Issue link: https://ahint.epubxp.com/i/574474
13 ASHI Quarterly Third Quarter 2015 I met my wife in the summer of 2007 We were casual acquaintances at first That December we had our first date It was a wonderful day; however, in the midst of the fun my wife was very apprehensive When I inquired as to what was wrong she explained to me that her mother was getting a living-donor kidney transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH) the very next day At the time, I was just starting a graduate program in medical technology, but between my scientific curiosity and compassion toward her, I felt the need to engage her and ask her questions about the situation She went on to tell me that her mother actually received a simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant from a deceased donor in 2002 Unfortunately, she lost the kidney to BK virus, and was now receiving a new kidney from her sister-in-law If someone told me then how immersed and involved I would be in transplant surgery in just a few shorts years I probably wouldn't have believed them Fast-forward about 7 5 years and I find myself in one of the greatest professions a person can have I have grown to love my wife and mother-in- law very much For me, this field is every bit as personal as it is professional Over the next few years, as I pursued an education, I would learn more about the transplant community through my wife's family I attended numerous events in support of her I've participated in the Kidney Walk, sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois, for several years I've also attended the "Living with Transplant" Conference, sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation, twice I found the latter to be an amazing opportunity to witness recipients and donors networking with each other It is an excellent opportunity for them to attend presentations where their questions can be answered It was there where I heard an inspiring presentation by Dr John Friedewald, which further piqued my interest I also spoke with a transplant coordinator who urged me to pursue a career in the field I will never forget how rewarding he made it sound After receiving my B S in molecular biology from UIUC, I pursued a path in medical technology because it seemed like the perfect intersection of laboratory science and health care I received my M S in medical laboratory science from Rush University in June 2011 When deciding on an occupation, there was really only one option I wanted to be involved in transplantation in some capacity, specifically, at NMH where my mother-in-law received her transplants I accepted an offer in the blood bank and worked there for over two years on the third shift While there I was honored to provide an essential support service for hundreds of transplants The experience was certainly different than working in an HLA laboratory; however, I treasure my time there because I came to realize just how many people are involved, and it gave me an appreciation for how much work and collaboration goes into a single transplant I was also blessed with the opportunity to capture the realism of such procedures Careers in the laboratory can be a double-edged sword In some cases emotional detachment from patients may allow you to maintain your focus, but too much detachment can leave you without compassion Around this time, it seemed as though many of my former classmates had fallen into a mundane routine It seemed as though they were beginning to view the patients they served as simple numbers This kind of attitude can end up being a disservice to the patient Luckily, this attitude was impossible to have in the blood bank When it came to liver transplants, the saying was "feast or famine " Simply put, on any given liver transplant you either never heard from the OR, or you heard from them ALL night It was a busy job, but it was an essential job, and what I gained was invaluable After delivering 100+ units of packed RBCs and fresh frozen plasma to a patient's OR, you're reminded just how real and serious is the situation This has become one of my most valued qualities and I have that experience to thank At that time, my HLA experience was limited to what I had learned in college I knew of the HLA laboratory at Northwestern University only because our patients that required HLA-matched platelets were typed there One day, I realized that there was a position open in their flow cytometry laboratory, so I applied I was surprised to actually receive a call for an interview and even more surprised to be offered the position It was such an exciting time in my life I still remember the look on my wife's face when I told her She was so proud of me I started that position in April 2013 In two short years I have learned so much and participated in so many incredible things Aside from performing all of the day-to-day assays, there have been so many other opportunities and responsibilities that have become available to me One of the things that has amazed me so much is the nurturing that I've received from the entire HLA department I work with so many brilliant and gifted people, yet nobody I've encountered has ever been too busy for me Everyone in the transplant community seems to be committed to training the very best professionals and future leaders My supervisors, managers, and director have been so accommodating when it comes to educating the entire team In addition to simply running the common assays (FlowPRA, LABScreen, C1qScreen, LIFECODES LSA Single Antigen, Flow Crossmatch, CD3/CD33 lineage isolation, etc ) I have been thoroughly trained in result reviewing, performing virtual crossmatches, reagent/instrument QC, protocol reviews, and thorough history checks I have been given the opportunity to attend many interesting teleconferences and guest presentations I made a presentation on the One Lambda C1qScreen that I gave to the entire HLA lab Additionally, there is always a chance to explore interesting or unusual cases, participate in assay validations, and assist in various research projects I have attended the HLA Fusion workshop offered by One Lambda, and I have even been asked to serve on our laboratory's QA committee The trust that my superiors have in me is truly a source of encouragement I feel that I have gained the fortitude to be a true leader My supervisor (at the time) pushed me to take that role, and one of the most important lessons that I have E D I T O R I A L How I Found My Way to HLA Erik Chatroop, MS, MLS(ASCP)