What does an average day look like?
For Ana Silva, no two days are alike, and she thrives in the whirlwind of responsibilities that come with her role.
“Right now, it’s probably a mix of two or three different jobs,”
Ana laughs.
“On the one hand, I’m a senior in serology, so I’m managing the day-to-day routine, often with very old and temperamental equipment. It’s organised chaos at best.”
In addition to her serology duties, Ana juggles meetings and project planning, especially as part of her work on the implementation phases of the Beckman process. This is where her role as a certified change practitioner comes into play:
“It feels like I’m wearing three hats at once—my regular role, the project work, and contributing to the change management initiative to get it off the ground. There’s a lot going on!”
Amid the chaos, Ana finds joy in troubleshooting and problem-solving:
“There’s something strangely satisfying about untangling complex problems. Even when it’s stressful, I remind myself and my team that we’ll figure it out. Outwardly, I project calm and confidence—it keeps the team grounded and moving forward.”
What is your favourite thing about the job?
For Ana, the magic of her work lies in the fusion of science and problem-solving:
“I genuinely enjoy troubleshooting—it’s what drew me to serology and blood sciences in the first place. There’s something deeply rewarding about taking a process that isn’t working and figuring out how to fix it.”
She also finds herself captivated by the intricacies of unusual patient cases:
“The weird and wonderful cases are my favourite. These are the ones where we need to collaborate across disciplines—looking into pathology results, transfusion histories, or even chemistry data to validate what we’re seeing. It’s like solving a puzzle, and every piece adds to the bigger picture.”
Beyond the technical challenges, Ana cherishes the moments of connection within her team:
“It’s not just the science—it’s the people. Collaborating, mentoring, and building trust with my colleagues adds a whole other layer of fulfilment to what I do.”
Is there a moment you will always remember?
When asked about standout moments, Ana reflects on the many chaotic situations she’s navigated:
“I can’t pinpoint a single moment, but there are countless instances where everything was happening at once. My job is to keep everyone moving forward and finding solutions together.”
These moments, though stressful, are also deeply rewarding:
“They stick with me because they’re a testament to resilience and teamwork. It’s incredible what we can achieve when we pull together, even under pressure.”
After nearly eight years at St. George’s, Ana feels a deep connection to the hospital:
“I absolutely love this place. It’s not perfect—it’s chaotic and unpredictable—but that’s part of its charm. I joke that it’s like Stockholm Syndrome; I’ve fallen in love with the chaos, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Her experience at St. George’s has shaped not only her career but also her perspective on the power of teamwork, resilience, and a shared sense of purpose:
“Working here has shown me how much we can achieve when we embrace the chaos and work together. It’s challenging, but it’s also why I love what I do.”
How did you get into pathology?
Ana’s passion for pathology has been a lifelong journey.
“I knew I wanted to work in healthcare from a young age, but I also knew I didn’t want to be a doctor or nurse. I wanted to be in the background, working with science.”
Her career path began in Lisbon, Portugal, where she discovered her love for cellular pathology during her studies:
“I was browsing healthcare degrees, looking for something that clicked. When I came across cellular pathology, I just knew it was what I wanted to do. Even when my programme merged with biomedical sciences, my passion for pathology stayed the same.”
Ana’s career took an international turn in 2017 when she came to the UK for an internship:
“I was the first student to do this internship from Portugal—it felt like a leap of faith, but it paid off. I fell in love with the work and the hospital, and I’ve been here ever since.”