a closer look at careers in medical laboratory science
TRANSCRIPT
A Closer Look at Careers in
Medical Laboratory Science
Who collects and processes your blood sample?
Phlebotomists / Lab Assistants
Who analyzes blood and body fluid samples in a variety of laboratories?
Medical Laboratory Technicians Medical Laboratory Scientists
A behind-the-scenes, highly skilled team of pathologists, specialists, scientists, and technicians work together to provide valuable data needed to:◦ determine the presence or absence of
disease◦ evaluate the effectiveness of treatment◦ maintain health
Also called Clinical Pathology and Anatomic Pathology.
Clinical laboratory professionals generate data to assist physicians in the detection of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, infectious mono, bacterial and viral infections, and drugs of abuse.
80% of all physician decisions are based on laboratory test results produced by the laboratory team.
Performs testing on blood and body fluids.◦ Sophisticated
biomedical instrumentation and technology
◦ Computers◦ Methods requiring
manual dexterity◦ Thousands of tests
Phlebotomist Laboratory Assistant Medical Laboratory Scientist Medical Laboratory Technician Supervisor/Manager/Educator Technical Specialist (PhD) Pathologist (MD or DO)
Hospital laboratories Reference laboratories Physician office laboratories State Department of Health Fertility clinics Pharmaceutical / Biotech industry Veterinary laboratories Forensic laboratories
Phlebotomist◦ Specimen Collection
Laboratory Assistant◦ Specimen Processing and Pre-Analytic Functions
Medical Laboratory Technician and Medical Laboratory Scientist
May be a Generalist (working in all lab sections) or a Specialist (work in one lab)
◦ Specimen Analysis (automated or manual)◦ Instrument Maintenance◦ Quality Control Procedures◦ Result Review
Hematology Coagulation Chemistry Toxicology Immunology Transfusion Medicine (Blood Bank) Histocompatibility Testing Medical Microbiology Molecular Pathology Flow Cytometry
The phlebotomist collects blood samples from patients - young and old.
Laboratory assistants receive and prepare blood and body fluid specimens for testing.
Medical Laboratory Technician Performing blood cell counts on automated instrument interfaced with the computer
Medical Laboratory Scientist reviewing blood cell morphology under the microscope to detect the presence of certain anemias, leukemias, or lymphomas.
Normal Lymphocyte Leukemic Blasts & Lymphocyte
Reactive Lymphocyte
Medical Laboratory Scientist performing tests that determine the presence of a bleeding or clotting disorder.
Technicians and scientists analyze blood serum for hundreds of biochemical elements that reflect cardiac, liver, renal, endocrine and acid/base function.
Example tests include glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, heart and liver enzymes.
Medical Laboratory Scientists monitor instrument quality control data and review patient results before releasing the information to the physician.
Medical Laboratory Scientists utilize immunoassay and thin layer chromatography methods to analyze urine specimens for therapeutic drugs as well as drugs of abuse.
Medical Laboratory Technicians and Medical Laboratory Scientists use manual and automated methods to analyze urine for elements such as glucose, protein, ketones, bilirubin, pH, abnormal cells and chemical crystals.
Medical Laboratory Scientists and Medical Laboratory Technicians perform tests on serum to detect antibody production in response to various infections and disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, hepatitis, herpes, and allergies.
Medical Laboratory Scientists perform ABO and Rh typing, antibody screening, and crossmatching to determine safe donor blood for a transfusion of a patient.
Medical Laboratory Scientists check the paperwork for correct information before releasing the unit of blood to be transfused.
Medical Laboratory Scientist perform serological typing of white blood cells for HLA antigens to determine:◦ if a donor organ or
bone marrow is a good match for transplantation into a recipient.
◦ certain disease associations
Medical Laboratory Scientists use various culture techniques to determine which bacteria, virus or fungus might be causing illness.
Medical Laboratory Scientists perform antimicrobial susceptibility testing on bacterial isolates to determine what antibiotics will be effective in treating the infection.
Medical Laboratory Scientists extract and amplify the DNA from various samples.
The DNA or RNA nucleic acid sequences are then studied for:◦ unique sequences of
various bacterial, fungal or viral organisms
◦ defective genes found in inherited disease such as cystic fibrosis
◦ mutations in certain cancer cells
Medical Laboratory Scientists use a flow cytometer to detect:◦ abnormal cell
surface markers found in leukemia and lymphoma
◦ lymphocyte subsets in HIV infection.
Education & Training Certification Career Advancement Wages and Job Outlook
High School diploma or GED Good communication skills Formal course in Phlebotomy preferred
◦ Occupational Endorsement Certificate (OEC) offered at UAA- 9 credits; On-campus and Distance Delivered
Clinical training required Certification recommended (after one year work
experience or formal clinical training in accredited program): PBT (ASCP)
Work in hospitals, physician offices, home health care, clinics, insurance companies
High School Didactic courses in Lab Skills and Computer
Applications also preferred Occupational Endorsement Certificate (OEC)
offered at UAA- 20 credits; Distance Delivered On the job clinical training Work in hospitals, commercial reference
laboratories, research labs
Associate degree 8 semester hours of both biology and chemistry
(with labs) Math and Computer Applications Courses in Clinical Hematology/Hemostasis,
Clinical Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry, and Immunohematology
Completion of a NAACLS accredited MLT program UAA NAACLS Accredited AAS in Medical
Laboratory Technology-70-71 credits National certification: MLT (ASCP
Bachelor’s degree 16 semester hours of both chemistry and biology
(with labs) Math (algebra) and computer applications Courses in biochemistry, statistics, physics,
genetics, general microbiology recommended Courses in Clinical Hematology,
Immunohematology, Immunology, Medical Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry
Completion of a NAACLS accredited MLT program UAA NAACLS Accredited S in Medical
Laboratory Science-123-129 credits National certification: MLS (ASCP)
Senior laboratory scientists with an interest in management play an important role in coordinating laboratory operations, staffing, and finances.
Senior Laboratory Scientist (Masters Degree) with an interest in education train new employees and share their knowledge with the next generation of professionals.
Clinical Laboratory Educator and Students
Technical Specialists (PhDs) function as:◦ laboratory section
technical directors◦ researchers◦ consultants to a
patient’s physician.
PhD Technical Specialist and a Supervisor
A DCLS can contribute to the inter-professional health care team as:◦ Experts in clinical laboratory testing◦ Partners with clinical pathology to serve as
consultants involved in clinical rounding and patient care
◦ Promoters of quality healthcare through appropriate cost-effective utilization of clinical laboratory services
◦ Advocates of patient safety by contributing to the reduction of medical errors
Histotechnologists prepare tissue samples, or biopsies that Pathologists look at to spot tiny imperfections in cells.
Need steady hands to slice tiny, paper-thin sections of tissue and apply special stains so that cells can be viewed under the microscope.
Completion of a NAACLS accredited Histology program Bachelor of Science Degree National certification: HTL (ASCP)
Cytotechnologists use microscopes to pinpoint diseases and infections, all the way down to a single cells. For example: Pap Smears
Completion of an accredited Cytotechnologist program Bachelor of Science Degree National certification: CT (ASCP) Average Salary: $61,235
Pathologist’s Assistant helps surgeons in the operating room find cancer in organ tissue and assists with autopsies
Need high attention to detail and ability to touch cadavers
Completion of an NAACLS accredited Pathologist’s Assistant program
BS or MS National certification: PA (ASCP) Average Salary: $74,922
Pathologists (MDs or DOs) function as laboratory directors and consultants to patient physicians.
Pathologist and a Medical Technologist
Source: ASCP Preliminary 2010 Wage Survey of U.S. Clinical Laboratories, Lab Medicine March 2011;42(3);141-146
Profession Average Salary
Phlebotomist $28,080
Medical Laboratory Technician $40,768
Medical Laboratory Scientist $54,413
Pathologist $247,013
American Society for Clinical Pathology - Board of Registry (ASCP-BOR) Box 12277 Chicago, IL 60612-0277 www.ascp.org/bor National Credentialing Agency for
Laboratory Personnel, Inc. (NCA) P.O. Box 15945-289 Lenexa, KS 66285-9173 www.nca-info.org
If you... ◦ are fascinated by science◦ like to solve puzzles and problems◦ enjoy mysteries ◦ like challenge and responsibility◦ are accurate and reliable◦ work well under pressure◦ communicate well and◦ set high standards for yourself ….
then…consider a career in
Medical Laboratory Science !!