Are you intrigued by the thought of working in the medical field? Have you spent hours thumbing through your college catalog in search of that perfect degree program? Have you narrowed your choices down to a few candidates, one of which is a medical laboratory technician? Well, it sounds like you are on a direct path to professional success. Keep reading below so that you can learn the most pertinent information about this potential career path, which will make it possible for you to make the most educated decision about your future.
While your specific job responsibilities will likely vary depending upon your place of employment, there is definitely a guideline for what you can expect to be required to perform within this profession. For instance, you can expect to conduct a wide variety of chemical tests and analyze different bodily fluids (such as spinal fluid, urine, or blood). Although it may not always be the case, you will typically be analyzing these fluids in search of normal or abnormal factors. After you have conducted the testing you will also be expected to ensure that your findings are accurate. Once the testing phase has been completed you will be required to enter the data into a computer software program, this will ensure that the records are properly stored for the physician who ordered the diagnostic testing. Make sure to find an accredited medical laboratory technician school in your area to get started.
Another responsibility that you will be expected to follow through with is to ensure all equipment is working properly. This will require you to calibrate and periodically maintain the various equipment, which will likely include flame photometers, spectrophotometers, computer controlled analyzers, and calorimeters. In addition to performing calibrations or periodic maintenance on the necessary equipment, it is likely to also be your duty to do a daily cleaning of the equipment that you use to perform your testing. Although a consent form will probably have to be signed by the patient beforehand, you can also expect to be the individual who provides the information about the test results to researchers, family members, and the physicians. Once you have gained a significant amount of experience it may even be possible for you to work in a supervisory position, which would give you the opportunity to train aspiring lab assistants, lab workers, and clinical lab technicians.
In your everyday work you will be required to use what you know about plant organisms and animal organisms and their makeup, which would include their tissues, functions, cells, how they depend on each other, and how they interact with each other. It will also be important that you have an extensive knowledge of substance properties, chemical compositions, substance structures, and how chemical transformations and processes occur. In addition to your chemical and medical knowledge, it will also be important that you have an understanding of how to provide satisfying customer service to your patients and how to be compassionate and understanding with your patients as they are undergoing their tests.
© Copyright College and Universities. Gainful Employment Disclosures