Introduction 

If you have recently completed high school and are looking for a profitable career option, you have come to the right place. Let us introduce you to a viable career choice, i.e., being a medical laboratory technician. 

Medical laboratory technicians are professionals in public health laboratories, hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices. They collect and store biological samples, perform appropriate medical tests, and analyze medical reports. 

However, to pursue a career as an MLT, you are required to complete two to four years of formal education. On the other hand, candidates can also seek training programs to get started quickly. 

Pursuing a Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) career is an exciting journey where you face several challenges and gradually acquire the talent to resolve them. To become the best medical laboratory technician jobs, you need dedication and inspiration to keep going.

 MLT is the best option if you prefer to work behind the scenes and interact minimally with patients.  In this blog, you will encounter relevant and significant aspects of pursuing a career as a medical laboratory technician. 

Who is a Medical Lab Technician?

Let’s start with the basic definition of a medical laboratory technician. Who is a medical technician, and how does this profession help serve humanity? 

Where there are human samples present; and need diagnostic testing, a medical technician is likely to be present. 

 A medical laboratory technician is responsible for taking samples, performing diagnostic tests prescribed by the physician, and analyzing and interpreting the results of findings. These steps seem simple, but they are tasks of high responsibility. A slight mistake would render inappropriate treatment that may prove fatal. Thus, serving humanity with your utmost responsibility is the essence of this profession. 

Some lab technicians are in direct contact with patients; to collect samples; otherwise, they work behind the scenes. So if you feel reluctant to face people but eager to safeguard a patient’s life, this opportunity is waiting right behind bars. That is why it is considered one of the best healthcare jobs. 

Specialization Domains

Certain domains are expected of an MLT to be specialized in. These are primary areas of expertise; that a laboratory professional should be aware of.

Following is the list:

• Medical Microbiology- to test for microbes present in the sample.
• Clinical Chemistry-to test for components in blood to aid for diagnosis.
• Blood Banking- to perform blood transfusions and related diagnostic tests. 
• Haematology- to look for blood cell abnormalities to detect blood-borne diseases.
• Histopathology- to look for biopsies and other tissue samples for diagnostic purposes.
• Cytology- to identify the presence of microbes in the specimen and check for its susceptibility to antibiotics.
• Virology- related to viruses like rubella, HIV, corona, etc. 
• Immunology- to detect diseases and activation of the immune system. This domain is imperative when it comes to disease detection. 

Medical Laboratory Technicians Role Description

There are diverse duties of an MLT, but some essential roles are listed below. 

• Prepare and run samples.
• Provide test results
• Analyze the reports and prepare them for delivery
• Maintain overall quality of work
• Check instrument calibration and working
• Reconduct the test if a particular test seems unreliable
• Learn advanced techniques coming into the market
• Alert the physician if a patient’s test results are critical
• Pile up the used samples and discard them properly
• Maintain the database efficiently
• Inform for any chemical or apparatus that is lacking
• Follow standard procedures while performing the test

Complete Guide to Becoming a Medical Laboratory Technician

Here is a comprehensive guide to pursuing a career as a medical laboratory technician. 

Education requirement:

Bachelor’s (Bachelor’s degree in healthcare management or health and human services) or master’s degree (Master’s degree in healthcare management or health leadership) is a prerequisite for MLT. You may also opt for an associate’s degree that requires two years for completion. All tenure for completing a degree is 2-4 years.

Certification:

Some laboratories require MLTs to be certified. ASCP (American Society for Clinical Pathology) is the most widely recognized certification. 

Training:

There are various short training courses for aspiring medical laboratory technicians, which last for 75 weeks. 

Training is also gained during the educational journey or after completing a degree.

License:

Some laboratories demand a license that can be earned through the concerned department of the country.

Boost your skills:

Skills are the paradigm of the success journey. Technical as well as soft skills are required to excel as an MLT. 

Technical skills include quality assurance, lab testing, patient care, life sciences, handling equipment, etc.

Soft skills include teamwork, organization, hard-working, critical, and analytical thinking, and time management. 

Average Salary 

The average salary in the US is £20,846 per year. Starting salaries can range from £15,000 to £19,000. However, an experience in the field might pay in a range between £20,000 to £25,000.

Importance of Choosing the Profession of Medical Laboratory Technician

The viability of choosing medical laboratory technician as a career; can be understood; from the benefits; this career option offers: 

• A good career option when looking for a profitable one.
• serving humanity behind the scenes
• flexible working hours.
• knowledge of medical terminologies
• learning sampling methods
• responsibility infusion
• participate in frontline research
• become a teacher whenever there is a need
• Time management skills

What does a Typical Day as a Medical Laboratory Technician look like?

According to the setting, the daily duties of a technician might vary.  A technician working in a hospital starts his day by performing tests on samples sent from an outlying clinic. 

On the other hand, a technician working with a physician might start his day as a phlebotomist, drawing blood from a patient’s veins. They might assist physicians in other tasks like filling out paperwork, filling reports and arranging them, etc. 

What Kind of Jobs Can you Get in This Industry?

The field offers a variety of options to opt from that range from junior or assistant lab technicians to senior lab technicians. After gaining enough experience and making things handy, you can acquire the position of team leader technician and eventually become a laboratory manager. 

You can also opt for teaching as you have hands-on experience in laboratory skills, how things work, and what to do when things don’t work. Handling instruments and calibrating them, following protocols, and tackling hazards are the in-hand skills you would already have.    

These skills will pay off in one way or another and, eventually, land you a best healthcare jobs that best suits your interests. MLT demands continuous engagement and might be tiring many times, especially during pandemic situations. But serving humanity is the best you could do in a profession. 

Conclusion 

Medical laboratory technician is a bright career option to choose from. It is acquired after 2-4 years of degree completion. The blog guides noteworthy details on how to become a medical laboratory technician. It is an aspiring journey where you can be enrolled as a junior lab technician and eventually be promoted to higher posts. There are significant growth chances in this field, although the work stress is also more at certain times. You will learn a lot through hands-on experience with diagnostic tests and can serve humanity working behind the curtains.