People of MSK: Laboratory Scholars Training Program
Francine Johnson always knew she wanted to work in the medical field but she wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted to do. After studying science at St. John’s University and earning a graduate degree at Columbia University, she joined MSK as an Office Coordinator working in Breast Medicine.
But after a few years in that position, she realized she wanted to be more involved in clinical care.
“I loved working with breast cancer patients and getting to know them, but I still had a longing to do more,” she said.
That’s when she found MSK’s Lab Scholars Training Program. The yearlong program is a partnership with Marist College's department of Medical Laboratory Sciences. The program is a stepping-stone for current MSK employees to transition into a new career as a lab technologist.
MSK pays for all costs associated with the program, including tuition and books, and program participants continue to receive their current MSK salary and benefits during their year of study.
The Lab Scholars program blends course work at Marist with clinical rotations through MSK’s Department of Laboratory Medicine. At the end of the year, participants have a B.S. in Medical Technology from Marist.
Once they pass the Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) NY State licensure exam, they can transition into a career working as a Clinical Laboratory Technologist in one of MSK’s labs.
“It was everything I was looking for,” Johnson said about the program, which she began in July 2015.
“My favorite part was learning clinical science and how it pertains to human health,” Johnson said. “I also loved the hands-on experience of clinical rotations because I got to see what I learned in my courses and how it applied to the tests that were run in the lab.”
Now, Johnson works in the STAT lab at MSK’s 53rd Street Rockefeller Outpatient Center. In the lab, Johnson and other lab technologists analyze basic tests that patients need in order to receive their treatment the same day or within the coming days. This includes Complete Blood Counts, Comprehensive Metabolic Panels, Basic Metabolic Panels, Serum and Urine Pregnancy Tests, Cell Counts on Spinal Fluid and Urinalysis.
“It requires a lot of responsibility and I am able to work independently and use my own judgment,” Johnson said. “I love being more clinically involved in patient care.”
While the program required a lot of dedication and hard work, Johnson said she’s so glad she took the leap. She was able to gain the education and training needed to transition into a new career, had a job waiting for her once she graduated, and made new lifelong friends along the way.
“Coming from the administrative side and now working on the clinical side has given me a well-rounded perspective about patient care at MSK,” Johnson said. “I have a great appreciation for Laboratory Medicine and now understand how significant this field is in healthcare.”
Image of MSK colleague in lab coat looking in microscope
Group of laboratory scholars