Kirstin Dohrer, Quality Assurance Coordinator at the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, has worked at the College of Veterinary Medicine since April of 2017. Dohrer holds 16 years of research experience in the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology as a Research Specialist in Life Sciences/Coordinator of Research Programs.
Describe your role at the college:
I oversee the VDL’s quality assurance program and ensure compliance with its accreditation requirements. My job is to make sure we define – and follow – our own processes, so clients get reliable, defensible results. Some of the ways I do this are through performing internal audits and reviewing documents, following up to make sure we resolve errors and complaints, tracking personnel training, and reporting on QA activities to VDL management, our accreditation body, and regulatory agencies. Encouraging everyone to feel invested in the QA program is also an important part of my job.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Finding creative ways to “do things better” is rewarding. I really enjoy solving problems with lab personnel – how can we simplify our processes, while meeting our requirements?
Complete this sentence: My most memorable day at work was….
My most memorable day – so far – has to be the day our last accreditation site visit was completed – September 20, 2017. I was so relieved that it was over, after months of preparation – and stress. I think I slept for a week!
What would your coworkers be surprised to learn about your life outside of work?
I love camping and hiking, birdwatching, lots of nature-y activities. I also enjoy beading, gardening, and either verifying or bursting the bubble of family myths through genealogy research.
Do you have any pets?
I have one cat, Lily. She’s very sweet and chatty, and she loves to be brushed.
