A laboratory professional shares how curiosity and adaptability transformed her career from clinical work to healthcare IT, demonstrating that valuable skills transcend job titles and ultimately serve patient care.
Her Story
About Jannila
Jannila Asaad's career has been shaped by a passion for laboratory medicine, a commitment to lifelong learning, and a willingness to embrace new opportunities. She began her journey as a medical laboratory technician in 2017 where she started in the blood bank department before expanding her experience across hematology, urinalysis, chemistry, microbiology, and anatomic pathology. Those years at the bench gave her a deep appreciation for the critical role laboratory scientists play in patient care and sparked an interest in the technology that supports their work.
In 2021, after the birth of her first child, Jannila made the transition from the clinical laboratory to healthcare IT in search of a career that offered greater flexibility while allowing her to stay connected to the profession she loves. Since then, she has specialized in Laboratory Information Systems (LIS), first supporting Epic and third party systems, and now working as a consultant IT analyst across both blood bank and general laboratory informatics. Her unique perspective as both a laboratorian and an IT professional enables her to bridge the gap between clinical workflows and technology, helping create systems that better support those on the front lines of patient care.
Jannila earned her Master of Health Administration with a concentration in Health Informatics in 2024 and maintains her certification through the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) as well as her New York State license as a Clinical Laboratory Technologist. Whether she's collaborating on a new system implementation or advocating for laboratory professionals, she remains driven by the same goal that first drew her to the lab: making a meaningful impact on patient care. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their two young sons, who continue to inspire her pursuit of both professional excellence and a balanced, fulfilling life.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jannila
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to curiosity, perseverance, and a willingness to embrace change. Throughout my career, I've never been afraid to ask questions or pursue opportunities that challenged me, even when they meant stepping into unfamiliar territory. From transitioning from the laboratory bench to healthcare IT to earning advanced degrees while working full-time and raising a family, each step has required adaptability and a commitment to continuous learning.
I also believe my success is rooted in remembering where I started. My years as a medical laboratory scientist shaped the way I approach every project today. They taught me the importance of collaboration, attention to detail, and never losing sight of the people ultimately impacted by the work we do. Whether I'm supporting laboratorians through technology or helping improve workflows, I strive to lead with empathy, stay grounded in purpose, and keep learning every day.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received came from my dad. Early in my college studies, I came home discouraged from school, questioning whether I was good enough and letting other people's opinions affect my confidence.
My late father, who served as a District Attorney in the Dominican Republic, shared something I've carried with me ever since. He said, "I was not the perfect standard of what people thought a lawyer should be, but I didn't listen to anyone's negative opinions."
At the time, those words gave me the reassurance I needed. As my career has evolved, they've taken on an even deeper meaning. I've learned that success isn't about fitting someone else's idea of what you should be—it's about staying true to your values, continuing to learn, and having the courage to pursue opportunities that align with your goals. That advice gave me the confidence to trust my own path.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't be afraid to take up space in rooms where you may feel inexperienced or outnumbered. Your perspective has value, especially if you've done the work and understand the challenges firsthand.
One of the greatest strengths you can have is curiosity. Ask questions, seek out mentors, and never stop learning. The healthcare and technology industries are constantly evolving, and being willing to adapt will take you farther than believing you have to know everything from the start.
I would also encourage young women not to limit themselves to the career path they originally envisioned. My own journey took me from the clinical laboratory to healthcare IT, and I discovered opportunities I never knew existed. The skills you develop—critical thinking, communication, resilience, and problem-solving—can open doors in ways you may not expect.
Most importantly, don't let someone else's opinion define what you're capable of achieving. Believe in your abilities, advocate for yourself, and trust that your unique experiences can become your greatest strength.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges and opportunities in healthcare IT and laboratory informatics right now is finding the right balance between advancing technology and supporting the people who use it.
Laboratories are becoming increasingly complex, with growing demands for efficiency, data management, automation, interoperability, and cybersecurity. As technology continues to evolve, it is essential that systems are designed with the end user in mind. A solution is only successful if it truly supports the laboratorians who rely on it every day.
At the same time, this presents an incredible opportunity. Advances in automation, analytics, and emerging technologies have the potential to transform laboratory operations and allow healthcare professionals to focus more time on what matters most: delivering accurate and timely results for patients.
I believe the future of laboratory informatics depends on collaboration between clinical experts and technology professionals. Having experience on both sides has shown me the importance of bridging that gap. When we combine the knowledge of those who understand the workflow with those who understand the technology, we can create smarter systems that improve efficiency, support healthcare teams, and ultimately enhance patient care.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are faith, family, integrity, and a commitment to serving others.
My faith and my family are the foundation that guide the decisions I make and the person I strive to be. Becoming a mother has given me an even greater appreciation for purpose, balance, and the importance of building a career that allows me to make a meaningful impact while being present for the people who matter most.
In my professional life, I carry those same values with me. Integrity, compassion, and responsibility shape how I approach my work and how I collaborate with others. Working in both the laboratory and healthcare IT has shown me that behind every system, process, and result are real people who depend on us. I believe success is not only measured by accomplishments, but by the positive impact we have on those around us.
My goal is to continue growing professionally while staying grounded in the values that have guided me throughout my journey: faith, family, humility, and a commitment to making a difference.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Jannila
From Microscope to Middleware: What My Journey Taught Me About Building Better Healthcare Technology
How curiosity and opportunity transformed a nursing student into a laboratory professional and healthcare IT innovator.
Curiosity Changed My Career
If you had asked me where my career was headed when I started college, I would have confidently told you I was going to be a nurse.
Life had other plans.
While taking a phlebotomy course, something happened during a clinical rotation that completely changed the direction of my career. One day, a container of kidney stones came flying down the clinic's pneumatic tube system. Most people probably would have looked away. I remember thinking, I want to go where that's going.
That week, I changed my major to Medical Laboratory Technology, and I never looked back.
Finding My Place in the Laboratory
I graduated in 2017 and began my career in the clinical laboratory. Like many laboratorians, I experienced both the highs and the challenges of working behind the scenes in healthcare. Although every department taught me something valuable, I found myself drawn to blood banking. There was something incredibly rewarding about knowing that every decision required precision, critical thinking, and teamwork—and that those decisions could directly impact a patient's outcome.
The laboratory quickly became more than just a job. It became part of who I was.
A New Way to Use the Knowledge I Had Built
In 2021, after the birth of my first son, my perspective shifted. Returning to work after maternity leave was more difficult than I had anticipated. My husband was pursuing his Doctor of Pharmacy degree, and we were balancing new parenthood while navigating demanding careers and school. I needed more flexibility for my family, but I wasn't ready to leave the laboratory behind.
I didn't want a completely new career. I wanted a new way to use the knowledge and experience I had worked so hard to build.
When the opportunity to move into Laboratory Information Systems as an IT Analyst presented itself, I took a chance.
Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
The Technology Supporting Our Laboratories
Working in healthcare IT has taught me that the technology supporting our laboratories is just as important as the instruments sitting on the bench. Before making the transition, the Laboratory Information System was simply a tool I used throughout my shift. If something didn't work, I called someone else to fix it.
Today, I'm one of the people on the other end of that phone call.
That perspective has completely changed how I approach my work.
Every interface, workflow, build decision, and system update ultimately affects the lab technologist trying to deliver accurate results to a physician waiting to make a clinical decision. What may seem like a minor configuration change can save valuable time, reduce unnecessary frustration, or even help prevent an error.
Because I've worked on the bench, I understand what those moments feel like. I know what it's like when multiple instruments are alarming, specimens are piling up, phones are ringing, and every minute matters. I know the pressure of working through a complex blood bank case while balancing everything else happening around me.
Those experiences shape every decision I make today.
When Two Perspectives Work Together
One of the greatest lessons my career has taught me is that the best healthcare technology isn't built by focusing only on software. It's built by listening to the people who use it every day.
Laboratory professionals understand workflow, patient safety, quality, and urgency. IT professionals understand systems, integrations, automation, and data. When those two perspectives work together, incredible things happen.
Technology should never create barriers between healthcare professionals and patient care. It should remove them.
Don't Underestimate the Value of Your Experience
If there's one thing I hope other laboratory professionals take away from my story, it's this: Don't underestimate the value of your experience.
The skills we develop in the laboratory extend far beyond running tests. We learn to think critically under pressure, solve complex problems, communicate effectively, adapt quickly, and remain calm when the stakes are high. Those skills are valuable in leadership, education, quality, informatics, healthcare technology, and countless other fields.
Changing careers didn't mean leaving science behind.
It meant finding another way to serve it.
Today, I may spend more time configuring systems than looking through a microscope, but my mission hasn't changed. I still support the laboratory. I still advocate for the people doing the work. I still believe every improvement—whether it's a streamlined workflow, a successful implementation, or a more intuitive system—ultimately supports better patient care.
Curiosity Led Me into the Laboratory
Sometimes I think back to that moment in my phlebotomy class when a container of kidney stones came down the pneumatic tube.
I had no idea that such a small moment would shape the course of my career.
Curiosity led me into the laboratory.
Opportunity led me into healthcare IT.
Both have given me the privilege of contributing to patient care in different but equally meaningful ways. And if there's one thing I've learned along the way, it's that some of the most impactful careers aren't defined by staying in one place—they're defined by having the courage to grow while never losing sight of the mission that inspired you in the first place.
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