About Critical Values

As an expat —born in the Philippines, now living and working as a medical laboratory scientist here in the United States — Laura Jean Maglaya, MLS ASCPⁱ, has become familiar with the unfamiliar, finding her place in the world, and is learning to feel at home wherever she is.  

Ms. Maglaya was inspired to pursue a career in laboratory medicine during a high school volunteer experience with the Red Cross in the Philippines. “That was the first time I was exposed to how important blood services are, and it stayed with me. I didn’t fully understand everything back then, but I knew it was something I wanted to be part of.”   

Ms. Maglaya is a Medical Laboratory Scientist in the Yale New Haven System at the LMH Blood Bank Department. She took her self-described “big step,” and moved to the U.S. three years ago to continue her career here. “As a laboratory professional, I’ve learned that the impact of what we do isn’t always visible but it’s always there. It’s in the quiet moments, in the results we release, in the decisions made during critical situations that can change someone’s outcome.”  

When asked how she manages the dualities in her life and career, Ms. Maglaya shares, “Working in blood bank, some days are calm, but other days can get intense especially during traumas or massive transfusions. Being able to do this work and handle real, high-pressure situations—knowing that what I do can directly impact someone’s life—that’s something I don’t take for granted. And as an expat, I’m still learning what ‘home’ really means, how it can exist in two places at once, and sometimes still feel unfamiliar in both. And maybe that’s where everything connects. Maybe that’s the beauty of it starting over, finding your place, and slowly becoming someone who feels at home wherever you are.”  

As she reflects on her career so far, still feeling like she’s “at the beginning of everything,” Ms. Maglaya appreciates it would not have been possible without the emotional and financial support of her family. “I’m really proud of finishing my degree and passing my licensure exam because I knew how much my family sacrificed to get me there,” she says. Continuing her career in a new country is a personal milestone. “Starting over in a new country wasn’t easy, but it showed me that I’m more capable than I thought. And if, in some way, my story can reach someone who’s also dreaming of starting over—someone who’s unsure, but hopeful—then maybe I can show them it’s more than possible.”  

When asked what kind of impact she’d like to make during her career, Ms. Maglaya says, “I don’t just want to be known for what I do, but for how I do it with intention, with heart, and with the understanding that even the smallest role can make a difference.”