Darmanian named state’s top clinical lab scientist

Christine Darmanian

Christine Darmanian has a lot to celebrate this January. As laboratory director at Community Regional Medical Center, she’s been integral in the recent move to the new clinical lab next to the trauma critical care building. Besides the excitement of the move, she also learned she’s been chosen Clinical Laboratory Scientist of the Year by California Association for Medical Laboratory Technology (CAMLT).

“This was a big surprise and I’m deeply honored,” Darmanian said. “It’s great to be selected by your colleagues for such an award.”

In her quarter-century membership of CAMLT, Darmanian has served as a local chapter and state president along with many other state positions. Her colleagues joked it was very difficult to nominate her secretly because she was on the awards committee.

Darmanian came to Community in 1980 to work at then-Sierra Hospital where, after a one-year internship, she worked for eight years as a clinical laboratory scientist before becoming a supervisor of phlebotomy and client services at Sierra and Clovis hospitals and

Community chemistry technician Ashley Stone was busy at work as the final pieces of the move to a new clinical laboratory were completed.

pathology laboratories for Community. Since 1994, Darmanian has been Community’s director of laboratory services, and served as director of nutritional services from 1994 to 2000.  

On Jan. 14, Darmanian was busy completing the last phase of the move to the new 18,795 square-foot clinical laboratory services building on the downtown Community Regional campus. The previous lab was 7,700 square feet.

Besides the addition of space, said Leo Langhofer, manager of clinical laboratories, the turnaround time will be improved and the lab will be able to handle a larger volume.

This story was reported by Mary Lisa Russell. She can be reached at mrussell@communitymedical.org.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008