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Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists: Career Profile
Perform complex medical laboratory tests for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May train or supervise staff.
What Tasks Do Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists Take On?
The core tasks performed by medical and clinical laboratory technologists cover:
- Analyze samples of biological material for chemical content or reaction.
- 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.
- Enter data from analysis of medical tests or clinical results into computer for storage.
- 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.
- Set up, clean, and maintain laboratory equipment.
- Operate, calibrate, or maintain equipment used in quantitative or qualitative analysis, such as spectrophotometers, calorimeters, flame photometers, or computer-controlled analyzers.
- Establish or monitor quality assurance programs or activities to ensure the accuracy of laboratory results.
What Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists Need to Know
Top medical and clinical laboratory technologists rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Biochemistry Technologist
- Blood Bank Laboratory Technologist
- Blood Bank Medical Technologist
- Blood Bank Technologist
- Cath Lab Technologist (Catheterization Laboratory Technologist)
- Chemistry Technologist
- Clinical Chemist
- Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS)
Employment and Demand
There are about 653,254 medical and clinical laboratory technologists working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +3.9% over the projection horizon.
Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $77,339 |
| Hourly median | $37.18 |
| 10th percentile | $54,854 |
| 25th percentile | $66,096 |
| 75th percentile | $88,581 |
| 90th percentile | $99,824 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Software Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists Use
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for medical and clinical laboratory technologists reflects the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How to Become Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
Entry-level medical and clinical laboratory technologists positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Microbiologists (Supplemental)
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists (Supplemental)
- Chemists (Supplemental)
- Biological Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Chemical Technicians (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Supplemental)
- Physicians, Pathologists (Supplemental)
- Radiologists (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for medical and clinical laboratory technologists often complete programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
5 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-2011.00 (Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists).
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