Medical Laboratory Technician – Is This The Career For You?

Those interested in becoming a medical laboratory technician do so for many reasons. One reason that many choose to pursue this career is the excellent job opportunities offered in this field. Technicians work to detect, diagnose and treat a variety of diseases. This involves the examination and analysis of cells and body fluids among other things. Foreign substances such as parasites and bacteria will be looked for and blood will be matched for transfusions. Many other duties comprise the daily work of one who chooses to pursue a career as a medical laboratory technician.

Education of a Medical Laboratory Technician

In order to obtain work as a medical laboratory technician, you will need to have a minimum of a bachelor degree in most cases. Certain employers will allow you to start working with a combination of schoolwork and on the job training. You will likely be required to complete specialized training if you choose to take this route. When looking for a training program, start by checking local universities and hospitals. The military and some technical or vocational schools also offer this type of training. Over 475 programs are offered in this field that have been accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

Licensure and Certification Requirements for a Medical Laboratory Technician

Many states now require that you become licensed before working as a medical laboratory technician. In order to become licensed to work as a technician in this field, you will need to obtain the necessary degree as well as pass an exam. Contact your Department of health to determine what the requirements are for your particular state. Your employer may also require you to obtain certification through a professional organization. Associations which offer this type of certification include the American Medical Technologists, the Board of Registry of the American Association of Bioanalysts or the Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

The Salary of a Medical Laboratory Technician

The median annual wage of a technician is $35,280 as of May 2008. Those in the lowest 10% make less than $23,840 while those in the top 10% make more than $53,520. General medical and surgical hospitals tend to pay the most while ambulatory health care services pay the least on average. All of the above mentioned factors should be considered before you determine if this career is the right option for you.

This is a career path that is experiencing great growth according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. At 16% growth this is significantly faster than the average for job in the U.S. Job openings are expected to be excellent because demand for qualified technicians is expected to exceed the number of actual applicants. Therefore, pursuing a job as a medical lab tech is a great option with tremendous potential moving forward.

Here’s a chart breaking down some interesting stats in relation to medical techs:

Take a look at this great little video that provides a great introductory video to the world of the medical lab technician.

The job openings in this field really make this an attractive option for those interested in working in medicine and have a science background.