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Career Exploration

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians

Also called: Laboratory Assistant (Lab Assistant), Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech), Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT), Medical Laboratory Technicians (Medical Lab Technician)

What they do:

Perform routine medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May work under the supervision of a medical technologist.

On the job, you would:
  • Conduct chemical analyses of body fluids, such as blood or urine, using microscope or automatic analyzer to detect abnormalities or diseases and enter findings into computer.
  • Analyze the results of tests or experiments to ensure conformity to specifications, using special mechanical or electrical devices.
  • Set up, maintain, calibrate, clean, and test sterility of medical laboratory equipment.
On the job, you'll need:

Math and Science

  • biology
  • chemistry

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Business

  • customer service
  • administrative services

Safety and Government

  • public safety and security

Basic Skills

  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • reading work related information

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Hand and Finger Use

  • put together small parts with your fingers
  • hold or move items with your hands

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • order or arrange things

Attention

  • pay attention to something without being distracted

Realistic

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Integrity
  • Independence
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Cooperation

Electronic mail software

  • Email software
  • Microsoft Outlook

Word processing software

  • Google Docs
  • Microsoft Word

Medical software

  • MEDITECH software
  • Test routing software

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Bright.

New job opportunities are very likely in the future. This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Median Annual Salary: $57,380

Education

Bachelor's degree or associate's degree is usually needed.