Laura Heath is the newest histotechnologist to join the Digestive Health Specialists Pathology Laboratory. She transitioned from the Winston-Salem Endoscopy Center to the Pathology Laboratory at the end of November 2022. As the newest member of the team, we wanted to ask her a few questions.

What attracted you to pathology?

I used to love science growing up and was definitely what you would call a nerd in college. I was a TA for many of my science classes and had a summer internship in one of Wake Forest’s research labs. A couple years ago I was asked to come down to the pathology lab, get a feel for what they did and be a fill-in to cover vacations or if they needed help. I really enjoyed all of those experiences and thought officially making the move to the pathology lab would be something new and fun and give me an opportunity to learn new things.”

What schooling did you need to be a histotechnologist?

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and will sit for the histotech board certification through ASCP after working full time in the lab for a year.”

What do you like about working in the pathology lab so far?

Working in the lab has given me the opportunity to learn new skills and see cool “nerdy” things. I loved my time in the Endo suite being a part of that portion of the GI world but now I get to see what comes next in the diagnosis stage and help in a direct hands-on way. Oh and coming in early to have longer afternoons doesn’t hurt either!”

What are your goals in this position? What are you looking forward to?

One goal I have is to master each position in the lab. Currently I am comfortable in some areas, while I need more practice in others. The other main goal is to pass that big test. It covers all pathology topics, not just relating to GI so studying will require a lot of time and focus. I am looking forward to working alongside Noreen and Dr. Winter, learning from them both, and growing my skill set.”

– Published February 28, 2023