Ovation Star – Kelsey Jackson, Andrologist in Cincinnati
Kelsey Jackson is a former egg donor who joined Ovation Cincinnati with a degree in medical lab sciences and experience working in a blood bank at a children’s hospital. She believes her unique combination of personal and professional experience makes her a better andrologist.
How did you get into your line of work?
I’ve been interested in the medical field since I was little. When I went to college at Miami University, I took a microbiology course, and that is what introduced me to lab work. I ended up getting a degree in medical laboratory science before I accepted a position in the blood bank at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
I gained a lot of experience working in the blood bank and enjoyed my position there. However, I always wanted to use my skills to work in the field of reproductive medicine.
How did you start working at Ovation?
A few years ago, I actually donated my eggs through the Institute for Reproductive Health in Cincinnati. That’s what really got me excited about andrology and embryology.
I decided that if I ever stopped working at the Children’s Hospital, I would go to a lab that focused on reproductive medicine. For a couple of years, I kept my eyes peeled for job openings, and I jumped at the chance when I saw a position at Ovation Cincinnati.
What is an average day of work like for you?
When I get to work each morning, I open up the lab and check all the equipment before doing anything else. Then the patients start rolling in for the day. That’s when we start doing semen analysis and assessing the sperm count of each sample.
I also spend a lot of time prepping sperm for washing for IUI (intrauterine insemination) cycles and prepping sperm for embryologist to inseminate eggs in the IVF lab. It’s a good feeling knowing that I’m preparing each sperm sample to the best of my ability to help improve each patient’s chance of having a baby.
What’s your favorite part of working for Ovation?
There’s a lot to love about working here. The andrology team is so much fun, and every day we have together is a good one. I just love these people and feel proud that we have such a good team here.
I also love coming to work at Ovation every day, knowing that we are helping people create families of their own. It’s really cool. I think having been an egg donor gives me a unique perspective about how beautiful family building is.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I have a three-year-old daughter who is a little adventurer. We have a blast together. We enjoy spending time outside, and it’s amazing to show her the world.
There are also tons of great parks in Cincinnati, so I like to go camping and hiking to take advantage of all the natural beauty.