1.

What brought you to Mayo Clinic, and how long have you worked here?

After graduating from the University of Massachusetts, I was on the hunt for experience in the healthcare field. I started my career with Mayo Clinic back in 2015 as a contracted client site specimen processor at a client site location in Springfield near my home. My work involved preparing, batching and packaging samples for testing at Mayo Clinic Laboratories. At the time, I didn’t know much about Mayo Clinic. Now, after more than seven years of working here, I have learned quite a bit and have gained deep respect for our company’s patient-centric care.

Spencer Beekmann

2.

What’s your current role and what does a typical workday look like for you?

As a field service coordinator, much of our time is spent onboarding and training new staff on the Client Site Specimen Processing (CSSP) and Regional Service Representative (RSR) teams. Both units are field-based and involve traveling to client locations around the country. We are also responsible for document control, and host regular presentations on topics including test updates, transportation schedule changes and anything else that impacts customer and field service work.

3.

How do you think your work benefits providers and patients?

As a part of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, we provide accurate and timely test results for our providers and patients. This includes providers and patients at our client site locations. Many of the steps that happen “behind the scenes,” such as sample preparation or shipping, can affect lab test results. It’s very key for us to follow procedures and ensure test accuracy because our results will be used to make healthcare decisions.

4.

Is there anything about you or your job that others might find surprising?

Most people would be surprised to learn about the variety of tasks and duties our Field Service Support work unit handles. There are many new tools related to client test ordering in development that we are testing, improving and documenting every day. In addition, I am an equity, inclusion and diversity champion and I do my best to present and share that content with our work units.

5.

Which part(s) of your job is the most challenging, and why?

It can be challenging to work in environments that are not open or receptive to feedback. The mindset, “this is the way things have always been done,” can sometimes make it hard to address issues or make improvements. It’s important to be respectful about these sensitive topics in discussion with a client. At the same time, we want to use the best and most efficient procedures possible. Sometimes, this can feel like a balancing act.

6.

What gives you meaning and purpose in your work?

Growth and development of our team gives meaning to my work. Each day, we strive to improve our services and reduce issues that may interfere with accurate lab testing. It’s encouraging to see new employees become seasoned experts over time. As someone who was once a brand-new Mayo Clinic employee, I try to be an approachable and positive resource for my fellow team members.