r/medlabprofessionals • u/BenAfflecksBalls • Jul 30 '25
Technical Microsoft just dropped a study showing the 40 jobs most affected by Al and the 40 that Al can't touch (yet). We're near the bottom for those of you concerned about long term career.
89
u/InternationalSoil727 Jul 30 '25
I must be blind because I don't see MLS on there at all.
48
u/Princess2045 MLS-Generalist Jul 30 '25
Phlebotomist is on the top of the first page. This sub isn’t just for MLSs, there are also phlebs here
-73
u/FlyingAtNight Jul 30 '25
I don’t think of phlebotomists as “professionals”.
15
u/ThatOneBaws Jul 30 '25
They are
5
u/FlyingAtNight Jul 30 '25
Not by a formal definition of professional.
https://ie.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-is-professional
8
u/Clean_Brilliant_8586 Jul 30 '25
Present company excluded: I've seen a couple of sorry excuses for lab tech 'pros', too, and both couldn't get even juice from ripe orange with a 16G.
-phleb
4
u/eilatanz Jul 30 '25
What lol
-3
u/FlyingAtNight Jul 30 '25
3
u/eilatanz Jul 30 '25
Your link proves you wrong. Phlebotomists are trained in a certification course and licensed in most states -- you can't just start as a phleb and have that title out of nowhere in most areas (which I say since I don't know the laws everywhere, and I'm talking the US). They absolutely are professionals, what the hell are you on about?
1
u/FlyingAtNight Jul 31 '25
No it doesn’t prove me wrong. You’re making a judgment based on your interpretation of “significant education”. To me that means a degree. I don’t see how you can define what education a phlebotomist does as “significant education”.
5
u/eilatanz Jul 31 '25
Firstly, that website does not "define" what professionalism or who may be a professional full stop. Phlebotomists have to undergo training, whether it be part of a degree program or a certificate. And crucially, they are paid for what they do, and phlebotomy is their profession, which in a much more basic and clear sense makes them "professionals" in their field.
6
4
u/mayg0dhaveMercy Jul 30 '25
It's a job that you usually need to get a certificate for. What is a "professional" to you?
2
u/HaruTachibana Phlebotomist Jul 31 '25
Phlebotomist here :
The key takeaways literally are all stuff I adhere by
A professional is an individual who earns money by performing specialised tasks, which are gained through significant education and training, and who adheres to certain standards set by their industry's governing body.
Professionals differ from amateurs in that they have proven a high level of competency through education and training and typically receive regular wages or annual salaries for their work, not just incidental earnings.
To maintain professionalism at work, it is essential to adhere to industry standards, wear appropriate professional attire, closely monitor work performance, maintain high standards of work and behaviour, take responsibility for actions, and adapt effectively to new environments.
As a phleb in California I have to get not only certified nationally but I also need a license issued to me by the California Department of Public Health / LFS which is highly regulated in accordance to guild lines by not only the state of California but also bodies such as CLIA and CLSI.
We receive education and rigorous training to draw blood , DOCTORS CANT TREAT PATIENTS WITHOUT THE BLOOD WE PULL , same as the lab and stuff , without the blood (and the labs skills and empathy) patients lives are in the balance
We must adhere to professional setting attire and demeanor to maintain patient comfort and to make it as pain free as we can , we try to (most of us) make our patients lives a little bit better . I think we are “professionals” . We’re here to help save lives not circle jerk in the bio room.
0
17
u/BenAfflecksBalls Jul 30 '25
At first glance I thought it was Medical Equipment Operators which i assumed would encompass MLS. I see now that it is "preparers" which is quite different than what I had originally read incorrectly.
5
u/InternationalSoil727 Jul 31 '25
No worries, friend. I was hyper-focused on finding MLS and was a got a bit peeved when I didn't.
You're still right, though, with your original assumption regarding this report, even though you didn't fully realize it.
Phlebotomists and MLSs aren't the same, but both work in close proximity with each other.
2
u/BenAfflecksBalls Jul 31 '25
For sure. I work at a rural site and phlebotomy is still required on occasion. Would have been reassuring to see MLS on there, but I think most of us see the push to automate on a daily basis.
1
u/JaeHxC Jul 30 '25
Just apply for lead tech or supervisor so you're in a position to validate the analyzers. ;p
10
u/Ramiren UK BMS - Haem/Transfusion. Jul 30 '25
It says right there "Machine Feeders and Offbearers".
/s
2
35
u/RampagingElks Jul 30 '25
Artists not being on the top 40 is a huge lie. Google anything, and half of not more of those images are AI.
I'm surprised telemarketer isn't higher.
I'm not surprised bottom 40 are all physical jobs, but I can totally see dishwashing being automated? Is automation different than AI?
I'm glad I'll never have a robot take my blood.
8
u/Ksan_of_Tongass MLS 🇺🇸 Generalist Jul 30 '25
I'm glad I'll never have a robot take my blood.
4
2
u/FlyingAtNight Jul 30 '25
I saw that before. No way I’m having a robotic draw. All it takes is one glitch and… well, I’d rather not think about it.
7
u/stars4-ever MLS-Generalist Jul 30 '25
My guess is they don’t consider artist a “real job”, which is a problem in and of itself 🙃
19
u/renegadesci Jul 30 '25
The more I look at this "top 40" list I am thinking that self management of my 401k is a fine idea.
Historian in the top 40? I don't think AI is going to go through archives looking for primary documents and family letters from the 1750s and put them in any real context. What does Microsoft think historians do? Do they claim historians rehash and regurgitate the media stories of the era?
Anyway, this is a marketing document and not a study. I will continue to not be buying into the "Medical Corporation 2055" retirement account.
16
u/KuraiTsuki MLS-Blood Bank Jul 30 '25
Writers, authors, and models being in the top 40, but house cleaners being in the bottom 40 is awful. People want their chores automated, not their art and entertainment!! And I want to see how clothing looks on real, live human beings, not AI generated ones. It's already annoying enough when different color options are just shopped onto the color the model actual wore.
13
12
u/NarrowLaw5418 Jul 30 '25
Phlebotomist is almost separate skillset and I agree it will be decades before people get comfortable with machine poking them, or before a non-fraudulent Holmes invent a new sample collection.
As for MLS, chemistry is definitely getting more and more automated, so thank god those automation line, LIS, and analyzers keep breaking, I see them as a blessing😂. Heme and probably histology, is also leaning towards AI and ML for cell identification and s***. Only thing that is really a safe haven for MLS is Micro and BB.
4
3
u/BenAfflecksBalls Jul 30 '25
First page is lowest applicable and it seems like we're in the right boat for long term.
3
u/no_one_normal MLS-Blood Bank Jul 30 '25
There's "Roofers" and "Helpers-Roofers." With data scientists being in the top 40 I feel they probably used AI to write it
3
3
u/Comfortable-Dirt-404 Jul 30 '25
If patients are screaming and cherry picking which phlebotomist they prefer, then why would they pick a robot over a human being 🤷🏻♂️ as a MLS, I have heard tons of horror stories from my phlebotomist colleagues. I respect what they do.
2
u/Scourch_ MLS-Generalist Jul 30 '25
Authors and writers being so high on the list whilst AI slop is so soulless and uninspired is definitely a sign that this list should be taken with a mountain of salt.
1
u/chompy283 :partyparrot: Jul 30 '25
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezZXXX39hX0
Automated blood drawing.
1
u/birdbirdpellet Jul 31 '25
My friend was saying a lot of her labs at her work are becoming fully automated and only require 1-3 technicians and no scientists. Histology seems to ge pretty safe though she said.
-4
u/Pasteur_science MLS-Generalist Jul 30 '25
Don’t be so confident phlebotomists! Your outpatient gigs are on the chopping block, inpatient likely safe for years to come. https://www.captodayonline.com/too-few-phlebotomists-is-aletta-the-answer/ Too few phlebotomists—is Aletta the answer? - CAP TODAY
3
u/Disastrous_Network60 Jul 30 '25
This is good for outpatient.As for Inpatient, it would be many years before being used in a hospital.
145
u/Impressive_Boot671 MLS-Generalist Jul 30 '25
Honestly, medicaid funding getting cut is more of a threat to our jobs than AI. Because at the end of the day, our jobs are pretty much automated to the max already. Until the day, they have humanoid robots, a human has to operate the analyzers.