►Some holiday and weekend work
It was almost a foregone conclusion that Carrie Livesay would be working in a scientific field. “I have always loved science,” she said. “Actually I had a high school teacher that introduced me to the laboratory — biology and anatomy and physiology. I just became very, very interested and I stayed interested,” Livesay said. “My parents were really good about fueling that, too — I had my own little microscope and things like that when I was a kid.”
Upon graduation from Springboro High School, Livesay enrolled at the Kettering College of Medical Arts and graduated with an associate degree that made her a Medical Laboratory Technician.
Working in that field and raising a family, she finally had time to go back to school and, in 2008, she finished her bachelor’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Science at the University of Cincinnati. The advanced education gave her the new designation as a Medical Technologist.
She hopes to further her education even more.“You can get a master’s degree in such things as laboratory administration or in such things as molecular technology — that’s what I’m interested in. You can go even farther and get a PhD in microbiology or hematology or anything of that nature,” she explained.
In the Pathology Laboratory at Kettering Medical Center, she looks at blood cells most of the day which begins at 6 a.m. and ends, usually, at 2:30 p.m. “We get a lot of work early in the morning because that is when the phlebotomists have drawn all the patients’ (blood) up on the floor for the day.
“We actually look at what is called the peripheral blood smear — you see the percentage of cell types that they have. There are normal stages — or what you are supposed to have — so we are looking for anything abnormal, “ she continued. “We do a lot of that.”
She said most days, the activity slacks off as the day goes on…but not always. “You never know. Sometimes you can get really busy throughout the day and, at other times, it might taper off a little bit in the afternoon.
“I spend a lot of time at a microscope — which is my favorite thing to do, so that works out,” she said with a smile.
Livesay also gets a chance to share her love of science. “I teach at Wright State, too,” she said. “I teach both the basic hematology and the advanced hematology courses.” She credits KMC with allowing her to be flexible in her scheduling so she can teach.
For those who might be interested in doing such work in a laboratory, Livesay says she believes MTs are in a great demand. “I think the median age of the medical technologists is in the 50s so we will have a lot of people retiring and not too many coming in and fill those shoes,” she said. “I think that is just not local but I think it is pretty much nationwide.”
Projections in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) bear that out. The Occupational Outlook Handbook rates employment prospects for medical technologists and medical laboratory technicians as excellent and anticipates a growth of 14 percent over the next 10 years.
MTs can find employment in other venues as well. “I actually worked for an oncology office for a while,” she said “That was a good learning opportunity.” She listed community blood centers, physician offices and clinics as well as independent laboratories as places that employ medical technologists and medical laboratory technicians.
Livesay urges students to study all the math and sciences available. “We do some calculations so good science and math backgrounds (are necessary),” she said.
“I have no regrets (on choosing this career),” she said. “I learn something new every day and, if you are a person who likes to know how things work, this is a good field for you.
“This is a very rewarding career. I have put a lot into it but have gotten a lot out of it in return. I get a good sense of satisfaction at the end of the day.”
