Panther Profiles are Q&A interviews that highlight Panthers of all stripes -- students, faculty, staff, alum, board members and anyone else in the campus community.
Abir AL kalbani completed the master’s program in cytotechnology and molecular cytology in December 2022. A 36-year-old native of Oman, she was urged to pursue her degree from her supervisor in the hospital laboratory where she worked in the country's capital. She learned about ACPHS through other Panther graduates in Oman. She is currently engaged in an internship under the guidance of Program Director and Cytology Instructor Jenna LeBlanc.
Tell us about the work that you did in Oman before coming here.
Abir AL kalbani: I work in a big hospital setting which serves much of the population in Oman. The hospital where I work is a referral hospital. It's in the capital city, Muscat. I work in hematology where I analyze blood tests and blood screenings.
What made you decide to study cytology?
When I was in Oman, my supervisor nominated me to move into cytology due to large needs in that area because so many staff are retiring.
How did you choose ACPHS?
Once they nominated me, I started looking for schools. Two of my friends in Oman studied cytology and they referred me to ACPHS. And if you're wondering why ACPHS, it's very well-known for the programs in health care and health sciences, and that's including cytology.
Was there anything in particular your friend told you about ACPHS that made you want to attend school here?
When I was thinking of coming here, I didn’t have any background in cytology and it was a little bit scary. When they recommended ACPHS, they said they will start you with a basic foundation. The program takes you step by step until you are a master in that field.
When I came here, I found that the class size is small. It's very helpful to work with the faculty, one-on-one, easily. Whenever we are having doubts or we are having a problem with our slides, we'll talk to them.
What does cytology involve?
Cytology is the study of cells. Basically we are taking a cellular sample from the patient and then we screen them, looking for any abnormality or microorganism. Then we make a decision and in the laboratory, the slide will go to the pathologist to agree or disagree with your decision. It’s about diagnosing the patient. It's whether it's cancer or whether it's just a benign tumor.
You might say that you didn’t choose cytology, that it chose you. Do you like it?
I do. It sounds boring, but it’s not. Every slide, every patient, is different. Even if you get the same diagnosis, the slides look different and you have to check the patient information. You are putting puzzles together, including the patient history, the cytology and additional testing.
Tell us me about some highlights of your experience here.
I'm very grateful to do a clinical rotation, especially at St. Peter’s and Ellis hospitals. There you can see how the hospital and laboratory are set up. We work with the medical team, starting with the patient history and then we attend procedures and work with the pathologists. It's also helped me with my skills like communication with pathologists, clinicians, nurses and patient.
Why did you decide to stay past graduation in December?
When I go back to Oman, I will be the only cytologist at the hospital. So I decided to stay a little bit more to do some additional training with Jenna. I'll also be training at Albany Med to learn some processes from the doctors and pathologists there.
When will you return to Oman?
My plan is to return to Oman in June 2023. I will be the only cytologist at the hospital. And they are moving to a bigger hospital setup. So I'm happy help them set up the new labs.
Do you feel confident that what you've learned here will allow you to step into that role?
I'm confident and with all the experience I got here – especially the clinical rotations and learning from Jenna and (Cytology Instructor) Kathy (Palladino). I'm very confident to go back and implement what I have learned.
How do you feel about getting this degree?
I was very comfortable at my job before and I reached a senior position there in hematology. Then to change – it was a very hard decision for me. So I found this very challenging. But I'm very proud of myself. I achieved my goals and I'm ready to go back.