Career paths are not always linear. Curves and bumps along the way can take your career to unexpected places. In this episode, we drop into a discussion with three lab professionals who know what its like to wonder the career path to beyond the bench. They offer advice to help medical laboratory professionals manage their career development, and sometimes a cup of coffee can influence the path you take.

Legally defending your medical lab’s work is no laughing matter. In this episode, we speak with a geneticist who has provided testimony in order to help medical laboratory professionals navigate the process. We also take a look at forensics in crime scenes and how sharing your DNA publicly online could have consequences.

The opioid epidemic is a complex and multi-layered problem. In this episode, we explore how various factors are contributing to this crisis. We also delve into how one novel drug testing methodology might just be one piece of the puzzle to combat the epidemic.

Health care professionals have a responsibility to use correct gender information to respectfully and properly care for all patients. In this episode, we discuss how gender diversity impacts patient care with three panelists who bring their own expertise and experience to the topic.

The medical laboratory is a female dominated profession; however, this isn’t the case for leadership roles. Why is that? In this episode, we delve deeper into the challenges and mindsets that might be holding women back from taking on such positions, and what can be done to create a truly equal workplace.

When natural disasters, bioterrorism or public health epidemics strike, Canada has a national emergency system in place to protect its citizens. In this episode, we speak with directors who oversee different components of this system, and you might be surprised at how uniquely Canadian it is—hint, hint: it involves hockey.

Are you new to the profession and thinking of working alone? Or are you contemplating accepting a job offer where you would have to work on call or at night, where other lab professionals are nowhere in sight? In this episode, we will help you navigate working solo. We also share the lived experience of two CSMLS members who are lone lab rangers during their shifts.

Has the idea of taking a genetics test ever crossed your mind? Maybe you have limited access to lab services, or maybe you think these do-at-home tests are a harmless look into your ancestry. In this episode, we speak with a genetics counsellor and a genetics technologist to explore the drawbacks of these tests, like error rates and placing more strain on an already overburdened health care system—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Do you ever wonder if artificial intelligence will replace medical laboratory professionals? Or maybe you’re curious as to what current advanced technology looks like in the lab context, and how it will affect your everyday work life. In this episode, we speak with medical laboratory professionals who have implemented cutting-edge software in their own lab. We also delve into exciting artificial intelligence research for health care applications.

We’re back and ready to deliver season three of The Objective Lens. Here’s a quick sneak peek into some of the big questions we will be tackling this year. Stay tuned over the next couple weeks to be sure you don’t miss the first episode.