No healthcare professionals are more deserving of gratitude than lab techs.
A lab tech’s dedication to accuracy and consistency is admirable. They work late nights and long shifts — yes, even on holidays — to help patients get the appropriate treatment for their conditions. If anyone in your family has ever had a biopsy or bloodwork performed, then they can count lab techs among those to thank for receiving effective treatment.
Here are just five of the reasons lab techs should be thanked for what they do every day of the year. 
They touch substances you won’t: Ever heard of sputum? It’s a mixture of saliva and mucous coughed up from the respiratory tract. Lab techs handle it all the time, along with urine, stool, blood, and tissue samples from every part of the body imaginable. So they might find it a bit funny if you are grossed out by cleaning the inside cavity of a turkey.
Their work saves lives: Lab techs aren’t just sciencing at their leisure. They handle loads of STAT requests every day or night. Their ability to think and act quickly could be the difference between life and death. Front-line healthcare professionals depend on their expertise to make care determinations. A lab tech’s role is vital and their job is a challenging one.
They are exceedingly logical: Lab techs live in a world of data-driven analysis and facts.Sure, they are people with real feelings, but when it comes time to solve a problem, chances are they aren’t going to let their emotions get the best of them.
They have twisted senses of humor: Never play a practical joke on a lab tech unless you are ready to suffer the consequences. Don’t worry, it’s not like they’re going to bring home diseases from the lab to infect you with, but you might find some strange unlabeled cups in your refrigerator.
They can add color to any Thanksgiving discussion: Short on conversation topics? Count on your lab tech friend to have lots of fascinating stories in his or her back pocket. Their knowledge of chemical compounds and biology can make for lively discussion. Learning what it’s like to live a workday in their lab coats is eye-opening for those who have never seen the inside of a lab.
I am the Program Chair Texas State University. I would love for you to share this including the #TED video in which I promote our profession! See: http://outbreaknewstoday.com/medical-laboratory-professionals-current-issues-future-outlook-93373/
Thanks for sharing, Rodney! Listening to it right now – very informative interview. From your perspective, what would you say is the biggest challenge or challenges facing medical lab professionals today?
Our biggest challenge is an “Identity Crisis.” Too many people in the general public (and academia) do not know what our major is and where our professionals work. We provide upwards of 70% of the medical laboratory data to physicians and others to help them make an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. Without us, physicians would basically be making a guess. I know that it may sound dramatic, but it’s true. The doctor, nurse, pharmacist, and others RELY on our expertise to make their decisions. And yet, most in the public would tell you the doctor or nurse does their complex medical laboratory testing. It simply is not true. For more, see this article about our Amazing profession: https://www.elsevier.com/connect/the-hidden-profession-that-saves-lives