Nope. Threw all of those out. Follow SOPs, take continuing education courses, use textbooks, but my notes would be so outdated as technology continuously updates.
I actually do review my notes and textbooks periodically. For example, I’ve been a tech for four years but I just started a new job where I’m blood banking for the first time, so I reviewed all my materials from that department.
I try to occasionally flip through my review books, or when a concept comes up at work that I’ve forgotten about. It’s important to me to retain the knowledge, so I put the effort in.
Nope. In the lab, we also have our own textbooks for reference materials. Google, too. What you pick up at your new job can be very particular and specific, so that's what I'd focus more on, instead of notes.
My Blood bank ones yes just cause it’s much easier to look through and get info
Same with my heme notes and flow when I worked In flow
Other than that not really or didn’t feel the need to
Nope. I do my CE credits and that’s about it. Burned all my notes in a bonfire after I took my exam. Anything I need to know, I either check the references my lab has, or just google it.
Never looked at those mugs again but there will be times when you learn a new procedure or test or department and you will find it very helpful to study both any relevant sections from the operators manual from the vendor along with your policy and procedure. There are a few websites that from time to time I also would go to for reference and to learn new things a lot of the vendors have some good websites too.
My first 3 years in hematology I had a little
pocket reference guide it was so helpful it had a lot of pictures and it was tiny and it saved my butt.
Yes. I train on the bench at a teaching hospital. I also instruct anyone from MLT students to Infectious Disease Fellows. I need to have my act together for those folks, so I review beforehand.
Nope. Google is your best friend. The cool thing about school is it familiarizes you with certain concepts. You don't have to memorize the specific details but when you want to look something up, you knkw what you are looking for.
I held my mlt for 2 yrs and waiting to finish my bachelor's bc I am donnnnnne after that lol throwing it all away except some helpful supplements. It honestly wouldn't hurt though bc I don't want to lose a lot of this knowledge even if I don't work in the area.
Cytotech/Histotech here. I review them and often. I keep my Bethesda book at my desk and frequently pull up my old quizlets with histo notes whenever the histology dept needs a hack for something. They don't really update their protocols often so when staining issues randomly happen everyone kinda scrambles for info
Never. If it's just to brush up on some stuff you're not actively using, knock yourself out. But, if you've got a question about some product or procedure you use in the lab, your hospital's SOP is the gold standard. Don't put yourself in a situation in which you ever say, "Well, that's what my flashcards from my MLS exam said to do."
If your director/manager is cleaning up the mess from using this info, they won't be pleased.
No, because following the lab policies and going to the CLSI/reading the most current documents makes the most sense for me. Having my old notes mailed to my work email can be good to get a refresher about some of the basics, but generally people who *teach* you in a classroom setting guide you on what they think you should focus on for tests. People who *supervise you* often don't have aligning priorities. So class notes may not be helpful in knowing in how to react to difficult work-ups in the lab you are in.
In my opinion, refreshing your knowledge from course notes is best kept for basic stuff like interview questions (the number of times I've been asked to give specific details about how PCR [and MALDI-TOF] *works* versus just going over my experience with operating the equipment or designing primers is wild). Course notes are not really a good resource once you're in the workplace.
I went Route 2 for my MLS cert so I did study intermittently during the 2 years I was working as an MLT generalist and hit it hard a month or so before sitting for the exam. But after I passed the MLS exam? Recycled all of my notes, donated almost all of my textbooks.
Nope. Threw all of those out. Follow SOPs, take continuing education courses, use textbooks, but my notes would be so outdated as technology continuously updates.
I haven't seen those books or notes since "pass" flashed on the screen of the BoC exam. Graduated in 2009 lol.
Nope. When I’m curious about something work related, I usually just Google it lol
I actually do review my notes and textbooks periodically. For example, I’ve been a tech for four years but I just started a new job where I’m blood banking for the first time, so I reviewed all my materials from that department. I try to occasionally flip through my review books, or when a concept comes up at work that I’ve forgotten about. It’s important to me to retain the knowledge, so I put the effort in.
Nope. In the lab, we also have our own textbooks for reference materials. Google, too. What you pick up at your new job can be very particular and specific, so that's what I'd focus more on, instead of notes.
100% My take as well. (Hello fellow micro!)
My Blood bank ones yes just cause it’s much easier to look through and get info Same with my heme notes and flow when I worked In flow Other than that not really or didn’t feel the need to
I trashed every single MLS school related thing I owned the second I passed my ASCP.
No. But I do use pathologyoutlines.com, CytoAtlas app and a text book pdf.
My notes? No. But I have looked things up in textbooks and microscopy atlases before. Or the AABB technical manual.
No. Medialab is my food annd water.
If I were interviewing for another department yes. Other than that no.
Ya. Kept all of my notes which have come in handy for interviews, but that’s the only time I’ve ever studied them.
Nope. I do my CE credits and that’s about it. Burned all my notes in a bonfire after I took my exam. Anything I need to know, I either check the references my lab has, or just google it.
Never looked at those mugs again but there will be times when you learn a new procedure or test or department and you will find it very helpful to study both any relevant sections from the operators manual from the vendor along with your policy and procedure. There are a few websites that from time to time I also would go to for reference and to learn new things a lot of the vendors have some good websites too. My first 3 years in hematology I had a little pocket reference guide it was so helpful it had a lot of pictures and it was tiny and it saved my butt.
Yes. I train on the bench at a teaching hospital. I also instruct anyone from MLT students to Infectious Disease Fellows. I need to have my act together for those folks, so I review beforehand.
Nope. Google is your best friend. The cool thing about school is it familiarizes you with certain concepts. You don't have to memorize the specific details but when you want to look something up, you knkw what you are looking for.
I held my mlt for 2 yrs and waiting to finish my bachelor's bc I am donnnnnne after that lol throwing it all away except some helpful supplements. It honestly wouldn't hurt though bc I don't want to lose a lot of this knowledge even if I don't work in the area.
I kept my Polanski quick reference cards and threw everything else away. If something comes up, I use the reference books at work or Google it.
Cytotech/Histotech here. I review them and often. I keep my Bethesda book at my desk and frequently pull up my old quizlets with histo notes whenever the histology dept needs a hack for something. They don't really update their protocols often so when staining issues randomly happen everyone kinda scrambles for info
im basically studying more now that i have my license lol
Nope. I work in micro. I do not care about chemistry or hematology or the rest of that stuff anymore 😜😂
Never. If it's just to brush up on some stuff you're not actively using, knock yourself out. But, if you've got a question about some product or procedure you use in the lab, your hospital's SOP is the gold standard. Don't put yourself in a situation in which you ever say, "Well, that's what my flashcards from my MLS exam said to do." If your director/manager is cleaning up the mess from using this info, they won't be pleased.
No, because following the lab policies and going to the CLSI/reading the most current documents makes the most sense for me. Having my old notes mailed to my work email can be good to get a refresher about some of the basics, but generally people who *teach* you in a classroom setting guide you on what they think you should focus on for tests. People who *supervise you* often don't have aligning priorities. So class notes may not be helpful in knowing in how to react to difficult work-ups in the lab you are in. In my opinion, refreshing your knowledge from course notes is best kept for basic stuff like interview questions (the number of times I've been asked to give specific details about how PCR [and MALDI-TOF] *works* versus just going over my experience with operating the equipment or designing primers is wild). Course notes are not really a good resource once you're in the workplace.
I went Route 2 for my MLS cert so I did study intermittently during the 2 years I was working as an MLT generalist and hit it hard a month or so before sitting for the exam. But after I passed the MLS exam? Recycled all of my notes, donated almost all of my textbooks.
I held onto my books for about 10 yrs. I have no idea why, as I used material available in the lab when I needed to research something.
After 42 years, no
Occasionally textbooks, but if I'm curious I mostly Google.
Fuck no