Three Lab Careers Connecting One Family: Nathan, Taylor, and Laura Johnson

The Johnson family may have laboratory science professions in common, but no two of them have taken the exact same path. Taylor Johnson, age 33, a medical laboratory scientist (MLS) and a laboratory information systems (LIS) specialist, works in clinical informatics; her father, Nathan, age 57, is a retired Air Force laboratory officer, and currently an educator; and her aunt Laura, age 65, a retired MLS, began work in forensics. Together, their careers reflect the versatility and evolution of the medical laboratory field over time.

Taking inspiration from each other’s careers

Though each family member had a natural interest in the sciences, their career choices have influenced one another.

Laura, who is retired, worked at a crime lab as a forensic serologist straight out of college because her mother happened across an ad in the paper. “I just naively went and interviewed for it,” she says. While intimidated at first by her colleagues with chemistry and biology degrees, her experience doing blood draw background in medical laboratory science gave her more than enough experience of her own.

Knowing that Laura had pursued a laboratory career, Nathan says, “It was always in the back of my head—this is a path I could do.” Nathan Johnson, PhD, MASCP, MLS(ASCP)DLM, SC, SLS, pursued his medical laboratory science (MLS) degree eight years later He served 28 years in the Air Force, went on to get a PhD in toxicology, and currently is a chair, program director and professor in the College of Health Professions, Department of Laboratory Sciences at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

While Taylor’s interest in microbiology was piqued in high school, she felt both inspired and nurtured along the way by her family. “Dad brought me to ASCP conferences and encouraged my professional development that way,” she says. Taylor is now an LIS analyst with Hendrick Health System in Texas.

For Nathan, it was important that Taylor pick a field of study that had sturdy legs for her future. “I told Taylor, graduate with something you can support yourself with. We have a lot of students who graduate with biology and chemistry and don’t have a way forward.

A mind for solving puzzles

While the three family members have practiced very different aspects of the laboratory sciences, there is a theme that connects them—they’re all interested in the intricacies of solving scientific and medical “puzzles.”

Laura helped solve crimes by building a case through hair comparison and body and blood fluid analysis. “We put some pretty bad people away because of the evidence that we could come up with in the lab,” she says.

Nathan’s strength has long been in math and numbers, which makes him especially good at his job. “I can see things that sometimes other people can't see as quickly,” he says.

Taylor, who also has her specialist certification in Microbiology, loves “unknowns” in microbiology, where students on the bench had to figure out what’s growing. “You get to play detective and do all that fun stuff.” But even now, in her work with LIS, she says, “It’s just a different way of solving the puzzle.”

Changing technologies and practices

Since their three careers collectively span 45 years, the trio has witnessed big changes in technology and practices in laboratory science. Nathan, who has spent a significant amount of time studying the history of medicine and science, said that he’s noticed “each generation has a fundamental shift” in technology.

Laura recalls the manual nature of the job in her early career. “I would literally write down the results on a piece of paper and take that around to the nurses’ station so they could get the lab results,” Laura says with a laugh.

Nathan has worked in the field long enough to see advances in digital pathology and online learning tools revolutionize everything from diagnosis to education.

Meanwhile Taylor works in a lab that not only has sophisticated information systems, but where artificial intelligence (AI) is being incorporated into workflows.

A versatile career path

Nathan feels justified in gently nudging Taylor toward the medical laboratory sciences. Not only has she gotten to do work she loves and is very good at, but she’s been able to transition from one aspect—the microbiology bench work—to another—LIS informatics, all while holding a great job.

Nathan’s career has also spanned a variety of subject areas, and he’s now focused on education, helping to shape future laboratory professionals.

And though Laura’s active duty military husband made it hard for her to work at a single job for long, she was always able to bring her skills to bear as a volunteer at military hospitals.

It’s a field with many possible paths. “You’ve got three of us here and we all three did totally different things. That’s one of the real advantages to this professional choice,” Nathan says.

Careers built in caring for others

The Johnsons are a great reflection of how laboratory professions are not only crucial to patient care but offer a variety of great career choices.

Laura recalls even today how much she loved lab work “and making hard things easier for people,” when she was able to work with patients directly.

Taylor concurs that this is another family trait. “We all care about people—professionally and personally.”