At 16 years old, Isak Schmidley is the youngest person to have passed the American Society for Clinical Pathology’s (ASCP) Medical Laboratory Scientist certification exam. In addition to attending high school, Isak is enrolled in college graduate classes and works as a medical laboratory scientist at a hospital in Louisiana.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, Isak joins the Mayo Clinic Laboratories outreach team — Jane Hermansen, Ellen Dijkman Dulkes, and Brianne Newton — to talk about his unique experience in joining the lab profession at a young age.

Their discussion topics include:

• Favorite aspects of medical lab science and working in a hospital lab.
• Raising awareness of the lab profession among the younger generation and engaging students at an earlier age.
• Why a career as a medical lab scientist may be a good fit for individuals with an interest in healthcare, science, engineering, and technology.

Learn more about connecting with the next generation of lab professionals at the Leveraging the Laboratory conference on Sept. 17 and 18, 2024, in Rochester, Minnesota. Register online.

Podcast episode

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Podcast episode in video format

A Mayo Clinic podcast for administrators, outreach managers, and laboratory professionals hosted by Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, on how to best leverage and optimize the laboratory for patients, clients, and staff. Note: Podcasts will not play back on Internet Explorer. Please use an alternative web browser or listen from your mobile device on a preferred listening app.