Influential Woman · Healthcare

Veronica Wilhelm

Core Laboratory Manager, UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO MEDICAL CENTER

Toledo, OH 43614

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Master of Healthcare Administration Degree Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology Degree Bachelor of Science in Biology Cert Medical Laboratory Scientist Member South Central Association for Clinical Microbiology

Her Story

About Veronica

I am a medical laboratory scientist with approximately 30 years of experience in healthcare. I originally was thinking pre-med when I started college, but decided I didn't want to go to school for that long. I discovered this career instead and have zero regrets. I have worked in hospital clinical labs mostly, and right now I am the core lab manager. I do a lot of oversight of people as well as overseeing the testing and the tests that are performed in-house. I'm always looking for ways to improve our patient safety and satisfaction, while turning out accurate results in a timely manner. There's a saying about medical laboratory scientists that without us, your physician is just guessing. The results of the blood work can lead them towards diagnosing their patients - they don't know if someone has a low potassium until they send it to us to test. I started as a generalist and worked as a generalist for quite a while, and then I did specialize more in microbiology, but I never got rid of my generalist abilities. I continued to work contingent to keep that generalist ability. Now managing the whole clinical lab, I need the knowledge from all the departments to be most effective. Currently, I'm working on bringing in a new instrument in our cancer center that's going to improve patient care and turnaround time. Patients won't have to come in a day early, so it'll save them making multiple trips and improve patient satisfaction. This new analyzer will allow same-day testing in the cancer center. I love my job and every bit about it. It's a very fulfilling career. We save lives.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Veronica

01What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to always being willing to learn and keeping my knowledge up to date. Never stop trying new things and being willing to step up. It's really about being willing to learn and staying current, because things are always changing in healthcare and the laboratory. Starting with a good, strong base as a generalist makes you more marketable in the future and gives you the foundation you need to grow.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

For my particular career, the best advice would be to be a generalist and work the off-shifts at the beginning, because you'll gain so much knowledge from doing that. Just always look for ways to improve your knowledge and grow more, because things are always changing. You can specialize later, but I think it's good to get a solid, strong base first. It makes you more marketable and gives you the foundation you need to succeed in this field.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I would say to do it, you won't regret it. I I love my job. I love every bit about it. There's not a lot of direct patient interaction, but you still are a crucial part of their care. It's a very fulfilling career. You get to make a real impact on patient care without the emotional burden of direct patient interaction all the time.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

Creating awareness of the career. Very few people know what a Medical Laboratory Scientist is, making getting new Medical Laboratory Scientists difficult.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Integrity, Accountability, Attentiveness, Optimism

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