a closer look at careers in medical laboratory science

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 !!