Today I’m so excited to bring you this interview with embryologist Lucy Lines. She has worked in the field for over 20 years. Lucy began her career at Monash IVF in Melbourne in 2000.
She worked in fertility clinics around the world and consulted in clinics throughout Europe, the UK, and Australia.
She realized that in addition to creating babies, she also loves learning and helping people. Having faced infertility and multiple miscarriages herself, she now works as an educator and coach for fertility patients.
Her Instagram account is refreshing and informative. I love that she says she’ll answer all the questions you save until you meet an embryologist. She was so open about her experience and all the knowledge she had during our conversation. I know you’ll enjoy this interview as much as I did.
Dr. Aimee: Lucy Lines is here today to talk about everything you wished you could ask an embryologist. I’m so lucky and excited to have her on. Lucy, I feel like I already know you because I follow you on Instagram and read all the great things you post for people who do.
Lucy Lines: Thank you so much for having me, Aimee. It’s so exciting to meet someone that you’ve followed for so long. It’s like oh my god, I’m meeting a famous person. It’s really exciting.
Dr. Aimee: My mother always reminds me, “Aimee, you’re a nobody,” and I’m like okay, one day. Just kidding.
Lucy Lines: I really did. When I first left school, I was never going to go to university. It was not my thing and I wasn’t going to do it. I got a job at McDonald’s. Turned out, that wasn’t my thing either. I did end up going to university, but I studied a bachelor of agriculture science. I learned a lot about earth, plants, animals, and genetics. I loved it so much that I ended up majoring in animal breeding and genetics.
So, then I went and worked as a veterinary nurse for a while. We were doing a lot of AI in cattle and sheep. One day, I just went, “I can’t do this anymore. “We had sex-fed 2,000 sheep in a week on this farm in the middle of nowhere South Australia, and I thought, ‘I can’t do this.'” My dad showed me something he got in the mail. He is a rural general practitioner in Australia. It was about a post-graduate diploma in reproductive science course at Monash University in Melbourne. I thought that fits beautifully, so I’ll go and do that.
I was helping out in a research lab at the Institute of Human Reproduction in Melbourne at the same time. The woman who ran that lab put my name forward for this job at Monash IVF. She came to me and said, “You have an interview for this job. ” I said, “What is it?” She said, “It’s an embryologist. ” I said, “Great. What’s that?” I had no idea.
It took me a little while to get ready for the interview, but once I did, I felt like I was in the right place and thought, “This is it!” ”.
Dr. Aimee: I love that. An embryologist is kind of like a gemologist. You’re studying these beautiful sparkly cells, and I think of them as diamonds. Could you tell us a little about how to become an embryologist and what they do?
In my training, Lucy Lines, the senior embryologist in my group told me that it takes about a year to train an embryologist but about five years before they’re good at their job. It was kind of like you were the younger person and had a lot to learn, which is totally true. You cannot learn to be an embryologist except in an embryology lab. When you work in an embryology lab, you do work with embryos, so training to become an embryologist is very structured and done in steps.
In 2000, when I did my training, Monash IVF was still in the process of teaching people around the world how to do IVF. As a result, we had a lot of people from other countries come to see how we did things. We had a real opportunity to learn and grow. I worked there for two years and learned how to do all the different parts of collecting eggs. It’s a lot of “see one, do one, teach one,” and you need a lot of help and support because you’re dealing with people’s hopes, dreams, and futures.
So, I did that. Then I went to the UK soon after—actually I went to Sweden first, then the UK—and there you have to get a license to do ICSI. This means you have to do a certain number of intracytoplasmic sperm injections to get your license and then you can do them on your own. So, the training is different everywhere, but it’s very scaffolded, very structured, and very stepwise.
Dr. Aimee: How did your own journey being a fertility patient yourself affect your work as an embryologist?
Lucy Lines: That’s a bit of an emotional one. When I first started embryology, I was single, footloose, fancy free, I thought I had forever. I was 27, 28, babies were one day in the future. Like most girls my age, I think I thought I would meet Prince Charming, get married, and have kids. That was going to be the end of my life.
My Prince Charming turned out to be a British man living in Sweden who already had three kids. When we first started dating, children were nowhere near his radar. I said to him, “I can’t invest more in this relationship if children aren’t somewhere on the radar. ” He said, “I’ll meet you in the middle. If it happens naturally, great. If it doesn’t, I’m not doing IVF. ” I said, “That’s really conflicting for me because I work in IVF, but okay. ”.
That was kind of the agreement we had from the beginning. I’ve never done IVF myself, but it took us a year to get pregnant with our first child, and I lost the baby at 13 weeks, which was very sad. Anyone who has had a miscarriage knows that they will always remember the date, the time, and everything else. Then it took us another year to have our second child, our first child. This week, I sent her to high school.
Lucy Lines: I can’t believe it. She’s big. I moved around the world a lot during that time, so it was a very confusing time for me. We worked together in England and Ireland, and then I went back to work in Australia. We managed that relationship long distance and bit by bit things came together.
During that time when I was miscarrying babies, it was all very challenging. Since I worked in the fertility business, it was a very different time in my life. I kind of separated off my own personal bit from what I was doing at work. I guess it made me more understanding of what other people were going through, this strong desire to have a child and how it affects every thought you have. But I also had the science to fall back on. X plus Y doesn’t always equal Z, and all that.
Dr. Aimee: It’s clear that you love your work and you love educating people. What do you do now?.
Lucy Lines: It’s been hard for me to find a name for myself because I’m not really a fertility coach; I work as an embryologist. Just recently this week, I’ve decided I’m the embryologist in your pocket. Two Lines Fertility is the name of the business I run right now, which is just me in this room of my Australian home. There is an Instagram account and a website that I built. I also do a lot of one-on-one consultations with people, helping them understand what they’re going through, no matter where they are in the world or in their fertility journey.
Therefore, to stop people from doing late-night Google searches and to help them learn more about their bodies and how they work, so that when they meet someone like you, who is managing their treatment cycles, or a fertility specialist, anywhere in the world, their general knowledge is here and not down here, they can say, “I understand what you’re saying, and now I’d like to know about this bit,” so they can ask their specialists smart questions.
My job is to help people feel like they have some control over their fertility treatment, whether it’s IVF, IUI, or they haven’t even started yet. I work closely with fertility specialists, acupuncturists, Chinese medicine practitioners, massage therapists, reflexologists, and everyone else who helps them.
The business is called Two Lines Fertility and you’ll find it at TwoLinesFertility. com. au. People could tell where I was in the world because I put the AU at the end, but I have clients from all over the world.
Dr. Aimee: I think you carry an embryologist with you at all times. Also, with all the questions you get, I think they could make an AI tool for people, like an Alexa but for embryologists.
Lucy Lines: Sort of. Late on Saturday nights at 6 p.m., my clients text me, “I need to take my trigger injection but can’t remember when, how, or what, and I can’t reach my doctor.” The clients are usually in Melbourne or Australia, and I know their fertility doctor. I can just call them and say, “Hey, this patient is having a bit of trouble.” What should I tell them?” So, I work together with the specialists in that way.
Dr. Aimee: That’s really sweet. That’s a great little tidbit there. What are some of the most common questions that people ask you about embryology?.
Lucy Lines: They really vary a lot. Beginning with, “Is it true that I’m born with all the eggs I’ll ever have?” and “Why do I read so many places that I can’t do anything about the quality of my eggs? What do you mean when you say I can?” that’s a big topic I talk about.
Another question that comes up a lot is, “I had beautiful eggs collected, but I only have one to transfer.” Or, many people further along the path will say, “I’ve had five transfers with what the embryologist told me were beautiful embryos.” Why are my embryos making it to day five or six and I don’t have a baby yet?”.
Those kinds of questions, really the answers to those can’t be answered in one quick conversation. You need to look into these reasons in great detail, as you know.
Dr. Aimee: Let me just ask you some questions that I imagine you get quite a bit as well.
Lucy Lines: When we choose embryos, they have to reach a certain number of different stages in their development. We like them to be within a certain timeframe and at a certain developmental stage by that timeframe. That gives us some information about what the embryo is up to.
Generally speaking, we do choose embryos based on how they look, but we know that’s an inexact science. It’s a little bit like saying this gorgeous baby is going to grow up to be really successful. You can’t possibly tell that by looking at a beautiful baby. You can’t really tell that from an embryo either. We know more about the embryo when we look at its genetic information along with pictures of it. That’s pretty much all we can do.
Lucy Lines: It’s genetics. It’s just kind of how things go. No eggs are taken from the ovarian pool when we collect them; instead, eggs are taken from the group that began growing two and a half to three months ago. In that cohort in the natural system, only one of those eggs would make it to ovulation. It makes sense to think that some of those eggs shouldn’t have tried to be the one that got ovulated in the first place, since they were never going to be good at it. So, it’s right to expect that some of them aren’t going to make it.
Dr. Aimee: How do you keep track of all the embryos? It looks like you have a lot to keep an eye on and care for.
Lucy Lines: There is a lot to watch and take care of. In the embryology lab, an embryologist will do paperwork for tomorrow’s egg collections, collect eggs for today, check to see if yesterday’s egg collection was fertilized, look for development in the other eggs, transfer embryos, and freeze embryos every day. It’s a lot to keep track of.
There is a very structured plan for how an embryology lab works. There are very strict rules and regulations about how you handle those things. Embryos are too small for us to see, so obviously they’re stored in dishes in droplets of oil. The dishes are labeled. A lot of labs these days use RFID labeling. There are a lot of checks and balances to keep track of those embryos all the way through.
One of the most recent blogs I have on my site is called How Do I Know These Embryos Are Mine? You can read about all the checks and balances we have in place from collecting the eggs to transferring the embryos so that we know they belong to you on that blog.
Dr. Aimee: I think that’s great. I imagine there’s going to be even more technology coming through the pipeline soon. And on that note, what do you think patients can look forward to in the future? Are there any big steps forward in embryology that you can tell us about?
Lucy Lines: I think there’s always loads. There’s a lot of research going on into particular AI, as you mentioned. Obviously, you can’t always judge embryos by how they look and their genes; how they look isn’t always accurate. With the help of AI technology and timelapse incubators, we can now see a lot more about embryos than we could before. So, the AI technology is really interesting.
The addition of growth hormones to culture media is looking really promising. There’s some really interesting data coming out of that as well.
flow technology, there’s a bit of a change in culture media dishes that have culture media that flows through them instead of staying in one place. Of course, there is a lot of flow going on in the reproductive tract; it’s not a static place. Some of that research is really fascinating, too.
Dr. Aimee: Wow. I didn’t know about some of those things. Thank you for shedding some light on it. That’s exciting.
People who said, “I’m not sure about IVF” were one of the first ones I really knew about. Don’t you think it’s a bit like playing God when you say, “If people can’t get pregnant, there’s probably a reason for that?” I want to say that we can make embryos and give them to people who seem to have the same reason for not being able to have children, and one of them will get pregnant and the other won’t.
Someone else still has a really big hand in this. I don’t care what you want to believe—that’s God, Buddha, the universe, or just pure science. Things aren’t black and white, and we’re not pretending to be God. But we do have tools that can help us get things done. Someone else still has a really big hand in it. That’s the main one I think I’ve fought all my life, in both my personal and professional life.
Dr. Aimee: I hear you loud and clear with that. When someone tells me, “I just want to get pregnant naturally,” I ask them, “What do you think happens when I put an embryo in? It’s nature; there’s nothing else making it possible for that embryo to stick and grow?” People might change how they think about the things it can do after hearing us talk about it this way.
Lucy Lines: It’s so hard to say the right thing about that because we talk about adoption or IVF, so it’s either/or. Exactly what you said, we get ten eggs from someone and put them in an incubator with sperm overnight. Some of the eggs will fertilize, but some won’t. That’s not science. That’s something else, whatever it is, that’s nature. Then some of them develop and some of them don’t, and that’s nature, too. They’re in the same environment. It’s not science.
Dr. Aimee: Lucy, thank you for joining us today and shedding light on everything that you do. I love the story about how you started as an embryologist and what led you there. Thank you for Two Lines Fertility. How can people who haven’t followed you on Instagram yet but are going to after hearing you today find it?
Dr. Aimee: Easy enough. Is there anything else that you want to share with our listeners today?
Lucy Lines: I do have a program called IVF WTF. IVF WTF and goes over each step of an IVF cycle, what to expect, and how to get ready for treatment.
Before that I had a “MindFul Program. “It was first released in October of last year, and we’re now in the second round. We’ll do it two or three more times this year.” I ran this with a fertility hypnotherapist.
What I know about science—what you can do, what you can’t do, and what you can control—and getting that general knowledge to a really high level. Then my collaborator Tanja Mulcahy adds mindfulness, mindfulness practices, and how to connect the neuroscience of your thoughts and how they affect how your body works. The two working hand in hand really does create the ultimate preparation for IVF.
Dr. Aimee: And ultimate preparation for life in general. This kind of class helped me get ready for what I do now when I was in my early 20s. I’m so surprised that so many people haven’t done that kind of work. I almost think it should be mandatory before you even graduate high school.
Lucy Lines: I agree. Late last year, in November, I had a hemithyroidectomy. Before it, everyone said, “Lucy, you must be scared!” Like, “What if it’s this? What if it’s something else?” I’ve had 20 years of what-ifs, so I’m really good at getting to a place where I know I can’t control that. So let’s take a deep breath, find some peace, and a cool place to be. Take care of the things we can, and figure out a way to be okay with the things we can’t.
Dr. Aimee: That’s great. Very well said. Thank you again, Lucy. We look forward to having you back to talk about your programs and all the great things you’re doing. I hope you’ll join us again.
Landing a job as an embryologist requires demonstrating your technical skills, knowledge, and experience during the interview. Employers want to ensure candidates can perform intricate laboratory techniques, analyze results, troubleshoot issues, and make sound decisions when working with human reproductive cells.
This comprehensive guide covers the 15 most common interview questions for embryologists along with tips and examples to help you craft winning responses
Whether you are a recent college graduate or a seasoned worker, going over these important questions and sample answers will help you shine during the interview and show off your skills. Let’s get started!.
Why Interview Questions Matter for Embryologists
Interviews allow employers to assess if you have the specialized expertise and capabilities needed to succeed as an embryologist They design questions to gauge your
- Laboratory skills – cell handling, microscopy, cryopreservation etc.
- Technical knowledge – IVF, ICSI, culture media, QA protocols
- Attention to detail and adherence to protocols
- Analytical abilities and critical thinking
- Communication skills and bedside manner
- Ability to multitask and work under pressure
- Knowledge of regulations and ethical considerations
Giving well-informed, thoughtful responses showcases your suitability for the role. It’s essential to prepare using common questions related to the key skillsets.
Key Skills to Demonstrate in Your Embryologist Interview
When crafting your responses remember to highlight these vital attributes that hiring managers look for
- Proficiency in assisted reproductive techniques like IVF and ICSI
- Understanding of embryo development processes and morphologic grading
- Experience with cryopreservation and vitrification methods
- Skill with micromanipulation tools and microscopy
- Meticulous record-keeping and documentation habits
- Careful attention to protocols and quality control
- Ability to analyze data and troubleshoot issues
- Knowledge of ethical, legal and regulatory guidelines
- Clear communication and compassionate bedside manner
Let us now look at the 15 most common interview questions for embryologists and how to answer them correctly.
Top Embryologist Interview Questions and Answers
Q1. Can you describe your experience with key lab techniques like IVF and ICSI?
Employers want to assess your hands-on expertise with core assisted reproductive technologies. Share examples demonstrating:
- Specific techniques you have experience performing
- Types of equipment/tools used like micromanipulators
- Steps involved in each technique
- Any specialized skills like micropipetting embryos
- Number of cycles performed
“I have a lot of experience doing ICSI for cases of male factor infertility; I have done over 150 cycles.” Using micropipettes and inverted microscopy, I’m very good at micromanipulation to stop sperm from moving and inject it into mature oocytes. “.
Q2. How do you optimize conditions for embryo development during culture?
This tests your knowledge of laboratory protocols to nurture viable embryos. Discuss key elements like:
- Maintenance of proper pH, temperature, gas concentrations
- Media selection and timely replenishment
- Routine monitoring of morphology and growth milestones
- Adherence to protocols for transferring between culture systems
Example: “I optimize development by using sequentially selected media systems that provide appropriate nutrition at each stage. Strict protocols are followed for timed assisted hatching and transfers between culture dishes. Temperature, pH and gas levels are continuously monitored. I track growth daily and intervene if abnormalities arise.”
Q3. How do you troubleshoot causes of failed fertilization or poor embryo development?
Share a structured approach for investigating issues:
- Review culture conditions and procedural factors
- Assess gamete quality – morphology, maturity, DNA integrity
- Analyze fertilization patterns and embryonic morphology
- Identify signs of contamination or non-viability
- Discuss any corrective actions taken
Example: “If blastulation rates are low, I’ll review oocyte maturity, ICSI technique and culture conditions for problems. If fertilization failure occurs, I scrutinize sperm motility, binding ability and oocyte maturity as potential culprits. My analysis guides protocol changes to address underlying issues.”
Q4. How do you maintain sterile conditions and prevent contamination in the lab?
Demonstrate vigilance by outlining measures such as:
- Stringent cleaning protocols and HEPA filtration
- Use of sterile reagents, media and labware
- Ultraviolet radiation and regular DNA testing
- Frequent glove changes and sanitization practices
- Isolation and quarantine of suspected contaminated samples
Example: “I adhere strictly to contamination prevention SOPs in our ISO-certified lab. This includes UV hood sanitization, sterile single-use media and pipettes, regular air sampling tests, and immediate disposal of suspected contaminated materials using quarantine protocols.”
Q5. What is the importance of cryopreservation in fertility treatments?
Showcase your expertise in long-term embryo and gamete storage techniques which allow future use and improve outcomes. Explain key advantages like:
- Flexibility for patients to plan procedures
- Accumulation of embryos from multiple cycles
- Reduction of multiple pregnancies
- Ability to preserve fertility prior to medical treatments
Example: “Cryopreservation is invaluable for fertility preservation and treatment success. It lets patients store surplus embryos from a cycle for future use and avoids wasted embryos. This maximizes chances for pregnancy while minimizing risks of multiple gestations.”
Q6. How do you collaborate with the clinical team to develop patient treatment plans?
Share examples demonstrating:
- Communication with doctors/nurses about patient history
- Your role in selecting individualized protocols
- Consultations to review options and recommend approaches
- How you provide embryo viability data to guide clinical decisions
Example: “Through close consultations, I help tailor stimulation protocols and IVF procedures to overcome specific fertility barriers. By conveying embryo development metrics and morphologic grades to the clinical team, we decide unanimously on the optimal embryo transfer strategy for each patient.”
Q7. How do you stay current on the latest advances in the field of embryology?
Highlight your dedication to continuous learning:
- Reading scientific journals and publications
- Attending conferences and workshops
- Taking continuing education courses
- Participating in professional networks/societies
Example: “I maintain competency by regularly reviewing publications in Fertility & Sterility and Human Reproduction journals. I also attend ASRM and ESHRE annual conferences which cover the latest research and techniques like PGT-A and artificial gamete derivation.”
Q8. How do you balance patient preferences with medical guidance when faced with ethical issues?
Demonstrate your ability to provide counseling:
- Outline ethical principles involved
- Discuss how you present options objectively
- Share how you help patients understand medical recommendations
- Explain when you would refer them to a mental health professional
Example: “I ensure patients understand the medical rationale behind recommendations. If they insist on unwise actions, I counsel them on potential risks. However, I defer to a mental health specialist if objections persist despite thorough explanations.”
Q9. Share an example demonstrating your meticulous attention to detail in the lab.
Use a specific example that showcases vigilance:
- Situation faced that required precision
- Action taken reflecting attention to detail
- The critical impact of your diligence
Example: “I was prepping sperm samples for ICSI and noticed one had lower motility. Instead of rushing forward, I re-examined morphology and opted to use a different sample to avoid jeopardizing fertilization. My care in evaluating sample quality prevented a costly outcome.”
Q10. How do you provide emotional support to patients during fertility treatments?
Highlight communication skills:
- Approaches to form trusting relationships
- Providing clear explanations of procedures
- Setting expectations while offering encouragement
- Counseling services available if you suspect anxiety/depression
Example: “I take time to understand patients’ emotions and expectations, remaining honest yet hopeful when explaining chances for success. If patients become distressed, I remind them we are partners in this process and refer them to our psychologist for counseling if needed.”
Q11. How would you assess embryo quality if you observe irregularities?
Demonstrate systematic evaluation:
- Morphology – symmetry, fragmentation, cell number
- Developmental timing – atypical divisions
- Analyze origins – fertilization issue or culture conditions?
- Check for other anomalies – vacuoles, granulation
- Reference established grading criteria
Example: ”I’d begin by noting the nature of the irregularity – trophectoderm defects, accelerated/delayed development etc. I’d cross-check with culture parameters, fertilization metrics, and patient factors. Considering all evidence, I’d grade quality on accepted scales and recommend appropriate usage or continued culture.”
Q12. How would you advise a patient on the number of embryos to transfer and freeze?
Outline key considerations in personalized embryo transfer plans:
- Patient history – age, fertility diagnoses, prior IVF cycles
- Quality and quantity of embryos in current cycle
- Risks of multiple pregnancies vs benefits of multiple transfers
- Patient preference after counseling on risks/benefits
Example: *“
10 Common Fertility Nurse Interview Questions and Answers
FAQ
Why do you want to be an embryologist?
What are the challenges of being an embryologist?
Do embryologists talk to patients?
