RoK Diagnostics Podcast

In this enlightening episode of the RoK Diagnostics Podcast, we engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Chelsea Osayande, a first-class medical laboratory scientist from the University of Benin, currently making strides as a program analyst in Abuja, Nigeria.

We delve into the critical role of medical laboratory scientists in public health, discussing the challenges and opportunities in the field, the transition from traditional lab roles to public health, and the importance of technological integration in healthcare.

Chelsea also shares her personal journey, insights on data analysis in public health, and the potential of medical laboratory scientists in areas like vaccine development, AI, and data science.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the evolving landscape of healthcare and the vital contributions of medical laboratory scientists.

Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and Welcome 00:23 - Meet Chelsea Osayande 01:13 - Gaining Visibility in Global Health Contexts 02:06 - Scaling Laboratory Testing in African Countries 02:51 - Data Management to Policy 03:54 - Encouraging Technological Adoption in Laboratories 04:41 - Lab Scientists and Public Engagement 05:18 - The Saturated Field of Medical Laboratory Science 06:48 - Chelsea’s Career Shift From Lab to Public Health Consulting 07:57 - The Silent Voice of Lab Scientists in Health Crises 08:28 - Medical Lab Scientists: Educators in Pandemics 10:49 - Building Confidence and Visibility in Healthcare 12:09 - Medical Lab Scientists in Vaccine Production and Testing 14:08 - Effective Communication in Healthcare Sectors 16:16 - The Role of Internships and Continuous Learning in Career Development 19:21 - Day-to-Day Life in Public Health Consulting 22:30 - Learning Data Analysis and Other Skills for Lab Scientists 24:00 - The Future of Labs: Data Science and AI Integration 27:14 - Significance of Internships in Public Health 30:27 - Closing Remarks and Future Discussions in Medical Laboratory Science

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Summary

This conversation explores the importance of mentorship and transgenerational leadership in the medical science profession. Odinaka Kingsley Obeta highlights the gaps in mentorship for medical science students and the need for guidance in making career decisions. The impact of mentorship on career advancement and the importance of transgenerational leadership in ensuring continuity and innovation in the profession are discussed. Initiatives and solutions for mentorship are explored, including the creation of platforms and programs. The challenges in seeking and providing mentorship are addressed, emphasizing the need for access and understanding of mentorship. The speaker shares personal experiences in providing mentorship and offers tips for seeking and providing mentorship. The conversation concludes with closing remarks and contact information for further engagement.

Takeaways

Mentorship is crucial for the growth and development of medical science students and professionals.

Transgenerational leadership is necessary to ensure continuity and innovation in the medical science profession.

There are gaps in mentorship for medical science students, and efforts should be made to create systems and programs to address this.

Both mentors and mentees need to understand the importance of mentorship and actively participate in the mentorship relationship.

Access to mentorship and proper understanding of mentorship are key challenges that need to be addressed.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Purpose of the Conversation

02:28 Gaps in Mentorship for Medical Science Students

07:21 The Importance of Transgenerational Leadership

12:33 The Impact of Mentorship on Career Decisions

17:39 The Need for Transgenerational Leadership in Medical Science

21:42 Initiatives and Solutions for Mentorship

25:49 Challenges in Seeking and Providing Mentorship

29:53 Creating Systems for Mentorship

36:04 Personal Experience in Providing Mentorship

44:52 Addressing the Lack of Access to Mentorship

50:24 Tips for Seeking and Providing Mentorship

57:22 Closing Remarks and Contact Information

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Contact Tywauna -  Linkedin @Tywauna wilson

Contact us - [email protected]

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Medical Laboratory Science is a sometimes unappreciated and underpaid profession. Especially because most people are not even aware of the profession. Some people also think that this career is mediocre and not glamorous. In this episode, Princess Chinelo explains why she believes medical laboratory science should not be thought of as less than medicine.

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In this episode, we discuss whether students who applied for medicine should be allowed to automatically get into medical laboratory science. We're joined by Idris Tajudeen, a current medical laboratory student who has some strong opinions on this topic. He also shares the story of how he ended up in medical laboratory science.

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Here's interesting news: laboratory waste doesn't need to involve management.

While many companies are implementing new policies and procedures for laboratory waste, it's important to remember that the lab is the place where laboratory professionals work. We as laboratory professionals need to deal with lab waste efficiently to better protect ourselves.

We know that you're working hard to keep your lab running smoothly, but how much time do you spend thinking about your lab's waste? 

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As a scientist, and using his past military experience, Jeffery Couchot creates tools and processes to help scientists be more efficient in the laboratory.   

These tools can be physical or digital in nature and all have the aim to allow his team to be quick and accurate in their analysis, so that the highest-quality results can be delivered to patients.

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You may have heard the stories of babies who were born with HIV and didn't get tested until they were 18 months old—and then found out they had been infected for over a year. What could have been done? We discuss that during this episode.

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Sickle Cell Anemia is a disease you don't hear about often, but it affects over 100,000 people in the US and millions of people around the world. 

If you haven't heard of Sickle Cell Anemia before, you're not alone. Like many rare diseases, it's not widely recognized as an important public health concern. But if you know someone with sickle cell anemia, you can help by raising awareness about this disease and fighting for more research funding for adults with the condition.

It's a genetic condition that causes red blood cells to become rigid and sticky, which can lead to life-threatening complications like anemia and stroke.

We need more research on how adults with Sickle Cell Anemia are impacted by their disease as they age. We also need more studies on how women with Sickle Cell Anemia handle pregnancy and childbirth—and how that impacts their children's health!

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Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to public health. It is an alarming increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. For example, a study published in June 2022 in the Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance found that strains of E.coli resistant to colistin—an antibiotic considered as last resort because it was once reserved for only life-threatening infections—have spread globally.

What is antibiotic resistance testing?

Antibiotic resistance testing is a process that evaluates whether bacteria have developed resistance to antibiotics. These types of tests can determine whether the bacteria causing an infection are resistant to certain medications, helping doctors prescribe the right treatment(s).

In this episode of the RoK diagnostics podcast, we discuss antibiotic susceptibility testing.

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