Payton Porubsky, student assistant in the client services section, is the 2023 recipient of the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) Director’s Excellence Award in the student category.
Porubsky joined the College Station laboratory in 2022. She is part of the team charged with accessioning samples, inputting case information, and ensuring each sample is ready to begin testing. Though laborious, this is a critical step in the testing process. The College Station laboratory receives an average of 650 cases each day. The number of samples needing testing in each case vary from one to hundreds. Each sample must be processed, and its information entered into TVMDL’s laboratory management system before testing can begin.
Porubsky excels in her primary tasks and regularly seeks out other opportunities to serve her section. When needed, she takes the initiative to communicate with clients to ensure TVMDL has accurate information and is praised for her professionalism and attention to detail by her coworkers.
“Payton seems to enjoy opening, accessioning, and stickering the cases no one else likes,” Dr. Ashley Arnold, client services section head and Porubsky’s nominator, said. “She will enter data in long and complicated spreadsheets, count semen straws and vials by the hundreds, reconcile fresh tissues, and sticker the largest cases available. Few people are built this way, and we are so incredibly fortunate to have her on our team.”
Despite her heavy course load at Texas A&M University, Porubsky dedicates the maximum number of hours allowed of her as a student assistant to her section. She is also typically the first to volunteer to stay beyond work hours, when the need arises. Most recently, she is praised for staying past standard working hours to help deliver and process a large number of packages that were mistakenly held at a postal hub. Without her assistance, those samples would have been delayed in testing.
In addition to her incredible work ethic, Porubsky is commended for her positive attitude and genuine interest in helping others.
“Payton is trustworthy, efficient, effective, and has a work ethic that cannot be taught,” Dr. Arnold said. “Her graduation in the spring will be bittersweet for all of us. We always knew this day would come, but it is so difficult to let go of an amazing person and staff member like Payton. Payton’s daily actions support the mission of TVMDL and match the spirit of this award.”