DLS Helped This Career MT Find a Home in Medical Technology

When Tori Enomoto finished college early in Oregon, she decided to head home and determine her next steps. She accepted a job as a laboratory assistant at Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc. (DLS) — a good way to put her science degree to use until she could figure out her next move. Two years flew by and Tori became eligible to take the Medical Technologist (MT) exam. She thought, Why not keep going on this path and challenge myself? DLS supported her throughout the process, and after she passed the test, offered her a job as an MT in Microbiology, and two years later she was promoted to Senior MT. Tori’s first job out of college — what was supposed to be a temporary stop — had become a full-fledged career. At DLS, Tori has taken on even more responsibility and today manages the Microbiology Lab’s daily operations and coordinates with other departments. Any given day, her time might be spent troubleshooting, providing guidance and training to the staff, researching the latest news in the field and implementing upgrades. One of the key functions of her role is daily rounds, where she assesses conditions in the lab and advises the technical director on ways to improve.

“If there’s something new out there, DLS is going to be looking at it… and we’re often the first clinical laboratory in Hawai‘i to get new instrumentation.”

It’s the challenging nature of working with living organisms that makes Tori excited to get to work every day. “Microbiology is forever changing and the bacteria are evolving all the time,” she said. “It’s very subjective work, so we need to be able to make quick decisions.”

She also enjoys being a part of a large-volume lab that is on the forefront of cutting-edge technology: “If there’s something new out there, DLS is going to be looking at it… and we’re often the first clinical laboratory in Hawai‘i to get new instrumentation,” she said. Recently, her department implemented the WASPLab,™ a robotic system that greatly enhances efficiency by automating manual tasks like processing and plating specimens, and photographing plates for easy reference.  

Her employer’s genuine efforts to keep team members inspired and engaged has helped Tori make a home in the Medical Technology field. “DLS really cares about their employees and what they want and need. Employee benefits are a huge draw, and there is also a lot of room for growth.” Finally, the constant support from her colleagues keeps everyone moving forward. “There’s a lot of collaboration and willingness to teach,” she said. “If someone has an opportunity to pass on knowledge, they won’t hesitate to share so we can all be great.”

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