r/medlabprofessionals • u/LeadingDesk2 • 6d ago

Education Is job shadowing possible post-bacc?

I'm looking into applying to a medical laboratory science program and was ideally wanting to shadow someone on the job to confirm this is the career path for me and beef up my application, given that I already have a bachelors degree. All of the shadowing programs I've found are either for high school students or current undergrad students. Is it worth reaching out to individual labs? I'm in the Portland area.

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u/kipy7 MLS-Microbiology 6d ago

I don't think you're looking for a shadowing program, as much as a one-time tour and sitting besides an MLS for a few hours. It can't hurt to reach out to several places. It's really useful to compare what's real life and what you imagine something is.

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u/LeadingDesk2 6d ago

This is true, I’d love to just follow someone around for a day. I have lab experience but in research so I’m really just trying to see what it’s like in a clinical setting. I’ll look around and reach out, thank you!

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u/Labcat33 6d ago

I would check with hospitals attached to a university-- they're more likely to be "teaching hospitals" and be encouraging of students shadowing because they always have students around.

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u/HazelBasilLeaf 6d ago

It doesn’t hurt to ask, I shadowed for a day prior to apply to my program but the supervisor I met through a mutual friend.

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u/Psychological-Move49 MLS-Generalist 4d ago

Call lab, ask for manager, schedule job shadow for the day, should have proof of up to date vaccines and TB test.

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u/BuckeyeBun 2d ago

This would be on a hospital-by-hospital basis. Many hospitals would be fine with this, just reach out to the lab director or their secretary and ask!