Featured BACE Credential Earner:
Taylor Kaminsky
Organization:
Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare
Position:
Laboratory Assistant
> About:
Taylor participated in the Academy of Biotechnology and Medical Research, a four-year program at Ponte Vedra High School in Florida. At the end of the four years, students can take the Biotechnology Aptitude and Competency Exam (BACE) and and earn the credential.
After passing the exam and graduating high school, Taylor matriculated at Florida State University to pursue a degree in psychology with a minor in chemistry, while simultaneously working at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare (TMH) in the Surgical Pathology Laboratory and conducting research with PTSD patients at the Florida State Anxiety and Behavioral Health Clinic. He is currently going into his third year of undergrad and is still employed in the surgical pathology lab, where he has learned a plethora of histology lab practices, anatomy, and diseases.
> Academic/Career Preparation:
The BACE credential helped Taylor prove to employers that he would be an asset to their lab even as a first-year undergraduate student. It showed employers and researchers alike that he had a solid background in laboratory techniques and was familiar with various practices required of lab personnel (few first-year undergraduate students can confidently claim sufficiency in GLPs in addition to four years of experience in a biosafety level 2 laboratory).
And although not directly related to biotechnology, the BACE also showed his familiarity in clinical psychology research settings, as many of the skills—such as maintaining clean and sometimes sterile equipment, practicing confidentiality with participants, logging all activities done in the laboratory related to the research, and familiarity with paperwork and FDA regulations—are transferable.
> Job Description:
As a lab assistant in the TMH Surgical Pathology lab, it is Taylor’s duty to walk to the OR and retrieve specimens from surgery. Upon bringing the sample back to the laboratory, he inputs details into the system and assigns it a number, along with printing labels and cassettes to give to the PA so that they may gross the specimen. He also restocks the laboratory and OR with supplies and helps maintains a clean environment.
> Best Thing About My Job:
Taylor’s job is a substantial opportunity for students interested in healthcare careers. He has seen thousands of cases requiring surgical intervention from his job and has been able to shadow many physicians he works with.
