How did you discover your passion for what you do, and what opportunities have helped shape your career?

I wanted to find a career that I could help people but didn’t want to work in front of patients all the time like a nurse or a doctor does. I chose medical technology to support the diagnosis of patients while remaining in the background of their care. I have had a number of encounters that remind me why I wanted to go into this field − being able to see the test results for patients, both good and bad, impact me because there is a patient behind that sample. Every sample is a life, and it is my job to make sure that the results are accurate to provide the best possible outcome for them. Moving up from a bench level team member to a leadership role allows me to motivate others to also perform their best work. I am able to represent the lab on multidisciplinary committees so that we as a team work towards the best patient care, reduce errors and find efficiencies.

What advice do you have for working in a virtual/socially distant society?

Find the humor in the changes. Everyone is struggling with some things. We are learning and growing together, and its okay to make mistakes.