How do you become the best version of yourself? For biologist Meghan De La Rosa, it is not your gender, but your passion that will drive you to improve.
REFERENCES
- Ms. Meghan De La Rosa is a Microbiology and Molecular Biology specialist working in the Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science industry.
- Originally studying Psychology, she instead switched to Clinical/Medical Laboratory Sciences and specialized in Microbiology and Molecular Biology.
- She is one of the few scientists at her laboratory who are trained in both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) diagnostic testing for COVID-19.
- To her, being a woman is not an obstacle, but something that may even keep you going. Your passion is what matters in your journey to improve yourself.
Humble beginnings
“We were poor. I was full of questions when I encountered that life-changing moment.”
An academic scholar and a Dean’s Lister, Ms. Meghan shifted from Psychology to Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science (CLS/MLS) and received a second government scholarship. She migrated to the United States at the age of 23 and transitioned from being a general scientist to being a Microbiology and Molecular Biology specialist.
Great successes
“[There are] a lot [of funny moments while I am on the job]. Truly, I am happy with the work I have now!”
So far, working in this sector of healthcare has been fulfilling for Ms. Meghan, for light and serious reasons alike. Out of the hundreds of scientists at her laboratory, Ms. Meghan is one—and the youngest—of the few who are trained in both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) diagnostic testing for COVID-19.
Gender is never a hindrance to be the best version of yourself… Passion is the key.
Getting where she is now was not all easy, especially in a pandemic. There were many hurdles in her way, from missing the lessons learned from her patients to getting infected with COVID-19 herself. But Ms. Meghan turned to her family and her passion for strength.
“…It never made me hate or question my commitment to this field. I believe my love for science and my desire to achieve my goals are the reasons why I am still [on] this path.”
As a woman in STEM, Ms. Meghan has had her fair share of struggles. Nevertheless, she does not consider her identity to be a limitation—in fact, it is the opposite.
“Being a woman keeps me going! The field of laboratory science is very neutral… From now on, you better start seeing yourself wearing that lab cape!”
For those who want to wear the lab cape or simply know more about CLS/MLS, Ms. Meghan recommends looking for insight by checking out relevant organizations on social media, such as the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS), the College of American Pathologists (CAP), and much more.
Moving forward
At the height of her career, Ms. Meghan still has a lot of goals in mind, such as doing business or even following her childhood dream of becoming a doctor. Her story is not yet over; she continues to build the best version of herself while looking out for the health of her community.
WiTech 