Peekskill resident Mibelto Rodriguez-Fernandez has worked at the New York Blood Center for almost nine years as a medical technologist in the Long Island City office. In his position, he analyzes blood, carefully examining stem cells and T cell counts to ensure that when a blood transfusion takes place, the blood is safe and the recipient will not experience any medical complications.
Rodriguez-Fernandez utilizes flow cytometry, which is a lab method that detects and analyzes the clinical and physical characteristics of blood cells. For example, he will look at the number of white blood cells in a sample. If the numbers of white blood cells are too high, the blood donation is not safe for transfusion.
“People don’t see what we do, but our job guarantees that the blood a patient receives from us is safe. We help people with blood or genetic disorders and cancer. As a scientist, I find the job rewarding. People really need us,” he says.
Rodriguez-Fernandez immigrated from the Dominican Republic as a teenager. At first there was a language barrier, but he was determined to overcome it. He obtained his associate degree in biology at Hostos Community College in the Bronx and then a bachelor’s in medical technology at Hunter College in Manhattan.
According to the New York Blood Center’s website, the proposed salary for his type of job is $44.89–$52.82 per hour. Rodriguez-Fernandez is looking forward to a shorter commute when he relocates to the Rye office shortly. “There will be a lot of opportunities there and more jobs with the larger facility,” he notes.
“I love coming to work every day, and knowing that I am doing something that will save someone else’s life is very satisfying,” he says. In the future, Rodriguez-Fernandez hopes to grow with the organization and perhaps become a manager or supervisor.
Related: Check out These In-Demand Healthcare Jobs in Westchester County
