Career Satisfaction in the Profession of Medical Laboratory Science.

The purpose of this research was to determine which job features create motivation and career satisfaction to retain personnel in the medical laboratory profession. Four research questions based on Wlodkowski's theory of motivation guided the study: Is there a difference in perceived career satisfaction among medical laboratory scientists who: a) feel included by practitioners in other healthcare professions, b) have choices on the job that are personally relevant, c) feel more challenged, and d) feel more competent in their daily work? In order to answer these questions, a survey composed of 33 questions was developed to capture the opinions of medical laboratory professionals who worked in the United States and had at least 1 year of experience. The survey was deployed online and posted on social media sites. Results, based on responses from 333 participants, showed that medical laboratory personnel are more satisfied with their career when they feel included with other healthcare professionals, make choices that are personally relevant, and feel challenged in their work. If current professionals are more satisfied in their work, they might remain in the workforce, and new professionals might be attracted to join the profession, helping to alleviate the shortage of medical laboratory scientists.