Four University of the Sunshine Coast graduands have used their knowledge of medical laboratory science to gain highly competitive jobs in the industry.

Angie Williams, Ashleigh Saunders, Jessica Bissell and Danielle Wilkes-Lawson, who completed a two-year Associate Degree of Medical Laboratory Science, have all accepted graduate positions as Medical Laboratory Technicians with Pathology Queensland.

Pathology Queensland offers only 20 of the six-month positions in Queensland each year, with just seven targeted at the technical Associate Degree level.

Palmview resident Angie, who worked in the horse racing industry for 15 years before enrolling in Medical Laboratory Science, said she couldn’t wait to get started in her new role, based at Nambour Hospital, in January.

“The graduate position is about getting trained as a multi-skilled technician by spending time in a range of different departments,” she said.

“Having a broad set of skills is really important in this field, so I’m excited about trying a few different things and not getting stuck in one area.

“It’s been over a decade since I’ve been at school, but coming to study at USC was made so much easier by having a personal relationship with the lecturers and tutors. I also really liked that we could do work placements from our first year.”

Former Mt Isa resident Danielle is looking forward to a north Queensland lifestyle when she takes up her placement at Cairns Hospital, while Ashleigh has been placed at Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane and Jessica at Redlands Hospital.

Lecturer in Medical Laboratory Science Dr Rebecca Donkin said she was delighted to hear about the students’ job offers, which may lead to permanent employment following the initial six- to 12-month training period.

“These are highly competitive positions, and the fact that four were offered to USC students is remarkable for a course that only began in 2012,” Dr Donkin said.

“We’re very focussed on running a hands-on, practical program – students can test blood, run their own assays, and use pathology laboratory equipment and techniques that are actually used in the real world.

“The program is taught by amazing staff who have professional industry experience, know the students’ names and genuinely care for the students and their success in the pathology profession.”

More information on the Associate Degree of Medical Laboratory Science is available at usc.edu.au/learn.

— Gen Kennedy