Higher education requirements include:
- Completing a bachelor’s degree in medical technology or clinical laboratory science. A bachelor’s degree in a science or health related field (e.g. chemistry or microbiology) may also be considered.
- Completing a clinical laboratory program or internship through a hospital-based program or as part of their education
- National certification as a medical technologist (MT), clinical laboratory scientist (CLS), or medical laboratory scientist (MLS)
- Previous experience in a health care setting
Responsibilities and duties, including:
- Examining and analyzing blood, body fluids, tissues, and cells
- Relaying test results to physicians
- Utilizing microscopes, cell counters, and other high-precision lab equipment
- Cross matching blood for transfusion
- Monitoring patient outcomes
- Performing differential cell counts looking for abnormal cells to aid in the diagnosis of anemia and leukemia
- Establishing quality assurance programs to monitor and ensure the accuracy of test results
- Overseeing the work of a medical laboratory technician
