Volume 40 Number 1 | February 2026
Summary
The article highlights the vital, often unseen, impact of medical laboratory professionals, illustrated through a multidisciplinary simulation exercise. It emphasizes that their worth comes from life‑saving outcomes, not visibility or external recognition. Lab professionals are encouraged to value their expertise, share their stories, and advocate confidently for their essential role in healthcare.
Remembering Our Work Shapes Lives
Kyle B. Riding, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President
Recently, students in my blood banking course joined nursing and emergency medical services (EMS) students in a simulation exercise that showcased healthcare’s complexities and the daunting responsibilities we all carry in our professional roles. What unfolded was a vivid reminder of the indispensable impact of medical laboratory professionals.
In the simulated scenario, a hemorrhaging patient needed life-saving support. I watched students from each discipline lean into their expertise. The EMS team stabilized and transported the patient; nursing students monitored vital signs and managed the patient’s care; and the MLS students were responsible for implementing the massive transfusion protocol. The urgency amongst my students in that mock blood bank was palpable. They felt the weight of our professional responsibilities fall upon them as they balanced component inventory with the patient’s critical need for blood products.
During the subsequent debrief, a host of topics were addressed. What was most inspirational to me was that the nursing and EMS teams already realized that laboratory professionals weren’t just supporting players. They knew we were a linchpin in assuring this patient’s survival. However, because we work behind locked doors, we can often feel disconnected from our peers and the patients we serve. This sense of disconnection can lead to feelings of being overlooked. But here’s the reality: impact isn’t measured by visibility.
“Our profession doesn’t need to chase acknowledgment. Instead, we must continue to value our own expertise and remember that the services we provide save lives.”
In healthcare, our positive effects are staggering. Nearly every diagnosis, treatment, or discharge can depend on the reliability of our work. That influence is substantial and is always present. The simulation exercise was a microcosm of the healthcare system, and it showed how other professionals depend on us even if they don’t always verbalize it.
Of course, recognition feels good, but it is temporary. And when our sense of worth depends on others, we risk tying our confidence to their mood, and a person’s mood can color their interactions with us. This means that their behaviors frequently have nothing to do with the value they see in our work. That healthcare professional who was rude on the phone probably appreciates your work—they simply are having a horrible day. Don’t allow their bad day to dictate your own belief structure. Our worth should come from the outcomes we deliver, not from our interactions with others.
And here’s the lesson I am choosing to carry forward: Our profession doesn’t need to chase acknowledgment. Instead, we must continue to value our own expertise and remember that the services we provide save lives. If not for our knowledge and skills, a hemorrhaging patient, a newborn with a critical metabolic disorder, communities facing a public health crisis, and countless others would not get the services they need to survive and thrive. That is impact, and it is felt on a local, national, and global scale.
Of course, we still need to publicly advocate for our profession. Advocacy is essential for resources and education. However, it should stem from confidence in our impact—not from a belief that being seen will serve as a panacea to the pressures we face. We don’t need to prove that we matter, because we simply do. And we certainly don’t need to compare ourselves to others, since their impact is different than ours, and it takes the entire team to make healthcare operate safely and effectively.
So, what can we do to make sure we remember our own worth when others may forget it? Well, here are some quick suggestions to start with:
- When you speak about your work, do so with pride. You are not “just” a lab professional or “just” doing your job. You are a critical part of the healthcare team.
- Focus on outcomes and let the results speak for themselves. Every accurate test, timely report, and quality improvement initiative is a testament to your impact.
- Share your stories with confidence, since real examples help others understand our role in patient care and remind you of how deeply passionate you are.
- Find ways to step outside of the lab (or bring others into the lab) and engage in interprofessional activities that build respect and collaboration across disciplines. Your talents shine too brightly to remain hidden behind the doors of your lab.
- Most importantly: do not believe that any of the above strategies will stop rude phone calls or relatives not knowing your professional title. Instead, take pride in knowing you are owning your talents and broadcasting them to the world.
We may never be the most visible members of the healthcare team. That’s okay because visibility fades, but our impact endures. In that spirit, I encourage all of you to use the ASCLS Open Forum to share why you value our profession and outline something you are proud that you have accomplished recently. Doing so will ensure you continue to own your power and impact you make.
Kyle B. Riding is Clinical Associate Professor and Program Director at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire.