I don't really see MT's getting the credit we deserve because we are never seen by the public. The only lab people that the public sees are the phlebotomists. Unfortunately, a lot of people believe that the phlebs are the ones running the tests too. And the tests, well, you just stick the tube in the instrument and walk over to the printer and report the result - what's so hard about that? LMAO. Yeah, right... no interpretation necessary. Doesn't help when TV shows like ER cut us down. In Micro, we still laugh about the episode when George Clooney gets pissed at the lab for not testing the spinal fluid for Cryptococcus and does the india ink himself and finds it in the first field!!! RIGHT!! Most docs can't even USE a microscope!

And don't even get me started on ER blaming the lab for stuff. One time the ER tried to blame us for not having the Group A Strep done on this patient and it was collected over an hour ago and she screams at me, "What's wrong with you down there?" Told her I can't run a test on a specimen that I don't have! Well, then suddenly the swab is HAND DELIVERED to us from ER and I was told that it was laying on the patients table the whole time. When the RN tried to blame the lab, the parents said, "Are you talking about that throat swab right there?" There are just too many stories just like that.

MT's did have a nice write up recently as the unsung heroes due to the Swine Flu "outbreak". I'll forward it to you if you want. Maybe if we get more exposer like that, then things will change! I really enjoy my job and am very proud of what I do because I know that without us, doctors couldn't make the correct diagnosis. It's just frustrating when you are treated like you don't know anything even though you have a bachelors degree.

		Metallark wrote:
		A small world....cool to see other med techs about on this site. Now if we can just get the medical profession to give us our due as professionals instead of tagging us as support services. Hah!... a song title....MT Meltdown (lol). Whoops! Wrong thread. I need to go to "something pissing you off thread"....eeeeeh!      HOT ROCKIN' METAL GODDESS wrote: Wow, it's a small world! I've been a med tech for 16 years. Worked most of them in micro. Then when we started doing PCR, I moved to the molecular lab to do infectious disease testing. I get to do lots of cool new stuff and help companies validate their new tests. It makes this lab rat VERY happy ! Good luck on the job hunt Becks!!      Metallark wrote: So your a lab rat too? I've been a med tech for 18 years....(aka...mad scientist) lol      Becks wrote: LOL only thing I've been kidnapped by is job hunting LOL! A fixed term (maternity leave) job in the microbiology lab where I work has come up so I've emailed the manager asking to meet him etc. I'm trying to put myself out there as much as possible - all I want is a chance to do what I really want to do - practical science work! Oh man I sound like a nerd LMAO!