From a 2006 Graduate
I hope all is going well at MU. I have recently started my second year of graduate school here at Brown. Things are going well and it looks like I will be doing my dissertation on various aspects of mating and virulence inCandida albicans. I gave a lecture last semester on the clinical microbiology lab to undergraduate students in an introductory microbiology course. I even had one student come talk to me after lecture talking about how interesting the talk was and how she was looking for something that could put her in medicine without getting an advanced degree. I have found that manyaspects of my training keeppopping up in classes that I am taking and I would have been hard pressed to find a better background at MU! If you have any students who may be interested in graduate school feel free to pass along my email and I would be happy to talk to them/help them in the process.
Kevin Alby, Class of 2006
From a 2004 Graduate
I survived my first semester at med school, and even though it was challenging, I truly feel that Marquette University's Clinical Laboratory Science Program prepared me extremely well! Actually, I am sitting in microbiology class as I am typing this! I am a little bored since all of this stuff is review for me, and I am so relieved. Other med students fear micro, while I know that I have a huge advantage having been taught micro in Clinical Laboratory Science at MU!
Anna Polikanov, Class of 2004
From a 2003 Graduate
I just wanted to share a quick story about a recent case where my CLS skills came in very handy. We recently had a patient who came to the urgent care with flu-like symptoms and high fevers occurring approximately every 40-50 hours. Interestingly, he had been treated for malaria last fall. We were worried about possible relapse of his malaria. To say the least, the doctors that I was working with were quite impressed when I was able to locate malarial forms on his blood smear. I would like to thank you all for your wonderful instruction over my four years at Marquette. I continue to use my CLS background on a daily basis. I will be entering my 4th year of medical school this summer and am hoping to do a clinical research pathway residency in medical oncology starting one year from now. I will have some time off next November and December, and I was hoping I could come talk to some students about medical school and careers in medicine. Thanks again.
Sincerely,
Dustin Deming, Class of 2003
From a 2002 Graduate
My degree in clinical laboratory science has allowed me to be flexible as far as where I want to live and what time of day I need to work. First after graduation I worked second shift as a generalist in a hospital lab. Two years later when getting my masters degree in forensic science in Washington DC, I worked as a third shift generalist in a hospital so I could take classes in the afternoon and evening, (it took me only one day to find a job!) After graduation in DC I came back to Wisconsin and I worked as a generalist on first and third shifts in a hospital (I got this job over the phone and with one quick trip from DC). Currently, I am working in the Quality Control department of a small biotech company. I test our products before they are sent to customers in hospitals, reference labs and blood centers across the world. A clinical laboratory science degree gives you so many options, if you like science but are not sure what you want to do after graduation. With this degree you know you will have a job while you explore any options you want.
Jen Schmidt, Class of 2002
From a 1996 Graduate
Currently, I am Coordinator of Ancillary Testing and Satellite Laboratory 
Services at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Previously, I worked as Point-of-Care Testing Coordinator, Blood Bank Technologist, and as a second shift generalist in a reference laboratory.
I chose Clinical Laboratory Science as a major because of options! I knew I wanted to do something in medicine, but I wasn't sure what. This degree can lead to anything!
From a 1995 Graduate
Presently, I am Pharmaceutical Sales Representative for Merck Pharmaceuticals. I have also worked as a hospital staff technologist and as an insurance underwriter. I like the fact that my degree was scientific in nature, but did not limit me to one career path.
From a 1995 Graduate
I really enjoy clinical research. I work with R & D, Quality, Regulatory, Tech Support, and Marketing. I also spend time in the field working with our customers. It is a great way to see the entire picture and ensure a good quality assay. I cannot complain about monotony. A Clinical Laboratory Science degree is perfect for this type of job.
From a 1994 Graduate
I am currently a resident Physician in Family Medicine at St. Luke's. Previously, I worked in Quality Assurance at Abbott Laboratory. I chose Clinical Laboratory Sciences as a major because I was interested in medical research and wanted a background in medical sciences as well as strong laboratory skills. I did not originally intend to use it as a 'pre-med' major, but as it turns out, the combination was great.
Keep your career options open -- this major affords you great latitude in doing many things. This is a tough major and whether you finish first or last in your class, you will be brighter and better skilled than your peers will when you enter the work force -- I'll guarantee it!
From a 1993 Graduate
Currently, I am employed as a Technical Service Representative for a biotech company. I feel my Marquette education helped me greatly for my current position. The well-rounded education has helped me in my ability to communicate with others. I sincerely believe that a Clinical Laboratory Science degree from MU prepares students for a huge number of possibilities.
From a 1992 Graduate
After three satisfying years in the blood bank at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, I decided to return to school to pursue a long-time ambition of mine, research. I am currently in my second year at the SUNY Health Science Center working toward my Ph.D. in physiology. I am studying purine metabolism and purine salvage in skeletal muscle during rest and exercise using the rat as my model.
My undergraduate experience in clinical laboratory science at Marquette has been invaluable for use on the job and working toward my advanced degree. Attention to experimental detail, precision in performing laboratory tests, accuracy in recording results, communication, troubleshooting, problem-solving, pride in yourself and your work — these all are lessons that I learned well at MU.
During my time at Johns Hopkins I had an excellent opportunity to work with and train clinical laboratory scientists with extremely diverse backgrounds. I can honestly say that no school better equips its students with the tools they need to succeed than MU. They are prepared for almost any problem that can be thrown their way, whether in the hospital or research lab.
From a 1990 Graduate
In reviewing my career as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist, I found so many amazing challenges and opportunities. In my eight years in the field, I have seen very few students or programs that compare to ours -- I am proud to be a graduate of the MU Program in CLS.
I started out my first year at the Mayo Clinic Blood Bank. Then, I went to the Microbiology lab at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, first as a bench tech and then as Senior Technologist with supervisory responsibilities. Two years later I was promoted into the position of Resource Coordinator. I have now accepted a position as Laboratory Supervisor in a community hospital.
From
a 1988 Graduate
In general, my Clinical Laboratory Science degree has been the best choice I could have made for a career in the sciences. In fact, researchers have told me 
that they prefer to hire Clinical Laboratory Science over a biology degree because of our background and confidence to deal with equipment and new technologies. I have had such a good career thus far, and I attribute it to my Clinical Laboratory Science background.
After graduation, I started out
in the Clinical Microbiology lab at Duke University Medical Center. After
one year, I had the opportunity to move into HIV research, and managed
a lab that monitored viral cultures from clinical trials. I was there for
two years, and in the second year I started graduate school part-time at
Duke. The next year, I decided to attend graduate school full-time. I ended
up getting my master's degree in biochemical engineering, and then took the
position that I have been in for the past 7 years, in Dr. Clay Smith's
lab at Duke.
While in graduate school, I was able to supplement my stipend by working part-time in a clinical coagulation lab.
The past seven years, I have had
a great experience, working in the area of gene therapy and stem cell biology.
I have learned flow cytometry, introduced robotic liquid handling/high-throughput
screening into the lab, and have had several journal articles published, including
2 first author papers and a third submitted. I am now about to embark on a
new adventure, and will be starting a new position at BD Technologies in Research
Triangle Park in May 2000.
One of the individuals I interviewed with was a Clinical Laboratory Scientist, and she told me that just seeing that I had a Clinical Laboratory Science degree she knew I would be great for the position because she knows my background and knows that I would be organized, have attention to detail, be flexible and willing to learn new things. I don't think you could have a better summary of how good our Marquette training is.
From a 1986 Graduate
My professional life has been a real ride. I started my work experience at St Mary's Hospital and really loved this job. It was my passion for laboratory work that drew me to enjoy every single day there. After several years I returned to Marquette to earn my Masters in Business Administration. Following graduation in 1992 I opened a family grocery store in Puerto Rico. It was an incredible experience. My Clinical Laboratory Science training provided me with the toolset to be successful. Attention to detail and an open mind while troubleshooting became an every day asset.
In 1999 I started working as a Professor in Human Resources and Organization Behavior at the University Program in our local NAVAL base. In 2000 I moved to New Jersey and worked as a Customer Service Specialist with Janssen Pharmaceutical. Once again my broad medical background and hospital experience came into play.
In 2002 I worked in Italy as a Human Resources Specialist on a major project with Cordis Pharmaceutical. Once again my Clinical Laboratory Science background was a key factor in my ability to blend the medical devices and human resources factors of the job.
I now work for DPC Corporation and once again my Clinical Laboratory Science education is the basis of my new job. I am becoming quite an expert troubleshooting our product and supporting our customer base. Technology has changed but the solid education I received in the Clinical Laboratory Science Program at Marquette has prepared me for this and more.
So as Forrest Gump said! “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get!” I'm just so grateful that Marquette University’s Clinical Laboratory Science Program prepared me for this box of chocolates! Thanks so much!
Edwin Rivera, MT(ASCP), Class of 1986
Technical Service Specialist
Technical Service - Service Organization
Diagnostic Products Corporation
A Siemens Company
From a 1983 Graduate
My degree as a clinical laboratory scientist has been rewarding because of the ability to 
work with a Fortune 500 company, and it has allowed me to work part-time so I can spend lots of time with my two little girls. I started my career working in a hospital lab setting. Then I went to Abbott Laboratories -- the first six years as a customer service specialist doing troubleshooting over the phone for customers with our instrumentation. I then became a Technical Support Specialist -- we install, train, troubleshoot, and provide studies for customers throughout our product line of instruments and over 300 assays.
