All About Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians
Occupation Description Perform routine medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May work under the supervision of a medical technologist.
List of Medical & Clinical Laboratory Technician Job Duties
- Analyze the results of tests or experiments to ensure conformity to specifications, using special mechanical or electrical devices.
- Conduct blood tests for transfusion purposes and perform blood counts.
- Obtain specimens, cultivating, isolating, and identifying microorganisms for analysis.
- Conduct chemical analyses of body fluids, such as blood or urine, using microscope or automatic analyzer to detect abnormalities or diseases and enter findings into computer.
- Analyze and record test data to issue reports that use charts, graphs, or narratives.
- Examine cells stained with dye to locate abnormalities.
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What a Medical & Clinical Laboratory Technician Should Know
When polled, Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Related Job Titles
- Clinical Laboratory Technician (Clinical Lab Technician)
- Medical Laboratory Technician (Medical Lab Tech)
- Medical Laboratory Technicians (Medical Lab Technician)
- Specimen Accessioner
- Specimen Processor
Job Demand for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 164,200 jobs in the United States for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technician. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 14% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 23,000 new jobs for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technician by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 12,900 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Medical & Clinical Laboratory Technician are Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Connecticut, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What Tools & Technology do Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Email software
- Word processing software
- SAP
- Spreadsheet software
- Database software
- IBM Notes
- Google Docs
- FileMaker Pro
- MEDITECH software
- Minitab
- National Instruments LabVIEW
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- Billing software
- Laboratory information system LIS
- Medical software
- Microscopic image capturing software
Becoming a Medical & Clinical Laboratory Technician
Individuals working as a Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technician have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become a Medical & Clinical Laboratory Technician?

Similar Careers
Those who work as a Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technician sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
- Biological Technicians
- Endoscopy Technicians
- Cytogenetic Technologists
References:
Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Jerilyn Quintanilla via U.S. Air Force photo
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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