Janna Holowick: Medical Technologist

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I help make sure that illnesses are prevented by ensuring that contaminated products do not make it to your dinner plate.

Local 020

There can’t be many civil service employees with a job like Janna Holowick’s. Janna has been employed as a Medical Technologist in the Microbiology Department of Cadham Provincial Laboratory for the past six years, where she specializes in molecular diagnostics.

That job entails working with samples from patients that have been exposed to bacteria, such as E. coli or Salmonella, from things like contaminated food from grocery store shelves or improperly cooked foods at restaurants, among others. 

She tests the samples from various patients to see if the bacteria are identical genetic matches. This helps other healthcare providers to track down the source of the illnesses. This detective work helps figure out the who, what, when and where of potential and real outbreaks.  Without this important work outbreaks wouldn’t be prevented or caught in a timely manner, and more people would get sick.

Janna is also the Local Vice President of Health in Area 7. Although she’s only been in the position about a year, she enjoys helping her coworkers when they have a work-related issue and don’t know what to do or where to turn for help or advice.