👋🏾 Hello, my little Gang of Nasties! I’m really glad you’re here. This space was made specifically for students and future lab professionals who are trying to study smarter, stay motivated, and finally pass the ASCP exam without losing their minds. Whether you’re still in school, prepping for boards, or coming back after a break—this is your space. 👇 Introduce yourself to our FREE Community: 1. What’s your name? 2. Where are you in your lab journey (Student? Graduated already?) 3. Which department is your biggest struggle? 4. Which department is your favorite? I’ll go first… My name is Marilyn, aka @marilynthescientist 👩🏾‍🔬 I’m a Clinical/Medical Laboratory Scientist with 10 years of experience in the field. 💉 I’ve worked everywhere—from tiny Critical Access Hospitals to busy Level 1 Trauma Centers. 🧳 6 of those years were spent traveling across the U.S. 🩸 Currently, I’m holding it down as a Blood Bank Supervisor in California. This space is here for us to learn, laugh, rant, and master the lab world together. No dumb questions, EVER! 📲 Follow me on socials if you want extra lab tips, rants, and ratchet breakdowns: Instagram | TikTok 🧬 If you ever have questions—even the “silly” ones—DM me or post them in the group. 😤💅🏾

Greetings Gang, We had our live study session today! Here is the recording AND the summary of what we discussed! See you on the next one! VIEW RECORDING - 102 mins (No highlights) Meeting Purpose Review random LabCE questions for ASCP exam prep. Key Takeaways - Leukoreduction vs. Irradiation: Leukoreduction prevents CMV transmission (virus is in WBCs) and febrile reactions. Irradiation is required to prevent Graft-vs-Host Disease (GvHD) by inactivating all immunocompetent lymphocytes, a step leukoreduction alone cannot guarantee. - ABO Discrepancy Types: Group 2 discrepancies are caused by weak or missing antigens (e.g., A subgroups, acquired B phenomenon), while Group 1 is from weak or missing antibodies (e.g., newborns, elderly). - Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS): A key diagnosis for a patient with fever, elevated BP, low platelets, and schistocytes, especially with a gram-negative rod infection (often E. coli O157). - Spectrophotometry & Electrochemistry: Stray light is the primary cause of Beer's Law deviation. Electrochemistry is the basis for potentiometry, amperometry, and coulometry, which measure ions and gases (e.g., PO2 electrode). Topics Blood Bank & Transfusion - Leukoreduction vs. Irradiation - Leukoreduction: Filters WBCs from blood products.Prevents: CMV transmission (virus is in WBCs) and febrile reactions (recipient anti-WBC antibodies). Ineffective against: GvHD (some WBCs can pass filter), malaria (in RBCs), and bacteremia (bacteria are too small to be filtered). Irradiation: Inactivates all immunocompetent lymphocytes.Required for: Preventing GvHD in immunosuppressed patients. - ABO DiscrepanciesGroup 1 (Weak/Missing Antibodies) - Causes: Newborns, elderly, immunodeficiency. Result: Weak or negative reactions in the reverse grouping.Group 2 (Weak/Missing Antigens): Causes: A/B subgroups, leukemia, acquired B phenomenon. Result: Weak or negative reactions in the forward grouping. - Antibody Screen Interpretation - A positive screen requires the corresponding antigen to be present on the screening cells. If an antigen is absent, the antibody cannot be the cause of the reaction.

Hi everyone! Needing some advice please 🫶🏻 Micro has been kicking my buuuuutttt this semester to the point where I know my teacher doesn’t have hope in me 🥲 I’ve asked them for help but it’s pretty obvious , they get frustrated every time I do so, so I tend to just stay quiet and ask my other classmates for help. And that’s sad to say. I’ve tried taking my own notes , notebooklm , and now trying flashcards. I don’t know what else to do honestly 😭 I’m bummed out! It’s my final semester of my program and I want to prove her wrong! What else can you all recommend ? TIA!

Greetings Gang, I just dropped TWO of the most high-yield resources I’ve ever made: 🧫 Bacteriology Buzzwords Chart 🦠 Ultimate Parasitology Guide Both are quick, dirty, straight to the point... no textbook overload or extra nonsense you don’t need. These have the most heavily tested organisms, patterns, and clues you need to pass your board exam. 🔬🥳 LAB WEEK PRESALE DEAL Each guide: $5 (regularly $10) This is presale pricing from now until the end of Lab Week. It will NOT stay this low. (to find the charts, go to Classroom tab on the top of your screen) 📚 WHAT YOU’RE GETTING - High-yield organism charts - Straight buzzwords that actually show up on exams - Easy pattern recognition - Built for LAST-MINUTE review AND long-term retention 🎉 LAB WEEK KICKOFF SESSION We’re starting Lab Week RIGHT: 🗓 Monday 4/20 We’re having a FREE group session to kick everything off! I'm very excited for this one! ⚠️ DON’T MISS THIS... There will ALSO be: 🔥 A sale on the subscription to the Inner Circle community this weekend (right before Lab Week) Make sure you’re watching my Instagram and Facebook stories to click the sale link. To everyone who is studying hard... If you’ve been saying, “I just need something that makes this CLICK…” This is it. Love you all, super excited! xoxo, Marilyn

Hi guys, I'm sharing my experience with my recent exam, which focused on blood banking and microbiology. The questions weren't necessarily difficult, but I struggled with understanding the English language, as it's not my first language. The answers were often very similar, which threw me off. When I was studying for 3 months, I found the process really challenging. I'd translate each question, recall the concept, apply it, and then translate the options to check my answer. It was a lot to handle, and I got frustrated at times. Now, I feel like not trying again since not only it could be a loss of money and I'm unsure whether to start studying again immediately or take a break to let my frustration settle. On one hand, I worry that delaying my studies will cause me to forget the little I know, which could put me at a disadvantage. On the other hand, diving back in without addressing my weaknesses and frustrations might not be the most effective approach. I don't know what to do!!!??? One thing I know for sure is that next time I am studying, I will study with Marilyn every Sunday. I feel like I reallyneed to study with somebody else.