Activities	Perform routine medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May work under the supervision of a medical technologist.
Outlook	Faster-than-average-job growth
Median Income	$35,400 per year in 2008
Work Context & Conditions	Hours and other working conditions of clinical laboratory technologists and technicians vary, according to the size and type of employment setting. In large hospitals or in independent laboratories that operate continuously, personnel usually work the day, evening, or night shift and may work weekends and holidays.
Minimum Education Requirements	Associate's Degree
Skills	Instructing, Active Listening, Equipment Selection, Time Management, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Science
Abilities	Visual Color Discrimination, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Deductive Reasoning, Problem Sensitivity, Written Comprehension, Near Vision, Inductive Reasoning, Oral Comprehension

Job Category		Life, Physical, & Social Science
Job Description		Clinical laboratory personnel examine and analyze body fluids, and cells. They look for bacteria, parasites, and other microorganisms; analyze the chemical content of fluids; match blood for transfusions; and test for drug levels in the blood that show how a patient is responding to treatment. Technologists also prepare specimens for examination, count cells, and look for abnormal cells in blood and body fluids. They use microscopes, cell counters, and other sophisticated laboratory equipment. They also use automated equipment and computerized instruments capable of performing a number of tests simultaneously. After testing and examining a specimen, they analyze the results and relay them to physicians.
Working Conditions		Clinical laboratory technicians perform less complex tests and laboratory procedures than technologists perform. Technicians may prepare specimens and operate automated analyzers, for example, or they may perform manual tests in accordance with detailed instructions. Like technologists, they may work in several areas of the clinical laboratory or specialize in just one. Clinical laboratory technicians examine and analyze body fluids, and cells. They look for bacteria, parasites, and other microorganisms; analyze the chemical content of fluids; match blood for transfusions; and test for drug levels in the blood to show how a patient is responding to treatment. They use automated equipment and computerized instruments capable of performing a number of tests simultaneously, as well as microscopes, cell counters, and other sophisticated laboratory equipment. Then they analyze the results and relay them to physicians. With increasing automation and the use of computer technology, the work of technologists and technicians has become less hands-on and more analytical. Hours and other working conditions of clinical laboratory technologists and technicians vary, according to the size and type of employment setting. In large hospitals or in independent laboratories that operate continuously, personnel usually work the day, evening, or night shift and may work weekends and holidays. Laboratory personnel in small facilities may work on rotating shifts, rather than on a regular shift. In some facilities, laboratory personnel are on call several nights a week or on weekends, in case of an emergency. Clinical laboratory personnel must be thorough and accurate. They are trained to work with infectious specimens. When proper methods of infection control and sterilization are followed, few hazards exist. Protective masks, gloves, and goggles are often necessary to ensure the safety of laboratory personnel. Laboratories usually are well lit and clean. However, specimens, solutions, and reagents used in the laboratory sometimes produce fumes. Laboratory workers may spend a great deal of time on their feet.
Salary Range		Median annual earnings of medical and clinical laboratory technicians were $35,400 in 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $28,400 and $44,300. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,500, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $53,500. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of medical and clinical laboratory technicians in 2008 were $36,840 in hospitals, $36,290 in colleges and universities, $33,980 in offices and clinics of medical doctors, $32,630 in medical and diagnostic laboratories, and $31,320 in health and allied health services, not elsewhere classified.

Education Required		Medical and clinical laboratory technicians generally have either an associate's degree from a community or junior college or a certificate from a hospital, vocational or technical school, or from one of the U.S. Armed Forces. A few technicians learn their skills on the job. The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) fully accredits 479 programs for medical and clinical laboratory technologists, medical and clinical laboratory technicians, histologic technologists and technicians, and pathologists' assistants. NAACLS also approves 60 programs in phlebotomy, cytogenetic technology, molecular biology, and clinical assisting. Other nationally recognized accrediting agencies include the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Clinical laboratory personnel need good analytical judgment and the ability to work under pressure. Close attention to detail is essential, because small differences or changes in test substances or numerical readouts can be crucial for patient care. Manual dexterity and normal color vision are highly desirable. With the widespread use of automated laboratory equipment, computer skills are important. Technicians can become technologists through additional education and experience.
Recommended High School Courses		Biology, Mathematics, English, Chemistry
Postsecondary Instructional Programs		Public Safety and Security, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Medicine and Dentistry
Certification and Licensing		Some states require laboratory personnel to be licensed or registered. Information on licensure is available from state departments of health or boards of occupational licensing. Certification is a voluntary process by which a nongovernmental organization, such as a professional society or certifying agency, grants recognition to an individual whose professional competence meets prescribed standards. Widely accepted by employers in the health industry, certification is a prerequisite for most jobs and often is necessary for advancement. Agencies certifying medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians include the Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology, the American Medical Technologists, the National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel, and the Board of Registry of the American Association of Bioanalysts. These agencies have different requirements for certification and different organizational sponsors.

Interest Area		Realistic Involves working on practical, hands-on problems and solutions, often with real-world materials, tools, and machinery.
Work Values		Moral Values Never pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong. Security Have steady employment. Ability Utilization Make use of individual abilities. Activity Busy all the time.
Skills		Instructing Teach others how to do something. Active Listening Listen to what other people are saying and ask questions as appropriate. Equipment Selection Determine the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job. Time Management Manage one's own time and the time of others. Reading Comprehension Understand written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. Speaking Talk to others to effectively convey information. Science Use scientific methods to solve problems.
Abilities		Visual Color Discrimination The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness. Arm-Hand Steadiness Able to keep the hand and arm steady while making an arm movement or while holding the arm and hand in one position. Deductive Reasoning Able to apply general rules to specific problems to come up with logical answers, including deciding whether an answer makes sense. Problem Sensitivity Able to tell when something is wrong or likely to go wrong. This doesn't involve solving the problem, just recognizing that there is a problem. Written Comprehension Able to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Near Vision Able to see details of objects at a close range (within a few feet of the observer). Inductive Reasoning Able to combine separate pieces of information, or specific answers to problems, to form general rules or conclusions. This includes coming up with a logical explanation for why seemingly unrelated events occur together. Oral Comprehension Able to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Related Jobs		Technologist, Nuclear Medicine, Optometrist, Physician, Anesthesiologist, Technologist, Medical and Clinical Laboratory, Dentist, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Pharmacist, Dentist, Technician or Technologist, Veterinary
Job Outlook		Employment of clinical laboratory workers is expected to grow about as faster than average for all occupations through the year 2018, as the volume of laboratory tests increases with population growth and the development of new types of tests. Technological advances will continue to have two opposing effects on employment through 2018. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians held about 328,100 jobs in 2008. More than half of jobs were in hospitals. Most of the remaining jobs were in offices of physicians and in medical and diagnostic laboratories. A small proportion was in educational services and in all other ambulatory health care services. Technological advances will continue to have two opposing effects on employment. On the one hand, new, increasingly powerful diagnostic tests will encourage additional testing and spur employment. On the other hand, research and development efforts targeted at simplifying routine testing procedures may enhance the ability of nonlaboratory personnel—physicians and patients in particular—to perform tests now conducted in laboratories. Although hospitals are expected to continue to be the major employer of clinical laboratory workers, employment is expected to grow faster in medical and diagnostic laboratories, offices of physicians, and all other ambulatory health care services. Although significant, growth will not be the only source of opportunities. As in most occupations, many openings will result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations, retire, or stop working for some other reason.
More Information		National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel, American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science, AABB
References		Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos096.htm O*NET OnLine, on the Internet at http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/29-2012.00