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COVID-19 has posed challenges for filling job slots across many workplaces, including medical laboratories of hospitals.
UPMC Williamsport is feeling that crunch with more than a third of job slots often left unfilled.
"I would say, the last time we calculated a shortage at Williamsport we had a 36 percent vacancy for all jobs," LeeAnn Hess, administrative director, UPMC Laboratories, said.
Needless to say, that poses challenges for working staff, with many people assuming longer work shifts and taking on different duties.
“I am hoping it gets better,” Hess said. “The lab is critical to medicine.”
Labs perform the crucial tasks of developing, performing and interpreting diagnostic tests with medical lab scientists, phlebotomists and medical lab technicians carrying out the work.
Essentially, there exist more job openings for medical laboratory scientists and medical laboratory technicians than graduates to fill the vacancies, according to Hess.
The pandemic has only increased the stress on laboratories which were already facing recruitment and vacancy issues.
"This is actually a nationwide shortage," she said.
Hess said UPMC Williamsport has its own medical lab science program but only graduates four people per year.
"We hold positions for these folks," she said. "They can take jobs. We have discussed the potential to expand the program."
Much of the education includes learning in a clinical setting.
"We advertise our technological position in medical journals. We have job fairs coming up to allow us to conduct interviews on site," she said.
Hess said lab jobs are crucial to health care and will be needed for years to come.
"Laboratory science is an integral part of medical care and of taking care of patients," she said.
Those eager to solve problems and learn are always needed in the lab setting, according to Hess.