Donna Castellone and Theresa Tellier-Castellone: From Medical School Dreams to Medical Laboratory Scientists

Not every child takes their parents’ advice on a career path, but in Theresa Tellier-Castellone’s case, listening to her mother, Donna—and becoming a medical laboratory scientist (MLS)—turned out to be one of the best decisions of her life.

Though Theresa, EdD, MPH, MLS (ASCP), now 43, initially considered medical school, she spent a decade working in clinical microbiology before transitioning into education. Today, she is the program director of two hospital-based MLS programs in the School of Medical Technology at Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in Rhode Island.

Theresa was inspired early by her mother, Donna Castellone, MS, MASCP, MLS(ASCP)SH, age 70, who spent her 44-year career as a clinical laboratory scientist and technical specialist in special coagulation at large hospitals. Donna also served as a supervisor and quality manager. Since retiring, she’s continued contributing to the field by consulting for several companies and laboratories, teaching online, and blogging regularly.

Theresa wasn’t the only one in the family who originally dreamed of medical school—it had also been her mother’s goal. Though neither ultimately pursued that path they don’t have any regrets.

The journey away from medical school

Donna’s medical school ambitions were impeded by the realities of the late 1970s. “For most women, it was near impossible without a 4.0,” Donna recalls. Yet she found her own rewarding path within special coagulation, building “an amazing rapport” with many clinicians and doctors and teaching countless physician residents during hematology rounds. She knew medical school was not “out of my bandwidth” but “just part of the circumstances of the times.”

Theresa got glimpses into her mother’s career in early childhood, where she grew up listening to her mother’s stories and visiting her workplace. She saw the versatility of Donna’s career trajectory, which was “not linear,” and reflected on Donna’s point that there’s “so much a medical laboratory scientist can do.”

By the time Theresa had to choose a career path, exposure to her mother’s field and an innate desire to help others had culminated in her desire to be a pediatrician. However, Donna suggested a backup plan if she didn’t get into medical school.

“She told me, ‘If you major in medical laboratory science, you will always have a career. As a medical laboratory scientist, you can always do something that will help you make money,’” Theresa recalls. “And so, in that moment I said, okay, even as an 18-year-old, I'll listen to my mother.”

For Theresa, taking the MLS path over medical school turned out to be the best possible choice. “I’m grateful it didn’t come to fruition. I don’t think I’d be as fulfilled as I am where I’m at now.”

A teacher blooms

While Theresa found fulfillment working as a medical laboratory scientist for ten years, she was surprised to find something she liked even more: teaching, a job she’s been in for 12 years.

When her students ask if she misses working in the lab, Theresa says, “I tell them every day, I miss it with all of my heart, but I love teaching just a little bit more.” She especially loves getting to pay forward all that she learned from working in the laboratory.

Independent but adjacent paths

Other than urging Theresa toward an MLS degree early in her career, Donna has rarely felt the need to give Theresa much guidance along the way. “Theresa's always been independent and smart and creative and definitely her own person.”

The only two pieces of advice Donna gave her daughter toward her career were: “You have to be on time, and you have to get along with people.”

However, the two do talk shop and commiserate as needed. “I talk to my mom all the time. To be able to go to her for professional advice outside of personal advice has always been comforting for me,” Theresa says.

Demonstrating the value of hard work

Perhaps Donna didn’t need to give any hard advice because she modeled all the skills and qualities Theresa and her two other daughters needed instead, qualities Theresa deeply admires.

“She worked hard for us to give us kids the life that she wanted to give us, but she also worked hard to be the professional that she wanted to be, and she knew how to balance both,” Theresa says.

Theresa has adopted similar strategies in her own work and family. Her wife is also an MLS, and they have one child. 

For Donna, she just didn’t know any other way: to build the career she wanted meant working hard. To be the kind of mother she wanted meant showing up for her kids. She feels fortunate to have been able to do both.

Mother and daughter have forged laboratory science careers that are rich and rewarding but they both highlight that such a path requires dedication.

Donna says, “People are always saying to me, ‘how did you get to do all the things you did?’ I worked my ass off,” Donna says, adding, “I had tremendous support and opportunities from peers and mentors.” Donna is proud to see that Theresa carries on that same work ethic.