Pros
Very flexible scheduling that accomodated student schedule, opportunity to learn about life working in a hospital laboratory for someone with MLT/MLS career aspirations. The majority of coworkers were friendly, happy to answer questions, and good to work with. The expectation was primarily specimen receiving/processing and microbiology setup, no phlebotomy was required. This experience definitely made me more competitive for other laboratory/research positions later on over working a generic job in college like food service.
Cons
Lab assistant = Lewisgale's name for a laboratory specimen processor. In retrospect, the pay was not worth it. $14.30/hr base rate for someone close to graduating with a bachelor's degree in science is ridiculous. Some unfriendly/unapproachable people, but it's like that wherever you work. Working up front at the tube station receiving and processing specimens and answering the phone could be very fast paced and monotonous. Would not recommend this job as anything other than short-term just to get an idea of what working in a hospital lab is like. If anything, instead doing informational interviews with medical laboratory scientists and seeking out shadowing/laboratory tours would also give similar exposure. The majority of the other lab assistants were also college students or MLS students.