I and a few Biotech students visited the Inova Laboratories last Wednesday March 12th. It was awesome. The lab managers and technologists were very inviting and informative. The lab we visited in Falls Church is Inova’s reference lab. They do samples and specimens that do not need to be tested and reported STAT. My group’s tour started with phlebotomy. Inova conducts their own phlebotomy course and the instructors taught my students how to draw blood on a manikin arm. We went through all departments and was able to see gram positive and gram negative organisms through their microscopes. Most all of the lab is automated and it was fascinating to see the process. I wasn’t able to get photos in the “Gross Lab” but we were able to hold/touch/handle diseased lungs and other organs. We learned a lot and had a great time.
Ron Martin high school teacher 