From Pandemic Lab Assistant to Clinical Lab Scientist

When Liz Saldivar graduated from UCLA with a degree in microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics in 2020, the world was in chaos. COVID-19 had just upended daily life, and laboratories everywhere were on the frontlines of the crisis.

For Liz, that moment became the spark that ignited her future career.

“During the height of the pandemic, our lab at Kaiser Permanente was handling hundreds if not thousands of COVID tests on a daily basis,” Liz recalls. “This experience really solidified my desire to become a clinical lab scientist because I saw firsthand how important laboratory work was to the health care system as a whole.”

Today, Liz is a clinical lab scientist (CLS) at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC), rotating across hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, blood bank and chemistry. Her path to this career was fueled by perseverance, our Clinical Laboratory Scientist Preparatory Program coursework and the drive to make an impact.

Online Learning Fits Work-Life Balance

After graduating into a global pandemic, Liz landed a job as a lab assistant at Kaiser Permanente. She quickly realized that to move forward in her career, she would need to complete a set of specialized prerequisites to qualify for CLS training programs. That’s when she found our Clinical Laboratory Scientist Preparatory Program.

Because Liz lives in Southern California, she took all of her courses online. At first, she worried about missing out on the connection of in-person learning, but her fears quickly disappeared.

“I ended up enjoying online learning a lot,” she says. “This allowed me the ability to take classes around my work schedule and still be able to finish the CLS prerequisites.”

That flexibility was key. She remembers rushing home from her lab job in the evenings to log in for lectures that ran from 6:30–9:30 pm, and then setting aside Saturday mornings for 3-hour labs. The program offered exactly the courses she needed, including Quantitative Analysis: Applications in Clinical Chemistry, Hematology and Medical Microbiology.

“Even though the online format can be challenging in terms of student engagement, I found that I was still able to interact a lot with my instructors and other students during our lecture times. The students take the courses seriously and actively participate because of the limited time.”

For Liz, the support extended beyond her classes. “I found that I was always able to get in touch with my instructors via email if I had any questions or concerns regarding the material.”

Finding Community in a Little-Known Field

Not many people know what a clinical lab scientist does. That’s why Liz found our community so valuable.

“I was able to connect to the other students because we all shared the goal of eventually becoming clinical lab scientists,” she says. “Not many people know about the CLS career, so having the opportunity to connect with other students was a great experience.”

She was also impressed by her instructors, particularly Dr. Monica Ranes-Goldberg, who taught her Hematology course. “The course material was very challenging but she was engaging and very willing to answer all of our questions.”

Related: The Future of Work in Biology Post-Pandemic with Dr. Monica Ranes-Goldberg

Training to Become a CLS

After completing her prerequisites, Liz was accepted into the CLS training program at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. The program was rigorous: six hours of bench training followed by two hours of lecture, five days a week. She studied chemistry, microbiology, hematology, parasitology, blood banking, mycology and more.

“It was very intense and there were a lot of late nights, but ultimately I learned so much,” she says.

The hands-on nature of the training prepared her well for her current role. “Under the supervision of a CLS, I got to work with samples directly and was shown how to interpret results critically and with respect to hospital policies. Overall, this made my transition from intern to CLS very easy.”

Applying Lessons at Work

Now a generalist at Arrowhead, Liz rotates through multiple departments and never knows what each day will bring.

“ARMC is a Trauma Level 1 facility, which means we often see patients who are in the worst shape,” she explains. “Every day is interesting and you never quite know what you are going to get.”

From analyzing urine crystals under a microscope to releasing blood units for transfusion, Liz finds herself constantly applying knowledge she first encountered in our classes.

“I can understand certain trends and patterns seen in patients' results because I understand the physiology of the condition causing these patterns,” she enthuses. “This valuable information was gained through my coursework and continues to be applied as a clinical lab scientist.”

The Payoff: Pride and Accomplishment

For Liz, finishing both our CLS program and Arrowhead’s training program represents a major life achievement.

“Completing both has definitely been my greatest professional accomplishment,” she says. “About five years ago, this goal felt like a giant hill to reach. Each class and work experience was a step closer to reaching the top.

“On a personal level, I am really proud of myself and how far I have come.”

And as she looks toward a bright future, Liz envisions herself continuing in the field, but has her eyes toward a more supervisory role. “Part of this involves getting a master’s degree and furthering my experience as a CLS,” Liz says. “For the time being though, I am really happy as a clinical lab scientist and feel very proud to be able to serve patients through this line of work.”

For students considering this path, Liz offers practical advice:

Learn how to learn differently: “Not every format of learning will suit you, so it’s okay to try different things until you figure out what works best. That’s the advantage of Extension programs with options.”

Make connections: “Some of the material will be challenging, so being able to work through it together will help retain information and will lead to success in coursework.”

Pace yourself: “With evening, weekend and online courses available, the CLS Preparatory Program makes it possible to build a schedule around work and life.”