Taking the Plunge

In my career field, you can take a test to get certified to be a Clinical Laboratory Specialist in Cytogenetics. If you don't have a degree in Cytogenetics, you have to have a Bachelor of Science and work in the field for one year before you can get certified. I was on track to take my test after one year, but then I got sick and put it on hold. Then I thought I wanted to be a nurse and not do this anymore at all. I decided that the pay raise was enough to take it anyway. I was still struggling with being stuck doing this forever, and my specific job being the only place in Colorado. Most certified people sit at their microscopes forty hours a week, and the uncertified people work in the lab. I don't like the microscope, and I am a born lab rat, so I don't want that to happen.

I had a conversation with my Operations Manager about two weeks ago, and she is thinking of making a new position, and she wants it to be for me, but I would have to be certified to do it. The job would be sort of an all around laboratory overseer. Not really a supervisor and not really a manager. But I would be in charge of everything that goes on in the lab. I pretty much already do this, but there would be more involved. We had a person that was a Lab Supervisor, and she quit, and they hired an Opperations Manager, but she is way to overwhelmed and has too much to do. She said she really wants me to be in charge of the lab since I know so much about it. It is nice when your manager thinks you are so good at something! I brought up my concern about being at the microscope all the time if I got certified, and she said she wouldn't let that happen because I am so skilled in the lab. Wahoo!

So two weekends ago I filled out all the applications, got my transcripts printed, and wrote the check. All I needed was my supervisor to fill out her part. Unfortunitely, it took her two weeks... All she had to do was write my hire date (August 7, 2006) and my job description (which we have on the computer at work). I thought it should take about 5 minutes... Anyway, she finally got it back to me and I mailed it in today!

I stood in front of the mailbox for a good 30 seconds before I dropped it in :) I know being certified doesn't mean I HAVE to do this, but it sort of feels like it. It takes 6-8 weeks for them to approve your application, I'm not sure why since its not a very big field. Once you are approved, you have three months to take your test. It is a two hour multiple choice test, where every question has more than one right answer, and you have to choose the best answer. I don't like that very much. You have to have a 75 out of 99 to pass. Of all the other people I have talked to, no one has ever known anyone that has failed except one lady at my work. So hopefully it won't be too hard. I studied for it a few years ago, and will probably wait until my three month window to start studying. No reason to cram now if it is going to be another six months.

Please pray a whole lot for this!

Ashley