Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
Health Science > Diagnostic ServicesProjected Growth: Much faster than average
Projected Job Openings
Considerable Preparation Needed
Job Description
Your job is to Perform complex medical laboratory tests for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May train or supervise staff.
Common job titles of Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists include:
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Experience and Education
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for this occupation. For example, a person in this occupation must complete four years of college and work for several years in industry to be considered qualified.
59.36% said they needed a Bachelor's Degree.
30.1% said they needed a Associate's Degree.
Tasks
Establish or monitor quality assurance programs or activities to ensure the accuracy of laboratory results.
Set up, clean, and maintain laboratory equipment.
Collect and study blood samples to determine the number of cells, their morphology, or their blood group, blood type, or compatibility for transfusion purposes, using microscopic techniques.
Enter data from analysis of medical tests or clinical results into computer for storage.
Analyze laboratory findings to check the accuracy of the results.
Conduct chemical analysis of body fluids, including blood, urine, or spinal fluid, to determine presence of normal or abnormal components.
Provide technical information about test results to physicians, family members, or researchers.
Analyze samples of biological material for chemical content or reaction.
Operate, calibrate, or maintain equipment used in quantitative or qualitative analysis, such as spectrophotometers, calorimeters, flame photometers, or computer-controlled analyzers.
Cultivate, isolate, or assist in identifying microbial organisms or perform various tests on these microorganisms.
Select and prepare specimens and media for cell cultures, using aseptic technique and knowledge of medium components and cell requirements.
Obtain, cut, stain, and mount biological material on slides for microscopic study and diagnosis, following standard laboratory procedures.
Harvest cell cultures at optimum time, based on knowledge of cell cycle differences and culture conditions.
Conduct medical research under direction of microbiologist or biochemist.
Develop, standardize, evaluate, or modify procedures, techniques, or tests used in the analysis of specimens or in medical laboratory experiments.
Supervise, train, or direct lab assistants, medical and clinical laboratory technicians or technologists, or other medical laboratory workers engaged in laboratory testing.
Tools
Urinometers
Unopettes
Ultracentrifuges
Triple beam balances
Tourniquets
Tissue embedding equipment
Tissue cassettes
All ToolsThermal cyclers
Stylets
Sterile transfer tubes
Sterile blood lancets
Spectrophotometers
Spectrometers
Single-channel pipettes
Serology tube rotators
Serological kits
Sensitivity plates
Semiautomated hematology analyzers
Scintillation counters
Safety pipetting devices
Portable coagulation analyzers
Platelet rockers
Plate washers
Plasma thawers
Plasma extractors
Photomicroscopes
Photometers
pH meters
Petri dishes
Personal computers
Osmometers
Notebook computers
Needle holders
Microtiter plates
Micrometers
Microhematocrits
Manual pipettes
Light microscopes
Laser printers
Laminar flow hoods
Laminar flow cabinets
Laboratory vacuum pumps
Label printers
Incubators
Hot air ovens
Homologous test systems
Heterologous test systems
Hematology task-targeted automation TTA systems
Hematology analyzers
Hemaglobinometers
Hemacytometers
Glucose monitoring systems
Glass slides
Gel electrophoresis equipment
Fume hoods
Fluorescence microscopes
Flow cytometers
Flame photometers
Evacuated blood collection tubes
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA plate readers
Electrolyte analyzers
Electrical mixers
Dropping pipettes
Diluters
Differential hematology analyzers with laser technology
Differential cell counters
Desktop computers
Compound light microscopes
Colorimeters
Collection tube holders/adapters
Coagulation analyzers
Chromatographs
Chemistry analyzers
Centrifuges
Cell washers
Cell counters
Capillary tubes
Capillary sticks
Candle jars
Calorimeters
Butterfly needles
Blood collection syringes
Blood collection needles
Blood bank refrigerators
Blood agar plates
Bench refractometers
Balances
Automatic tissue processors
Automatic pipetters
Automatic pipetter diluters
Automated/semi-automated dipstick analysis systems
Automated urinalysis equipment
Automated platelet analyzers
Automated hematology analyzers
Automated coagulation analyzers
Automated chemistry analyzers
Autoclaves
Antigen-coated test plates
Analytical balances
Anaerobe jars
Agglutination viewers
8 and 12 channel pipettes
5-part differential automated hematology analyzers
22-gauge needles
Technologies
MEDITECH software
Commercial plate reader software
Electronic medical record EMR software
FileMaker Pro
Hematology laboratory workflow management software
Laboratory information system LIS
Medical digital imaging software
All TechnologiesMedical procedure coding software
Medical software
Medical system integration software
Microscopic image capturing software
Quality control software
Reimbursement screening software
Specimen tracking software
Spreadsheet software
Test result delivery software
Test routing software
Skills
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Operation Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Abilities
Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Written Comprehension
See details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Sensory Abilities › Visual Abilities › Near Vision
Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Comprehension
Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Inductive Reasoning
Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Deductive Reasoning
Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Problem Sensitivity
Arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Information Ordering
Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Expression