Assoc. Prof. Jeļena Storoženko: In a medical laboratory, it's important to remember that each sample is linked to a real patient

"It is very important that the program is accredited and its content complies with the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine's training program for laboratory medicine specialists. This means that the education of our specialists is recognized throughout Europe," says Assoc. Prof. Jeļena Storoženko in an interview with the magazine "Ārsts" (Doctor).

With the magazine's permission, we are publishing an excerpt from the article.

Associate Professor Jeļena Storoženko: “As in any field of medicine in Latvia, there is a shortage of talented, knowledgeable and reliable specialists in laboratory medicine.

The functioning of a medical laboratory is very complex, so it is important to not only have good skills and knowledge, but also to be a team player.

Future specialists must be able to communicate both with experienced specialists who carry out the training process and with other laboratory staff. After all, young specialists are also future managers who will have to organize their own work, lead a team, and attract other talented employees.

It is very important for specialists to be familiar with modern laboratory equipment, information technology, and the accreditation process, as accreditation is mandatory for medical laboratories in Latvia.

At the same time, we must never forget that behind the samples and equipment there is a patient, and their health and sometimes even their life depends on our results.

This is the nature of laboratory work – we do not see the patient, but we need to know everything related to the results, such as life-threatening deviations, the sequence of tests, algorithms, interpretation of results, and much more. I am absolutely convinced that new technologies, including artificial intelligence, will never be able to replace the competence and knowledge of employees.

The biggest challenge – preparing the book

The desire to write a book about laboratory tests came gradually. During my professional life, which has always been connected with medical laboratories, I accumulated a lot of interesting information about laboratory tests, which was mainly needed when solving practical issues with clinicians, as well as when doing academic work.

I always try to keep interesting notes with the thought that they will be useful someday. Yes, they really were useful.

Read the full article (in Latvian)