Kimberly Schramm

Name: Kimberly Schramm MT (ASCP), but I go by Kim.

Tell me about yourself?

Microbiology Lead Technologist

How long have you been employed at WHS?

I have been here for almost a year already! I’ve worked in the laboratory field for nearly 28 years.

Was it always in the same department?

At Washington, I have only worked in Microbiology. I did start my career as a lab generalist, which means I’ve worked in Chemistry, Coagulation, Hematology, Urinalysis, Serology, and also Blood Bank. I also worked as a phlebotomist and in Lab Information Systems, but I enjoy Microbiology the most.

Education:

I have an AAS in Medical Laboratory Technology that I received in 1992 from West Virginia Northern. I also have a BS in Clinical Laboratory Science that I received from West Liberty University in 1997.

Hobbies outside of work:

My family has a campsite on the Muskingum River in Ohio, so I enjoy camping, boating, and relaxing around a campfire. My husband and I also enjoy golfing!

Family, pets, etc?

I married Jeff, my high school sweetheart, 28 years ago. We have two sons, Austin and Garrett. Garrett is a senior this year amongst this pandemic. I think he is actually enjoying his time off! We have a dog named Toby that we adopted from our local shelter, and a cat named Mittens.

What are you grateful for?

I am really grateful for my job here at Washington. The hospital I worked at for most of my career closed its doors and I truly feel fortunate I had the opportunity to get this position in the Microbiology Lab.

What radio station or kind of music do you listen to on your way to work?

I listen to 97.3 Murphy, Sam, and Jodi Show in the morning on my way to work. I can relate to their stories and love the light rock music. Also, everyone that knows me, know that if a Bon Jovi song comes on, the volume gets cranked up!

What is your favorite restaurant? Tell us about it and what you normally get to eat.

I have a favorite dish at any restaurant! So I’d have to say that my favorite restaurant is C-J’s in Stockport Ohio, which happens to be owned and operated by my mother-in-law. For the past 30 years she has been providing lots of yummy choices! I enjoy the “Baco-Chicken” sandwich. It is served on a Diamond Jim bun with chicken strips, American cheese, bacon, and homemade spaghetti sauce. Then, of course, the blackberry pie is the best for dessert!

If you could choose one household chore that you would never have to do again, what would it be and why?

It would be amazing if I never had to put laundry away ever again! I just don’t like doing it!

What TV shows are you hooked on?

This Is Us, New Amsterdam, and all the Chicagos!

What do you want people to know about the COVID-19 pandemic?

This pandemic has surely brought light to my profession! I learned in the beginning of my career that a Medical Technologist is a lab professional behind the scenes of quality patient care! We are often forgotten about, so please know we are a team that works hard to get results to your doctor as quickly as we can.

We are the first to know when a test is positive or a result is critical. We also know that each specimen we get is “our patient”. We may not see you, but we treat your sample as if it belonged to a family member of our own.

The clinical microbiology field has changed tremendously over the years and Washington Hospital has definitely kept up to provide excellent state of the art instrumentation for their patients!

To have a new disease and a test available that is sensitive and specific within weeks is amazing. Then to also be able to bring this testing in house to serve our community is great! I was so excited when I was notified of the COVID-19 test kit release…almost like getting a Christmas gift early!

I want to remind everyone to please listen to the medical professionals and stay safe! Hang in there; we are all trying our best to help!