Laboratorians play a crucial role in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. They serve as key members of the healthcare team, dedicated to ensuring the health and safety of patients -- from the phlebotomist who draws blood to the nurse who labels the specimen, from the laboratorian who analyzes the sample to the physician who uses this critical information to form a diagnosis and treatment.
Clinical laboratory technologists (also referred to as clinical laboratory scientists or medical technologists) and clinical laboratory technicians (also known as medical technicians or medical laboratory technicians) perform most of these tests.
A clinical laboratory technologist is a healthcare professional who performs diagnostic analytic tests on human body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum or stool using microscopy, advanced analytical equipment and other techniques. Clinical laboratory technologists are key members of the healthcare team with doctors and nurses in choosing the correct lab tests and collection methods; labeling and handling specimens; and interpreting the resulting analysis. They work in clinical laboratories at hospitals, doctors’ offices, reference laboratories, and within the biotechnology industry. They may work in several areas of a clinical laboratory or specialize in just one.
Clinical laboratory technicians perform tests and laboratory procedures such as preparing specimens and operating automated analyzers, for example. They may or may not work under the supervision of medical and clinical laboratory technologists or laboratory managers. They may also work in several areas or specialize, such as a phlebotomist who collects blood samples or a histotechnician, who cuts and stains tissue specimens for microscopic examination by pathologists.
What type of person makes an ideal laboratory technologist or technician? Individuals who have a passion for investigation, an eye for detail and a desire to serve as part of a team of healthcare professions dedicated to improving the quality of life of their patients.
For more detailed descriptions of the roles and work environments of clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, click on the link below:
www.bls.gov/oco/print/ocos096.htm
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