Member Spotlight: Ivan Aditya

Ivan Aditya is the Cytology Technical Lead in the Department of Anatomic Pathology at Royal Inland Hospital Laboratory, Interior Health in British Columbia. In 2018, Ivan was recognized as an American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) 40 Under Forty honoree. We spoke with him to learn more about ASCP and his passion for cytology.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE THAT BEING AN MLT IN CYTOLOGY WAS THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU?

I have always been fascinated by science, especially as it applies to the medical world. My interest in cytology began during a laboratory tour at the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver. I then applied and was accepted into the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology’s (NAIT’s) cytotechnology program. During the two-year program, including a one-year practicum at the BC Cancer Agency, I gained valuable insight and knowledge of the importance of cytologic screening and its relation with early cancer detection and as a key diagnostic tool for improved patient care. 

WHAT IS THE ASCP 40 UNDER FORTY PROGRAM?

The program acknowledges members who are younger than 40 for their leadership and accomplishments in pathology and laboratory medicine. Every year, 40 professionals and residents are selected. I am very grateful and honored to have received this prestigious award.

DESCRIBE SOME OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT LED TO THE ASCP 2018 40 UNDER FORTY HONOR.

In September 2015, I was offered the Cytology Technical Lead position at the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, British Columbia.

In cytology, I have been involved in a number of process improvement projects within the department, in which some of them were part of the quality initiative that I started. The ThinPrep verification project, the cytology process review and the implementation of the Dragon voice recognition software are examples of such projects. I am also a member of the cytology working group for the Interior Health Authority. I believe that by keeping current and introducing ideas to the working group, I contribute to the overall innovation within the profession at the same time. 

Outside of cytology, I am also a member of the laboratory safety committee and the process improvement team. I believe my involvement with them also contributed to the selection decision. I always try to be involved as much as I can in the laboratory, and I have initiated a few projects in which the focus was staff engagement and participation. For instance, I have organized activities that celebrate International Pathology Day as well as National Medical Laboratory Week.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF ACHIEVING AS AN MLT? 

I’m grateful to have a career that allows me to make a difference in people’s lives in the form of early cancer detection as well as providing a key diagnostic tool for improved patient care.