Audrey Fernandez
Medical Laboratory Tech II
From Phlebotomy to the Lab Bench: A Purposeful Path
Joining DLS started with a referral and a clear goal for Audrey Fernandez. “My phlebotomy class at the time recommended that we work there and I really wanted to eventually work my way up to become a MT,” she says. She began her career as a Lab Assistant/Phlebotomist at one of the DLS’ patient service centers and eventually pursued a more technical role behind the scenes. “This field is an introvert’s dream!” she explains. “I wanted to make a difference in healthcare but also not work directly with patients. Getting to work with all the different instrumentation is also fun!”
Balancing Work, Study, and Ambition
Audrey’s path toward becoming a Medical Technologist isn’t traditional, but it is deeply intentional. After earning a bachelor’s degree in biology, she wasn’t sure what direction to take until her interest in lab work led her to explore the field of Medical Technology. Instead of pursuing a second bachelor’s degree, she enrolled in an online associate’s degree program at Weber State University (WSU) while continuing to work full-time. “Luckily for me, WSU allowed us to work with our company to do lab rotations, so I was able to do mine at DLS thanks to our wonderful Workforce Planning team!” With support from Angela Hose and her managers, she completed the required training and has spent over a year as a generalist in the lab. She’s now preparing to take her final certification exam, which will officially qualify her as a Medical Technologist.
Finding Purpose in the Process
For Audrey, the people at DLS are just as important as the work. She appreciates the company’s focus on recognizing employees and bringing everyone together through activities like ʻOhana Day and Anniversary Week. More than anything, she finds purpose in knowing her work matters. “From working to give patients life-saving blood products to making sure our instruments are running smoothly to ensure accurate test results, I feel like I’m making a difference every day.”
