Facebook Feedback: Crime Labs and Unappealing Tests
If you're not following us on Facebook,
you're missing a lot of fun feedback. If you are, keep following and spread the
word! The conversations are far from over.
We asked Facebook fans: Have you ever wanted to work for a crime lab?
Here are selected responses, copied verbatim without editing:
- I have
contemplated becoming a CSI or working in a forensic science lab. (There's
one group of people who collect the evidence and another group that
analyzes it in the real world, right?) :)
- The jobs
for a crime lab currently are very competitive and there are not a lot of
available positions at the moment. Not to mention, if you do not have a
specific Bachelor's Degree or experience, you will not be able to work in
the lab. Trust me, I know.
- Yes
thought of it but I know that I will have a hard time not to think of the
victims. Especially if the crimes involved children.
- A lot of
states require that the crime lab staff be trained as law enforcement
officers. I have a friend who moved from Texas to Tennessee to take a
crime lab job because of the difference in the job descriptions.
- Yes!!
- Many
forensics labs also are not aware of the wealth of talent/education
available in the medical lab. The GBI lab (Georgia) is grossly
understaffed to the degree they have a vast backlog of cases.They are
desperate for staff. I asked the Director of the GBI lab to speak at the
annual ASCLS meeting in Atlanta in July. He indicated that
"technicians" (his name for MLS) did not have the education and
training to be forensic scientists according to the GBI HR Dept.
Interestingly, they would hire someone with a biology or chemistry degree
over an MLS (ASCP). Really!
- yes!!!
- I wanted
to be Quincy, M.D. when I grew up. Now its CSI.
- Yes!
- Yes. I
even considered studying forensic science in college.
- Yes!
- YES!!!
- All Med
Techs secretly do!!!!!
- It's the
reason I chose medical technology as my major! But I ended up liking
microbiology better :)
- I have
look in California after I have my MT degree, I couldnt even get into the
door with what I have. I need to go back to School for another Master
degree that specify for forensic...I have a great interest but with the loans
at the time, I couldnt do anything. If there are online program, I don't
mind to proceed this route.
We
also asked Facebook fans: Is there
anything you absolutely hate to touch in the lab?
- processing
stool samples for our gastrointestinal virus PCR panel!
- Sputum...
- Pus fluid
from a dog or horse.
- sputum
- Sputum!!!
- Sputum
- Poo and
bloody urine:(
- ditto
sputum!!
- Sputum is
definitely the worst!
- The door
that opens it
- Cant even
say the sput....word...ugh gross
- Pin worm
paddles
- sputum
- Sputum! It
is the only thing that grosses me out.
- I'm with
the sputum crowd. Gag!
- Sputum!
& semen analysis samples! Blegh!
- My nose
- Sputum
& poo!
- Preparing
a poc for pathology :(
- coworkers
- Stool
samples the worst
- sputum!!!!!!uhhhhhhhhh
- Warm
urine. Gross!
- Hazardpous
Waste Bags, with biological medical waste after being autoclaved, and then
putting them into the medical waste carton for pickup, the whole prcedure,
YUCK
- I don't
really mind anything, but sputum would have to be the worst!
- Bloody
urine.
- Honestly,
I hate eating in our lounge more than anything I could possibly touch in
the lab.
- Definitely
sputum....yuck!!!
- Post vas.
Yuck.
- The
telephone!!!!!
- The
telephone!!!!!!