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Diagnostic Detectives:
Medical Laboratory Professionals
A Closer Look at
Careers in
Clinical Laboratory Science
(Medical Technology)
When your doctor orders
“lab tests” do you know…..
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Who collects and processes your blood
sample?
Phlebotomists / Lab Assistants
Who analyzes blood and body fluid samples
in a variety of laboratories?
Clinical Laboratory Technicians
(Medical Laboratory Technicians)
Clinical Laboratory Scientists
(Medical Technologists)
Medical Laboratory Facts
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A behind-the-scenes, highly skilled team of
pathologists, specialists, technologists, and
technicians work together to provide valuable
data needed to:
– determine the presence or absence of disease
– evaluate the effectiveness of treatment
– maintain health
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Also called Clinical Pathology and Anatomic
Pathology.
Medical Laboratory Facts
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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.
Clinical Pathology
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This laboratory performs testing on blood and
body fluids.
Laboratory professionals use sophisticated
biomedical instrumentation and technology,
computers, as well as methods requiring
manual dexterity, to
perform the thousands
of laboratory tests
currently available.
Careers in the Clinical
Pathology Laboratory
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Phlebotomist
Laboratory Assistant
Clinical Laboratory Scientist / Medical
Technologist
Clinical Laboratory Technician / Medical
Laboratory Technician
Supervisor/Manager/Educator
Technical Specialist (PhD)
Pathologist (MD or DO)
NOTE: Educational requirements for
professions in blue will be discussed
later.
Other Job Opportunities
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Hospital laboratories
Reference laboratories
Physician office laboratories
State Department of Health
Fertility clinics
Pharmaceutical / Biotech industry
Veterinary laboratories
Forensic laboratories
Daily Routine
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Phlebotomist
– Specimen Collection
Laboratory Assistant
– Specimen Processing and Pre-Analytic Functions
Clinical Laboratory Technician and Clinical Laboratory Scientist
 Also known as Medical Laboratory Technician and Medical
Technologist
 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
Typical Clinical Pathology
Laboratory Sections:
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Hematology
Coagulation
Chemistry
Toxicology
Immunology
Transfusion Medicine (Blood Bank)
Histocompatibility Testing
Medical Microbiology
Molecular Pathology
Flow Cytometry
Photo Tour
of a
Clinical Pathology
Laboratory
Phlebotomy

The phlebotomist
collects blood
samples from
patients - young
and old.
Specimen Processing
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Laboratory
assistants
receive and
prepare
blood and
body fluid
specimens
for testing.
Hematology Laboratory
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Clinical
Laboratory
Technician
(Medical
Laboratory
Technician)
performing
blood cell
counts on
computerized
automation.
Hematology Laboratory

Clinical Laboratory
Scientist (Medical
Technologist)
reviewing blood cell
morphology under
the microscope to
detect the presence
of certain anemias,
leukemias, or
lymphomas.
Hematology Laboratory
Normal Lymphocyte
Leukemic Blasts & Lymphocyte
Atypical Lymphocyte
Coagulation Laboratory

Clinical Laboratory
Scientist (Medical
Technologist)
performing tests that
determine the
presence of a bleeding
or clotting disorder.
Chemistry Laboratory
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Technicians and
technologists 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.
Chemistry Laboratory
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Clinical Laboratory
Scientists (Medical
Technologists)
monitor
instrument quality
control data and
review patient
results before
releasing the
information to the
physician.
Toxicology Laboratory
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Clinical Laboratory
Scientists
(Medical
Technologists)
utilize thin layer
chromatography to
analyze urine
specimens for
therapeutic drugs
as well as drugs of
abuse.
Urinalysis Laboratory
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Medical Laboratory
Technicians and
Medical Technologists
analyze urine for
elements such as
glucose, protein,
ketones, bilirubin, pH,
abnormal cells and
chemical crystals.
Immunology Laboratory
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Clinical Laboratory
Scientists and Clinical
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.
Transfusion Medicine
Laboratory (Blood Bank)
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Clinical Laboratory
Scientists perform
ABO and Rh typing,
antibody screening,
and crossmatching
to determine safe
donor blood for a
transfusion of a
patient.
Transfusion Medicine
Laboratory (Blood Bank)
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Medical
Technologists
check the
paperwork for
correct
information
before releasing
the unit of blood
to be transfused.
Histocompatibility
Laboratory
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Medical Technologists
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
Microbiology Laboratory
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Clinical Laboratory
Scientists use various
culture techniques to
determine which
bacteria, virus or
fungus might be
causing illness.
Microbiology Laboratory
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Medical
Technologists
perform antimicrobial
susceptibility testing
on bacterial isolates
to determine what
antibiotics will be
effective in treating
the infection.
Molecular Pathology Lab
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Clinical Laboratory
Scientists extract and
amplify the DNA from
various samples.
Molecular Pathology Lab
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
Flow Cytometry Lab
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Medical
Technologists use
a flow cytometer
to detect:
– abnormal cell
surface markers
found in
leukemia and
lymphoma
– lymphocyte
subsets in HIV
infection.
More Information…
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Education & Training
Certification
Career Advancement
Wages and Job Outlook
Education, Training,
and Certification
Phlebotomy Technician
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High School diploma or GED
Good communication skills
Formal course in Phlebotomy preferred
– Phlebotomy programs are available through community
colleges, proprietary health occupation schools, or other
academic institutions.
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Clinical training required
Certification recommended (after one year work
experience or formal clinical training in accredited
program): Plb or PBT
Work in hospitals, physician offices, home health
care, clinics, insurance companies
Lab Assistant
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High School
Didactic courses in Lab Skills and Computer
Applications also preferred
– These can be taken in a high school
technical/occupational health program or in a community
college medical assisting curriculum.
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On the job clinical training
Work in hospitals, commercial reference
laboratories, research labs
Clinical Laboratory Technician /
Medical Laboratory Technician
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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/CLT
program
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National certification: CLT or MLT
Clinical Laboratory Scientist /
Medical Technologist
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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 MT/CLS program
National certification: CLS or MT
Career Advancement
Supervisor/Manager
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Senior technologists
with an interest in
management play
an important role in
coordinating
laboratory
operations, staffing,
and finances.
Educator
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Senior
technologists with
an interest in
education train new
employees and
share their
knowledge with the
next generation of
professionals.
Clinical Laboratory Educator and Students
Technical Specialist
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Technical
Specialists (PhDs)
function as:
– laboratory section
technical
directors
– researchers
– consultants to a
patient’s
physician.
PhD Technical Specialist and a Supervisor
Pathologist
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Pathologists
(MDs or DOs)
function as
laboratory
directors and
consultants to
patient
physicians.
Pathologist and a Medical Technologist
Wages & Job Outlook
Annual Wages
PBT
MLT
MT
Supervisor
Manager
$ 18,700-27,000
$ 27,800-36,900
$ 34,300-47,200
$ 43,700-56,300
$ 53,200-65,500
Vacancy Rates
6.6 %
5.9 %
7.0 %
3.3 %
1.9 %
Source: ASCP Preliminary 2003 Wage & Vacancy Survey of
Medical Laboratories, July, 2004, www.ascp.org
Accredited Educational
Programs
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The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical
Laboratory Science (NAACLS) has a
comprehensive listing of accredited educational
programs in clinical laboratory science.
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical
Laboratory Sciences
8410 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 670
Chicago, IL 60631-3415
773-714-8880
www.naacls.org
Certifying Agencies
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American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry (ASCP-BOR)
Box 12277
Chicago, IL 60612-0277
www.ascp.org/bor
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National Credentialing Agency for
Laboratory Personnel, Inc. (NCA)
P.O. Box 15945-289
Lenexa, KS 66285-9173
www.nca-info.org
Certifying Agencies
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American Board of Histocompatibility and
Immunogenetics (ABHI)
P.O. Box 19173
Lenexa, KS 66285-9173
www.ashi-hla.org
Summary
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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 ….
Summary
then…
consider a career in
Clinical Laboratory Science !!