Diagnostic Detectives: Diagnostic Detectives: Medical Laboratory Medical Laboratory ProfessionalsProfessionals

A Closer Look at A Closer Look at Careers in Careers in

Clinical Laboratory Clinical Laboratory ScienceScience

(Medical Technology)(Medical Technology)

When your doctor orders When your doctor orders “lab tests” do you “lab tests” do you know…..know….. Who collects and processes your blood Who collects and processes your blood

sample? sample?

Phlebotomists / Lab AssistantsPhlebotomists / Lab Assistants Who analyzes blood and body fluid samples Who analyzes blood and body fluid samples

in a variety of laboratories? in a variety of laboratories?

Clinical Laboratory Technicians Clinical Laboratory Technicians (Medical Laboratory Technicians)(Medical Laboratory Technicians) Clinical Laboratory Scientists Clinical Laboratory Scientists (Medical Technologists) (Medical Technologists)

Medical Laboratory Medical Laboratory FactsFacts

A behind-the-scenes, highly skilled team A behind-the-scenes, highly skilled team of pathologists, specialists, technologists, of pathologists, specialists, technologists, and technicians work together to provide and technicians work together to provide valuable data needed to:valuable data needed to:– determine the presence or absence of diseasedetermine the presence or absence of disease– evaluate the effectiveness of treatmentevaluate the effectiveness of treatment– maintain health maintain health

Also called Clinical Pathology and Also called Clinical Pathology and Anatomic Pathology. Anatomic Pathology.

Medical Laboratory Medical Laboratory FactsFacts

Clinical laboratory professionals Clinical laboratory professionals generate data to assist physicians in the generate data to assist physicians in the detection of cancer, heart disease, detection of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, infectious mono, bacterial and diabetes, infectious mono, bacterial and viral infections, and drugs of abuse.viral infections, and drugs of abuse.

80% of all physician decisions are based 80% of all physician decisions are based on laboratory test results produced by on laboratory test results produced by the laboratory team.the laboratory team.

Clinical PathologyClinical Pathology

This laboratory performs testing on This laboratory performs testing on blood blood and body fluids.and body fluids.

Laboratory professionals use Laboratory professionals use sophisticated biomedical instrumentation sophisticated biomedical instrumentation and technology, computers, as well as and technology, computers, as well as methods requiring manual dexterity, tomethods requiring manual dexterity, to

perform the thousands perform the thousands

of laboratory tests of laboratory tests

currently available.currently available.

Careers in the Clinical Careers in the Clinical Pathology LaboratoryPathology Laboratory PhlebotomistPhlebotomist Laboratory AssistantLaboratory Assistant Clinical Laboratory Scientist / Medical Clinical Laboratory Scientist / Medical

TechnologistTechnologist Clinical Laboratory Technician / Medical Clinical Laboratory Technician / Medical

Laboratory TechnicianLaboratory Technician Supervisor/Manager/EducatorSupervisor/Manager/Educator Technical Specialist (PhD)Technical Specialist (PhD) Pathologist (MD or DO)Pathologist (MD or DO)

NOTE: Educational requirements for professions in blue will be discussed later.

Other Job Other Job OpportunitiesOpportunities Hospital laboratoriesHospital laboratories Reference laboratoriesReference laboratories Physician office laboratoriesPhysician office laboratories State Department of Health State Department of Health Fertility clinicsFertility clinics Pharmaceutical / Biotech industryPharmaceutical / Biotech industry Veterinary laboratoriesVeterinary laboratories Forensic laboratoriesForensic laboratories

Daily RoutineDaily Routine

PhlebotomistPhlebotomist– Specimen CollectionSpecimen Collection

Laboratory AssistantLaboratory Assistant– Specimen Processing and Pre-Analytic FunctionsSpecimen Processing and Pre-Analytic Functions

Clinical Laboratory TechnicianClinical Laboratory Technician andand Clinical Laboratory Scientist Clinical Laboratory Scientist Also known as Also known as Medical Laboratory TechnicianMedical Laboratory Technician and and Medical Medical

TechnologistTechnologist May be a Generalist (working in all lab sections) or a May be a Generalist (working in all lab sections) or a

Specialist (work in one lab)Specialist (work in one lab)– Specimen Analysis (automated or manual)Specimen Analysis (automated or manual)– Instrument MaintenanceInstrument Maintenance– Quality Control ProceduresQuality Control Procedures– Result ReviewResult Review

Typical Clinical Typical Clinical Pathology Laboratory Pathology Laboratory Sections:Sections:

HematologyHematology CoagulationCoagulation Chemistry Chemistry ToxicologyToxicology ImmunologyImmunology Transfusion Medicine (Blood Bank) Transfusion Medicine (Blood Bank) Histocompatibility TestingHistocompatibility Testing Medical MicrobiologyMedical Microbiology Molecular Pathology Molecular Pathology Flow CytometryFlow Cytometry

Photo Tour Photo Tour of a of a

Clinical Pathology Clinical Pathology LaboratoryLaboratory

PhlebotomyPhlebotomy

The phlebotomist The phlebotomist collects blood collects blood samples from samples from patients - young patients - young and old.and old.

Specimen ProcessingSpecimen Processing

Laboratory Laboratory assistants assistants receive and receive and prepare prepare blood and blood and body fluid body fluid specimens specimens for testing. for testing.

Hematology Hematology LaboratoryLaboratory Clinical Clinical

Laboratory Laboratory Technician Technician (Medical (Medical Laboratory Laboratory Technician)Technician) performing performing blood cell blood cell counts on counts on computerized computerized automation.automation.

Hematology Hematology LaboratoryLaboratory Clinical Laboratory Clinical Laboratory

Scientist (Medical Scientist (Medical Technologist)Technologist) reviewing blood cell reviewing blood cell morphology under morphology under the microscope to the microscope to detect the presence detect the presence of certain anemias, of certain anemias, leukemias, or leukemias, or lymphomas. lymphomas.

Hematology Hematology LaboratoryLaboratory

Normal Lymphocyte Leukemic Blasts & Lymphocyte

Atypical Lymphocyte

Coagulation Coagulation LaboratoryLaboratory Clinical Laboratory Clinical Laboratory

Scientist (Medical Scientist (Medical Technologist)Technologist) performing tests performing tests that determine the that determine the presence of a presence of a bleeding or clotting bleeding or clotting disorder. disorder.

Chemistry LaboratoryChemistry Laboratory

Technicians and Technicians and technologists technologists analyze blood serum analyze blood serum for hundreds of for hundreds of biochemical biochemical elements that elements that reflect cardiac, liver, reflect cardiac, liver, renal, endocrine and renal, endocrine and acid/base function.acid/base function.

Example tests include glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, heart and liver enzymes.

Chemistry LaboratoryChemistry Laboratory

Clinical Clinical Laboratory Laboratory Scientists (Medical Scientists (Medical Technologists)Technologists) monitor monitor instrument quality instrument quality control data and control data and review patient review patient results before results before releasing the releasing the information to the information to the physician.physician.

Toxicology LaboratoryToxicology Laboratory

Clinical Clinical Laboratory Laboratory Scientists Scientists (Medical (Medical Technologists)Technologists) utilize thin layer utilize thin layer chromatography chromatography to analyze urine to analyze urine specimens for specimens for therapeutic drugs therapeutic drugs as well as drugs as well as drugs of abuse.of abuse.

Urinalysis LaboratoryUrinalysis Laboratory

Medical Laboratory Medical Laboratory TechniciansTechnicians and and Medical Medical TechnologistsTechnologists analyze urine for analyze urine for elements such as elements such as glucose, protein, glucose, protein, ketones, bilirubin, ketones, bilirubin, pH, abnormal cells pH, abnormal cells and chemical and chemical crystals. crystals.

Immunology Immunology LaboratoryLaboratory Clinical Laboratory Clinical Laboratory

ScientistsScientists and and Clinical Clinical Laboratory TechniciansLaboratory Technicians perform tests on serum perform tests on serum to detect antibody to detect antibody production in response production in response to various infections to various infections and disease such as and disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, hepatitis, lupus, hepatitis, herpes, and allergies.herpes, and allergies.

Transfusion Medicine Transfusion Medicine Laboratory (Blood Laboratory (Blood Bank)Bank) Clinical Laboratory Clinical Laboratory

ScientistsScientists perform perform ABO and Rh ABO and Rh typing, antibody typing, antibody screening, and screening, and crossmatching to crossmatching to determine safe determine safe donor blood for a donor blood for a transfusion of a transfusion of a patient.patient.

Transfusion Medicine Transfusion Medicine Laboratory (Blood Laboratory (Blood Bank)Bank) Medical Medical

TechnologistsTechnologists check the check the paperwork for paperwork for correct correct information information before before releasing the releasing the unit of blood to unit of blood to be transfused. be transfused.

HistocompatibilityHistocompatibilityLaboratory Laboratory Medical TechnologistsMedical Technologists

perform serological perform serological typing of white blood typing of white blood cells for HLA antigens cells for HLA antigens to determine:to determine:– if a donor organ or if a donor organ or

bone marrow is a good bone marrow is a good match for match for transplantation into a transplantation into a recipient.recipient.

– certain disease certain disease associationsassociations

Microbiology Microbiology LaboratoryLaboratory Clinical Laboratory Clinical Laboratory

ScientistsScientists use use various culture various culture techniques to techniques to determine which determine which bacteria, virus or bacteria, virus or fungus might be fungus might be causing illness.causing illness.

Microbiology Microbiology LaboratoryLaboratory Medical Medical

TechnologistsTechnologists perform perform antimicrobial antimicrobial susceptibility susceptibility testing on bacterial testing on bacterial isolates to isolates to determine what determine what antibiotics will be antibiotics will be effective in treating effective in treating the infection.the infection.

Molecular Pathology Molecular Pathology LabLab

Clinical Laboratory Clinical Laboratory ScientistsScientists extract and extract and amplify the DNA from amplify the DNA from various samples.various samples.

Molecular Pathology Molecular Pathology LabLabThe DNA or RNA nucleicThe DNA or RNA nucleic

acid sequences areacid sequences are

then studied for:then studied for:– unique sequences of unique sequences of

various bacterial, various bacterial, fungal or viral fungal or viral organismsorganisms

– defective genes found defective genes found in inherited disease in inherited disease such as cystic fibrosissuch as cystic fibrosis

– mutations in certain mutations in certain cancer cellscancer cells

Flow Cytometry LabFlow Cytometry Lab

Medical Medical TechnologistsTechnologists use use a flow cytometer to a flow cytometer to detect:detect:– abnormal cell abnormal cell

surface markers surface markers found in found in leukemia and leukemia and lymphoma lymphoma

– lymphocyte lymphocyte subsets in HIV subsets in HIV infection. infection.

More Information…More Information…

Education & TrainingEducation & Training CertificationCertification Career Career

AdvancementAdvancement Wages and Job Wages and Job

Outlook Outlook

Education, Training, Education, Training, and Certificationand Certification

Phlebotomy TechnicianPhlebotomy Technician

High School diploma or GEDHigh School diploma or GED Good communication skillsGood communication skills Formal course in Phlebotomy preferredFormal course in Phlebotomy preferred

– Phlebotomy programs are available through Phlebotomy programs are available through community colleges, proprietary health occupation community colleges, proprietary health occupation schools, or other academic institutionsschools, or other academic institutions..

Clinical training required Clinical training required Certification recommended (after one year work Certification recommended (after one year work

experience or formal clinical training in experience or formal clinical training in accredited program): accredited program): Plb or PBTPlb or PBT

Work in hospitals, physician offices, home health Work in hospitals, physician offices, home health care, clinics, insurance companiescare, clinics, insurance companies

Lab AssistantLab Assistant

High SchoolHigh School Didactic courses in Lab Skills and Computer Didactic courses in Lab Skills and Computer

Applications also preferred Applications also preferred – These can be taken in a high school These can be taken in a high school

technical/occupational health program or in a technical/occupational health program or in a community college medical assisting curriculum.community college medical assisting curriculum.

On the job clinical trainingOn the job clinical training Work in hospitals, commercial reference Work in hospitals, commercial reference

laboratories, research labslaboratories, research labs

Clinical Laboratory Clinical Laboratory Technician / Technician / Medical Laboratory TechnicianMedical Laboratory Technician Associate degree Associate degree 8 semester hours of 8 semester hours of bothboth biology and biology and

chemistry (with labs)chemistry (with labs) Math and Computer ApplicationsMath and Computer Applications Courses in Clinical Hematology/Hemostasis, Courses in Clinical Hematology/Hemostasis,

Clinical Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry, and Clinical Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry, and Immunohematology Immunohematology

Completion of a NAACLS accredited MLT/CLT Completion of a NAACLS accredited MLT/CLT

programprogram National certification: National certification: CLT or MLTCLT or MLT

Clinical Laboratory Scientist Clinical Laboratory Scientist //Medical Technologist Medical Technologist

Bachelor’s degreeBachelor’s degree 16 semester hours of 16 semester hours of bothboth chemistry and biology chemistry and biology

(with labs)(with labs) Math (algebra) and computer applicationsMath (algebra) and computer applications Courses in biochemistry, statistics, physics, genetics, Courses in biochemistry, statistics, physics, genetics,

general microbiology recommendedgeneral microbiology recommended Courses in Clinical Hematology, Immunohematology, Courses in Clinical Hematology, Immunohematology,

Immunology, Medical Microbiology, Clinical Immunology, Medical Microbiology, Clinical ChemistryChemistry

Completion of a NAACLS accredited MT/CLS programCompletion of a NAACLS accredited MT/CLS program National certification: National certification: CLS or MTCLS or MT

Career AdvancementCareer Advancement

Supervisor/ManagerSupervisor/Manager

Senior Senior technologists with technologists with an interest in an interest in management play management play an important role an important role in coordinating in coordinating laboratory laboratory operations, operations, staffing, and staffing, and finances. finances.

EducatorEducator

Senior Senior technologists with technologists with an interest in an interest in education train education train new employees new employees and share their and share their knowledge with knowledge with the next the next generation of generation of professionals. professionals. Clinical Laboratory Educator and

Students

Technical SpecialistTechnical Specialist

Technical Technical Specialists (PhDs) Specialists (PhDs) function as:function as:– laboratory section laboratory section

technical technical directorsdirectors

– researchersresearchers– consultants to a consultants to a

patient’s patient’s physician.physician. PhD Technical Specialist and a

Supervisor

PathologistPathologist

Pathologists Pathologists (MDs or DOs) (MDs or DOs) function as function as laboratory laboratory directors and directors and consultants to consultants to patient patient physicians.physicians.

Pathologist and a Medical Technologist

Wages & Job Outlook Wages & Job Outlook

Annual Wages Vacancy Rates

PBT $ 18,700-27,000 6.6 %MLT $ 27,800-36,900 5.9 %MT $ 34,300-47,200 7.0 %Supervisor $ 43,700-56,300 3.3 %Manager $ 53,200-65,500 1.9 %

Source: ASCP Preliminary 2003 Wage & Vacancy Survey of Medical Laboratories, July, 2004, www.ascp.org

Accredited Educational Accredited Educational ProgramsPrograms The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical

Laboratory Science (NAACLS) has a Laboratory Science (NAACLS) has a comprehensive listing of accredited comprehensive listing of accredited educational programs in clinical laboratory educational programs in clinical laboratory science.science.

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences Laboratory Sciences

8410 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 6708410 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 670

Chicago, IL 60631-3415Chicago, IL 60631-3415

773-714-8880773-714-8880www.naacls.org

Certifying AgenciesCertifying Agencies

American Society for Clinical Pathology -American Society for Clinical Pathology -

Board of Registry (ASCP-BOR)Board of Registry (ASCP-BOR)

Box 12277Box 12277

Chicago, IL 60612-0277Chicago, IL 60612-0277

www.ascp.org/borwww.ascp.org/bor National Credentialing Agency for National Credentialing Agency for

Laboratory Personnel, Inc. (NCA)Laboratory Personnel, Inc. (NCA)

P.O. Box 15945-289P.O. Box 15945-289

Lenexa, KS 66285-9173Lenexa, KS 66285-9173

www.nca-info.orgwww.nca-info.org

Certifying AgenciesCertifying Agencies

American Board of Histocompatibility American Board of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ABHI)and Immunogenetics (ABHI)

P.O. Box 19173P.O. Box 19173

Lenexa, KS 66285-9173Lenexa, KS 66285-9173

www.ashi-hla.orgwww.ashi-hla.org

SummarySummary

If you... If you... – are fascinated by scienceare fascinated by science– like to solve puzzles and problemslike to solve puzzles and problems– enjoy mysteries enjoy mysteries – like challenge and responsibilitylike challenge and responsibility– are accurate and reliableare accurate and reliable– work well under pressurework well under pressure– communicate well andcommunicate well and– set high standards for yourself ….set high standards for yourself ….

SummarySummary

then…then…

consider a career inconsider a career in

Clinical Laboratory Science !!Clinical Laboratory Science !!