3 Questions with Nicholas Steder, MBA, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM

For Nicholas Steder, MBA, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CM, his path to becoming a laboratory professional followed a similar course as many others’. He was interested in a career in medicine, and was applying to medical schools while simultaneously working as an EMT in an ER. While that experienced turned him off of direct patient care, his exploration of other academic medical graduate programs opened up the world of laboratory medicine. When he came across a master’s degree program at Rush in Chicago, the coursework and descriptions of the profession made an impact, and he dove right in. 

Here, Mr. Steder shares his thoughts on his journey in—and out—of the laboratory.  

Have you had any mentors or role models who have influenced your career choice? If so, how have they impacted your journey?  

Since joining the MLS profession, I have had many mentors both at work and in my volunteer experience, and unsurprisingly it was often the same person in both realms. Demetra “Toula” Castillo has been a mentor to me both as one of my professors at Rush and then as I have taken on various leadership roles with ASCLS. Another mentor for me since moving to industry, is Carol LaPenta, who has mentored me greatly in my account management roles and brought me on to the board for the Chicago chapter of ASCP. I will be serving the chapter president this upcoming year. 

What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your field, particularly when it comes to supporting patient care, and how do you personally see the impact of your work on patients?  

I have gone from working in the ER as an EMT, to working the bench as a chemistry specialist, to running my own labs, and now to helping my lab customers excel in their operations. Although I have drifted further away from direct patient care the further in my career I go, at heart it is still about treating the patient. Every time I walk into one of my accounts, I know there are hard working MLS professionals taking the greatest care for every specimen, representing the patients I see walking in and out of every hospital. This motivates me to understand all the novel testing coming out and understanding the new technologies we could be getting into our hospital labs. Really this is what excites me, helping improve operational processes and implementing the latest testing to help treat our patients. 

What are some of the lessons you've learned through the different volunteer roles you’ve taken on, in or out of ASCP?

My volunteer experience with ASCP and ASCLS has been incredibly important to me in my career. I think all MLS professionals should take advantage of these organizations to network and learn new skills to progress their careers. First, the education offered by our professional organizations is tantamount to staying informed and developing the knowledge needed to progress in the profession. Second, the people I have met have helped me get through rough times in the lab, whether it was seeking out the expertise to get me through a CAP inspection and response, or just someone to listen to me complain who knows where I am coming from. It is a great resource to lean on a community who understands your struggles but is not directly involved in your day-to-day job. Volunteering has helped me develop my leadership skills greatly. Helping organize a state meeting for the first time gave me the confidence to apply for my first supervisor position as I had to use the same communications and organization skills required of both.  

I am so excited to be on the BOC DLM committee this year. My old Rush classmate Eunice Choi who works for ASCP, first breached joining the committee when we reunited at the ASCP national meeting in Chicago last year. It has been a pleasure to see how my classmates have grown to be superstar experts in different areas in the profession. Now, I get to use my experience to help influence the questions selected for lab managers to obtain the Diplomate of Lab Management credential! The roster for the committee is quite impressive and I look forward to meeting everyone and hearing the different points of view from around the country.