An Accidental Career Becomes a Lifelong Passion for This MLT

Angela Hose wanted to be a nurse, that is until a chance meeting in one of her prerequisite classes altered her life’s trajectory. She was falling in love with the ins and outs of Microbiology, but had no idea how to translate her newfound passion into a career. Fate intervened and she sparked up a conversation with two fellow students, who happened to be enrolled in the Medical Technician (MT) and Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) programs. “After talking to them, I decided this is what I want to do,” she said. “I changed my major that day and never regretted it.”

Angela accepted a lab assistant position at Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc. (DLS) in 1998, providing intake support for four years, then moved into the role of MLT in the Microbiology Lab. Fifteen years later in 2017, a job in Workforce Planning sparked her interest and her boss encouraged her to spread her wings where she served as the primary trainer for MLT/MT and Pathology residents during their clinical rotations in Microbiology – a last stop before students seek certification. In 2019, Angela found herself faced with an opportunity to advance her career within the department and accepted the offer for the Supervisor, Training, Development & Outreach role. In this position she leads her team of trainers, as well as, partners with educational intuitions and continuing with outreach efforts in High School Health Pathway Programs to raise awareness about what she calls the “hidden profession” of Medical Technology.

“I get to do what I love alongside some really great people who consistently help each other.”

Over nearly two decades at DLS, Angela has found the company motto of “Great Science, Great People” to be 100% true. “I get to do what I love alongside some really great people who consistently help each other,” said Angela. She’s thankful for the many professional growth opportunities DLS affords, including company-wide clinical conferences, extensive library resources and participation in the Hawai‘i Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Conference.

The breadth of DLS’s extensive lab capabilities and location give Angela and students/residents invaluable experience with specimens coming in from small Pacific islands, allowing them to work with ova and parasites (O&P) and acid-fast bacilli (AFB) like tuberculosis that they may not have seen with clinical rotations elsewhere. She’s also impressed with her company’s tech upgrades, like the MALDI machine (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization) that can ID a specimen in minutes, a task that used to take a full day. “I get to play with new toys that make our lives easier, improve patient turnaround times and improve patient care,” said Angela.

Finally, it’s the unique island lifestyle that rounds out the reasons for her loyalty to DLS. “Hawai‘i is perfect because you have the city right there if you need it, but you still have that small town feel.” And although she stumbled upon her career in Medical Technology by accident, Angela can’t imagine it any other way. “I love what I do, and I strongly believe I would have not been as happy as I am now,” she said. “It’s been nearly 20 years and I’m still learning.”

Say "yes" to a thrilling and challenging career path that lets you follow your passion while making an impact in medicine.