Medical Laboratory Scientist - Point of Care/Call Center - Sat - Tues - Days

UT MD Anderson Cancer Center•Houston, TX

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Point of Care Testing (POCT) Laboratory at MD Anderson Cancer Center plays an essential role in supporting timely clinical decision-making by providing reliable laboratory testing and serving as a key communication link between the laboratory and healthcare providers across the institution. This position combines technical laboratory responsibilities with Call Center support, making it an excellent opportunity for a Medical Laboratory Scientist who enjoys both laboratory science and working directly with clinical teams. In this role, you will perform laboratory testing specific to the assigned section, ensuring testing is completed, verified, and reported accurately and within required timeframes. You will monitor quality control data, initiate corrective actions when necessary, troubleshoot and maintain laboratory equipment, and assist with the validation of new methodologies, tests, software, and connectivity. A distinctive component of this position is the laboratory Call Center responsibility. You will answer incoming calls regarding testing status and specimen collection requirements, while also communicating critical values and responding to calls from nurses and other healthcare providers regarding microbiology, chemistry, and hematology results. This requires strong communication skills, attention to detail, professionalism, and the ability to appropriately prioritize requests in a fast-paced clinical environment. You will also play an important role in quality assurance and regulatory compliance. Responsibilities include performing and monitoring required quality checks for laboratory devices, including IQCP requirements, maintaining accurate patient and specimen information in computer systems, and ensuring compliance with laboratory policies, safety standards, and regulatory requirements. Strong computer and communication skills are important to success in this role. You will use laboratory information systems to enter specimen data, analyze and evaluate patient results, maintain accessible records, and use Microsoft Office to independently prepare laboratory reports. You will also interact with internal customers and healthcare professionals, facilitating resolution of questions and concerns while maintaining a high standard of customer service. The position provides opportunities to contribute beyond routine testing through process improvement, software and database validation, and employee development. You may participate in improvement initiatives, assist with validation of new systems and tests, and coach or mentor students and employees. The ability to work independently while also supporting senior Medical Laboratory Scientists and supervisors will be important. The ideal candidate will be a dependable, technically skilled Medical Laboratory Scientist with strong communication and customer service abilities. Candidates who enjoy combining hands-on laboratory testing with clinical communication, troubleshooting, quality oversight, and technology will find this position particularly rewarding.

Requirements

Associate's Degree in Laboratory Science or Medical Laboratory Technology OR Bachelor’s Degree in a related science field or Molecular Genetic Technology OR Successful completion of a National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) accredited Clinical Laboratory Science/Molecular Genetic Technology accredited program
2 years of clinical laboratory experience with an Associate's Degree in Laboratory Science or Medical Laboratory Technology
1 year of clinical laboratory experience with a Bachelor’s Degree in a related science field
No experience required with completion of a NAACLS-accredited Clinical Laboratory Science/Molecular Genetic Technology accredited program
Strong computer and communication skills
Ability to work independently while also supporting senior Medical Laboratory Scientists and supervisors

Nice To Haves

ASCP – American Society of Clinical Pathologist Technologist/Scientist/Specialist certification OR CHS – Certified Histocompatibility Specialist, American College of Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics (ACHI) OR CHT – Certified Histocompatibility Technologist, American College of Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics (ACHI) OR MDT – Molecular Diagnostics Tech, American Medical

Responsibilities

Performs all laboratory testing specific to the assigned section.
Remains knowledgeable and competent for all policies, procedures and protocols.
Ensures and verifies quality control data is appropriate for the complexity of the reported tests and prepare corrective actions as required.
Troubleshoots and maintains laboratory equipment.
Validates and evaluates new methodologies and tests. sets up connectivity with the help of technical support.
Follows section’s inventory control system to assure effective use of supplies and reagents.
Completes, verifies and reports testing in a timely manner
Complies with safety guidelines and procedures and adheres to regulatory mandates.
Remains responsible and accountable for all actions.
Perform Call Center duties including but not limited to answering incoming calls to the laboratory inquiring sample testing status for the tests performed in the Core Laboratory and specimen collection requirements for the tests done in the division, reporting critical value, vital and nursing calls to health care providers on results related to microbiology, chemistry and hematology testing.
Manages all customer service interactions with diplomacy, actively facilitating resolutions to problems and addressing the needs of clients both internal and external.
Maintains proficiency in Microsoft Office to be able to prepare laboratory reports independently.
Properly acquires specimen data into computer system(s).
Analyzes and evaluates patient results correctly and appropriately.
Stores patient information and results to allow easy future access as required.
Enhances productivity and laboratory lab functions by demonstrating dependability.
Adjusts, prioritizes, and organizes work to achieve maximum productivity to meet the workload demands of the section.
Assists peers, seniors and lead medical laboratory scientists and supervisor with tasks after completion of assigned work.
Adheres to attendance policy, begins work as scheduled.
Works independently, utilizes resources available to maximize efficiency.
Assists in the development of laboratory personnel and tests, to enhance laboratory functions.
Participates in process improvement projects.
Perform and monitor the Quality Checks required for the laboratory devices including but not limited to IQCP requirements.
Validates database for new software or new tests implemented in the laboratory.
Coaches and mentors’ students and employees.
Other duties as assigned