Kiera Pope, clinical pathology technician, is the 2023 recipient of the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) Director’s Excellence Award in the technical category.
Pope joined the College Station laboratory in 2019 as a diagnostic technician. Her initiative and work ethic, coupled with her previous laboratory experience, led to Pope now serving as a level two technician in her section. Now, Pope is charged with maintaining her section’s chemical inventory and serves as a trainer for her fellow technicians. Within her four years with TVMDL, Pope has cemented herself as a vital part of the clinical pathology section.
“Kiera is fully trained on all clinical pathology testing stations,” Caitlin Wampler, laboratory supervisor and Pope’s nominator, said. “This makes her an excellent resource for any member of the laboratory. She is always working towards the betterment of herself and the lab.”
Pope has served on multiple committees aimed at improving her section. She has helped implement committee feedback that has led to more efficient, streamlined testing processes and regularly seeks out opportunities to better serve clients.
Since joining TVMDL, Pope has cross-trained in three other testing sections. When needed, she will assist her colleagues in opening boxes, accessioning samples, or preparing samples for testing during large-scale testing projects. She regularly volunteers to assist her section outside of business hours to help complete large cases. Her enthusiasm to assist where needed transpired into her leading two large research projects. Each project involved weeks of sample collection, client communication, and tedious data entry. Her commitment to serving those clients led to the clinical pathology section gaining an additional $32,000 in revenue from those projects.
In addition to her phenomenal work ethic, Pope is also praised for her positive attitude and willingness to share her knowledge with other. She regularly leads Lunch n’ Learn presentations and is currently working alongside a pathologist to write a case study.
“Kiera has grown into a well-rounded, gifted technician,” Wampler said. “The service she provides our clients and the environment she offers our team are unparalleled. Her initiative and drive to learn and help, not only our section, but others within TVMDL, are what make her an outstanding candidate for this award.”