When I first chose Medical Laboratory Science, I never imagined I would one day be standing on a stage, microphone in hand, addressing a room full of young vibrant medical Laboratory scientists eager to shape the future of diagnostics.

But this month, that happened.

I was invited as the Keynote Speaker at the UNILAG NIMELSSA 2025 Health Symposium event themed “Diagnosing Your Difference” on Thursday last week and it was such a lovely time spent with them. First of all, the way these upcoming Scientists celebrate themselves is on another level, I personally consider it time well spent.

And to crown the moment, they handed me a plaque, something I will cherish for a long time, not just for what it is, but for what it represents: proof that impact leaves footprints and that people are watching, even when you’re just showing up to do the work.

They did this procession dance where the graduating class danced into the hall in pairs looking extremely doped and glammed up, it was so lovely, during our time, we were too scared to do things like that. I loved it.

The Message I Shared, “Diagnosing Your Difference”

The theme couldn’t have been more personal. I shared with the students that just like we use markers to interpret lab results, we can use three markers to interpret our unique career path:

1️⃣ The Passion Marker– What lights you up, even when no one is watching?

2️⃣ The Skill Marker– What comes naturally to you, something people always commend?

3️⃣ The Impact Marker – Where can you use your skills to change lives?

For me, those markers aligned perfectly when I realized I loved strategy and communication, had a natural flair for simplifying complex science, and felt fulfilled knowing my work was helping get diagnostics to people who needed them most.

Treating Your Difference Like a Diagnosis

I encouraged them to see their careers like a treatment plan:

✔ Confirm the Diagnosis: Be honest about what excites you beyond routine lab work.

✔ Treat the Condition: Upskill, find mentors, attend conferences, ask bold questions.

✔Monitor Progress: Build visibility by sharing insights, volunteering, and letting people know you for your expertise.

This is exactly how I transitioned from the bench to working on projects that now shape diagnostic access in Africa.

Seeing Beyond the Bench

I reminded them that their degree is not just a degree and especially not a cage; it’s a launchpad. There’s a much bigger world out there:

• Marketing: Educating users and telling the story of diagnostics.
• Supply Chain: Ensuring life-saving tests reach every clinic.
• Global Health & Regulatory Affairs: Influencing policies and approvals.
• Entrepreneurship: Creating solutions we didn’t have before.

And yes, I could see the lightbulbs going off in the room as I spoke, faces changed as students realized they had more options than they ever imagined.

Fulfilment, for me, is variety and impact. On some days, I’m sitting in strategy meetings, another I’m talking to lab managers in clinics. Every step takes me further from just “processing samples” to building systems that change lives.

Receiving that plaque at the end of my keynote was such a beautiful way to finish , it was a reminder that every bold step we take inspires someone else to dream bigger.

So here’s the same message I gave them:

Your difference is your power. Diagnose it early, pursue it intentionally, and nurture it consistently.

The world doesn’t just need more lab scientists, it needs lab scientists who dare to be different.

And to everyone reading this: The bench is only the beginning.

If this resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you. How are you diagnosing your difference? What markers are you seeing in your own journey?

Until the next edition,

Nancy