Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
SOC: 29-2011.00

Description:

Perform complex medical laboratory tests for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May train or supervise staff.

National Salary Information:

Hourly Statistics:

Annual Statistics:

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2015 wage data.

Employment Projections:

Employment (2014):
164,800 employed

Projected (2024):
187,900 employed

Projected growth (2014-2024)


Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2015 2014-2024 employment projections external site. "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2014-2024). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.

Alternate Titles:

  • Biochemistry Technologist
  • Blood Bank Laboratory Technologist
  • Blood Bank Technologist
  • Chemistry Technologist
  • Chief Medical Technologist
  • Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS)
  • Clinical Laboratory Technologist
  • Clinical Research Assistant
  • Clinical Research Associate
  • Clinical Researcher
  • Cytogenetic Technologist
  • Cytologist
  • Cytotechnologist
  • Differential Specialist
  • Hematology Technologist
  • Histologist Technologist
  • Histotechnologist
  • Immunohematologist
  • Laboratory Specialist (Lab Specialist)
  • Laboratory Supervisor
  • Laboratory Technologist (Lab Tech)
  • Medical Chief Technician
  • Medical Laboratory Technologist (Medical Lab Tech)
  • Medical Numerical Control Operator
  • Medical Technologist (MT)
  • Medical Technologist Teaching Supervisor
  • Medical Technologist, Clinical Laboratory Scientist
  • Microbiologist
  • Microbiology Technologist
  • Pathology Laboratory Technologist
  • Research Assistant
  • Tissue Technologist

    • Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

    Experience:

    A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

    Education:

    Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

    Job Training:

    Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

    Required Skills:

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Writing
  • Speaking
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Learning
  • Learning Strategies
  • Monitoring
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Coordination
  • Persuasion
  • Negotiation
  • Instructing
  • Service Orientation
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Operations Analysis
  • Technology Design
  • Equipment Selection
  • Programming
  • Operation Monitoring
  • Operation and Control
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Troubleshooting
  • Repairing
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Systems Analysis
  • Systems Evaluation
  • Time Management
  • Management of Financial Resources
  • Management of Material Resources
  • Management of Personnel Resources

    • Knowledge Used:

  • Administration and Management
  • Clerical
  • Economics and Accounting
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Personnel and Human Resources
  • Production and Processing
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Design
  • Mechanical
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • Psychology
  • Sociology and Anthropology
  • Geography
  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Therapy and Counseling
  • Education and Training
  • English Language
  • Foreign Language
  • Philosophy and Theology
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Law and Government
  • Telecommunications
  • Communications and Media
  • Transportation

    • Tasks:

  • Analyze laboratory findings to check the accuracy of the results.
  • Conduct chemical analysis of body fluids, including blood, urine, or spinal fluid, to determine presence of normal or abnormal components.
  • Operate, calibrate, or maintain equipment used in quantitative or qualitative analysis, such as spectrophotometers, calorimeters, flame photometers, or computer-controlled analyzers.
  • Enter data from analysis of medical tests or clinical results into computer for storage.
  • Analyze samples of biological material for chemical content or reaction.
  • Set up, clean, and maintain laboratory equipment.
  • Provide technical information about test results to physicians, family members, or researchers.
  • Supervise, train, or direct lab assistants, medical and clinical laboratory technicians or technologists, or other medical laboratory workers engaged in laboratory testing.
  • Develop, standardize, evaluate, or modify procedures, techniques, or tests used in the analysis of specimens or in medical laboratory experiments.
  • Cultivate, isolate, or assist in identifying microbial organisms or perform various tests on these microorganisms.
  • Obtain, cut, stain, and mount biological material on slides for microscopic study and diagnosis, following standard laboratory procedures.
  • Select and prepare specimens and media for cell cultures, using aseptic technique and knowledge of medium components and cell requirements.
  • Conduct medical research under direction of microbiologist or biochemist.
  • Harvest cell cultures at optimum time, based on knowledge of cell cycle differences and culture conditions.
  • Establish or monitor quality assurance programs or activities to ensure the accuracy of laboratory results.
  • Collect and study blood samples to determine the number of cells, their morphology, or their blood group, blood type, or compatibility for transfusion purposes, using microscopic techniques.

    • Tools & Technology:

  • 22-gauge needles
  • 5-part differential automated hematology analyzers
  • 8 and 12 channel pipettes
  • Agglutination viewers
  • Anaerobe jars
  • Analytical balances
  • Antigen-coated test plates
  • Autoclaves
  • Automated chemistry analyzers
  • Automated coagulation analyzers
  • Automated hematology analyzers
  • Automated platelet analyzers
  • Automated urinalysis equipment
  • Automated/semi-automated dipstick analysis systems
  • Automatic pipetter diluters
  • Automatic pipetters
  • Automatic tissue processors
  • Balances
  • Bench refractometers
  • Blood agar plates
  • Blood collection needles
  • Blood collection syringes
  • Butterfly needles
  • Calorimeters
  • Candle jars
  • Capillary sticks
  • Capillary tubes
  • Cell counters
  • Cell washers
  • Centrifuges
  • Chemistry analyzers
  • Chromatographs
  • Coagulation analyzers
  • Collection tube holders/adapters
  • Colorimeters
  • Compound light microscopes
  • Desktop computers
  • Differential cell counters
  • Differential hematology analyzers with laser technology
  • Diluters
  • Dropping pipettes
  • Electrical mixers
  • Electrolyte analyzers
  • Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA plate readers
  • Evacuated blood collection tubes
  • Flame photometers
  • Flow cytometers
  • Fluorescence microscopes
  • Fume hoods
  • Gel electrophoresis equipment
  • Glass slides
  • Glucose monitoring systems
  • Hemacytometers
  • Hemaglobinometers
  • Hematology analyzers
  • Hematology task-targeted automation TTA systems
  • Heterologous test systems
  • Homologous test systems
  • Hot air ovens
  • Incubators
  • Label printers
  • Laboratory vacuum pumps
  • Laminar flow cabinets
  • Laminar flow hoods
  • Laser printers
  • Light microscopes
  • Manual pipettes
  • Microhematocrits
  • Micrometers
  • Microtiter plates
  • Needle holders
  • Notebook computers
  • Osmometers
  • Personal computers
  • Petri dishes
  • pH meters
  • Photometers
  • Photomicroscopes
  • Plasma extractors
  • Plasma thawers
  • Plate washers
  • Platelet rockers
  • Portable coagulation analyzers
  • Safety pipetting devices
  • Scintillation counters
  • Semiautomated hematology analyzers
  • Sensitivity plates
  • Serological kits
  • Serology tube rotators
  • Single-channel pipettes
  • Spectrometers
  • Spectrophotometers
  • Sterile blood lancets
  • Sterile transfer tubes
  • Stylets
  • Thermal cyclers
  • Tissue cassettes
  • Tissue embedding equipment
  • Tourniquets
  • Triple beam balances
  • Ultracentrifuges
  • Unopettes
  • Urinometers
  • Vacutainer tubes
  • Commercial plate reader software
  • Database software
  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • Email software
  • Hematology laboratory workflow management software
  • Laboratory information system LIS software
  • Medical digital imaging software
  • Medical software
  • Medical system integration software
  • Microscopic image capturing software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Project
  • Microsoft Word
  • Quality control software
  • Reimbursement screening software
  • Specimen tracking software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Test result delivery software
  • Test routing software
  • Word processing software

    • healthcare practitioners and technical

    industry stats

    SOC: 29-0000

    Total Employed: 8,021,800

    Average Annual Salary: $77,800