Medical Laboratory Technician
Medical Laboratory Technician
Career Overview
Medical laboratory technicians work behind the scenes of healthcare, testing samples such as blood, urine, and tissue to help identify and monitor health conditions. They use laboratory equipment, automated testing systems, and digital tools to produce accurate results that healthcare professionals use to make decisions about patient care.
Education
Education requirements vary by role and location. Medical laboratory technicians commonly complete a college or post-secondary certificate or diploma program in medical laboratory science or a related field, often including hands-on clinical training. Certification may be required or preferred. More advanced medical laboratory technologist roles generally require additional education and professional registration.
Work Environment
Medical laboratory technicians typically work in hospitals, medical and diagnostic laboratories, clinics, doctors’ offices, and other healthcare settings. The work is detail-focused and may involve handling biological samples, operating automated laboratory equipment, and following strict safety and quality-control procedures. Most work full time, and hospital-based roles may include evenings, nights, weekends, or holidays.
Future Outlook
Medical testing continues to evolve as healthcare uses more automation, genetic testing, digital laboratory systems, and advanced diagnostic technology. Demand for accurate laboratory testing is expected to continue, particularly as populations age and more conditions are detected and monitored through laboratory work. Employment opportunities can vary by specialty and location, but laboratory professionals remain an important part of modern healthcare.
Recommended High School Courses
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Math
- Computer Science
- Advanced Flight Training
- Computer Applications
- Physiology
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- 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.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- 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.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
- Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
- Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Information Ordering - The ability to 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).
- Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
- Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Test biological specimens to gather information about patient conditions.
- Analyze laboratory specimens to detect abnormalities or other problems.
- Analyze laboratory findings.
- Enter patient or treatment data into computers.
- Operate laboratory equipment to analyze medical samples.
- Prepare biological specimens for laboratory analysis.
- Collect biological specimens from patients.
- Clean medical equipment or facilities.
- Maintain medical laboratory equipment.
- Prepare medical supplies or equipment for use.
- Cultivate micro-organisms for study, testing, or medical preparations.
- Inform medical professionals regarding patient conditions and care.
- Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues.
- Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.
- Supervise technical medical personnel.
- Train medical providers.
Schools
Arkansas Tech University
Augustana University
Austin Community College...
Barry University
Baylor University
Bismarck State College
Bowling Green State Unive...
Bradley University
Central Texas College
Chippewa Valley Technical...
Chippewa Valley Technical...
Cincinnati State Technica...
Colorado Mesa University
Eastern Kentucky Universi...
Edinboro University
Fairmont State University
Ferris State University
Fontbonne University
Franciscan Missionaries O...
Idaho State University- M...
Iowa Central Community Co...
Kapiolani Community Colle...
Keiser University- Fort L...
Marshall University
Minot State University
National Park College
Navarro College- Corsican...
Northwestern Health Scien...
Oklahoma Christian Univer...
Southern Adventist Univer...
Suny Broome Community Col...
Suny Dutchess Community C...
Suny Erie Community Colle...
Suny Farmingdale State Co...
Suny Monroe Community Col...
Suny Nassau Community Col...
Suny Orange County Commun...
Suny Plattsburgh
Tarleton State University
University Of Nevada - La...
University Of New Mexico
Vista College- El Paso Ca...
Viterbo University
Weber State University- O...
York Technical College
Youngstown State Universi...
Anderson College Of He...
Anderson College Of He...
Anderson College Of He...
Anderson College Of He...
Anderson College Of He...
Brandon University
Canadian Career Colleg...
Canadian Career Colleg...
Canadian Mennonite Uni...
Cape Breton Business C...
College Of The North A...
College Of The North A...
Cts Canadian Career Co...
Herzing College- Winni...
Medix College- Brampto...
Medix College- Scarbor...
Nova Scotia Community...
Oulton College- Main C...
Red River College- Not...
Robertson College- Mai...
Saskatchewan Polytechn...
Stenberg College
The Michener Institute...
Trillium College- King...
Trillium College- Osha...
West Coast College
Westervelt College
Approx Salary Expectation
Low End:
$38,000.00 /yr
Avg/Med:
$62,000.00 /yr
High End:
$98,000.00 /yr
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.