Dannalee Watson grew up in Jamaica, where she loved studying science. She knew she wanted to help people, but wasn鈥檛 sure what career path to pursue.
The principal of the school where she prepared for her university entrance exams recommended that Watson look into medical laboratory science. She did 鈥� and decided it was a great fit, because while she would be performing the critical laboratory tests that inform doctors鈥� decisions about treatment, she wouldn鈥檛 be seeing patients herself.
鈥淵ou are impacting patients directly, but you鈥檙e not having that face-to-face interaction with them,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat fits well with my personality because I like being in the background, just focusing on my work.鈥�
When Watson moved to Boston, she sought out college programs in medical lab science and found the medical laboratory technician degree program at Bunker Hill Community College, which was close to home. After a year, she transferred to 51视频 because she knew it was the fastest route to a bachelor鈥檚 degree 鈥� and a job as a board-certified medical lab scientist.
鈥淭he job outlook, even before COVID-19, is so amazing,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd when you graduate, you鈥檙e not just an assistant; you鈥檙e starting your career.鈥�
Her favorite thing about UML鈥檚 Medical Laboratory Science Program聽is the lab classes, where she鈥檚 learning how to be a medical detective, examining blood, saliva, urine and other samples for signs of disease.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e actually working with patient samples and you鈥檙e trying to figure out, 鈥極K, what鈥檚 going on here?鈥� using the knowledge that you get in class,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he professors take their time with us and really work to train us so we are ready to go to our practicums. They all make you feel like you鈥檙e important in your own way. By the time you鈥檙e at my level, you鈥檙e part of the family.鈥�
The summer after her junior year, she completed three of the five required clinical practicums, two at MelroseWakefield Hospital, in hematology and urinalysis, and one at Mount Auburn Hospital, in chemistry, looking at different bodily fluids for markers of cancer, diabetes, pregnancy and drug use.聽
Each hospital has different equipment, which she was trained to operate. She had to use her analytical skills, too, and call doctors with critical test results.
鈥淣o day is the same. It鈥檚 interesting: It鈥檚 like you鈥檙e figuring out a puzzle with your patient,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hen we can help the doctor make that decision. That鈥檚 the cool part.鈥�
She will do two more practicums 鈥� one at a blood bank and the other at a hospital in microbiology 鈥� before graduating and taking her exams to become a board-certified medical lab scientist.
In the meantime, she鈥檚 serving as president of the Association of Clinical Laboratory Students, helping to organize professional networking and career exploration events for students in the medical lab science option as well as the clinical science option. She also wants to keep students focused on their studies during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many of their classes are online.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to provide some form of support and keep students in that learning environment by helping them form relationships within the major, form study groups and have some mentoring,鈥� she says.