Occupation

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists

Human Advantage 73%

Significant human skills needed

AI Automation Risk Moderate Risk
3.2 / 10

Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.

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

Also Known As: Biochemistry Technologist, Blood Bank Laboratory Technologist, Blood Bank Medical Technologist, Blood Bank Technologist, Cath Lab Technologist (Catheterization Laboratory Technologist), Chemistry Technologist, Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS), Clinical Laboratory Technologist +19 more

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Core Tasks

  1. Conduct chemical analysis of body fluids, including blood, urine, or spinal fluid, to determine presence of normal or abnormal components.
  2. Analyze laboratory findings to check the accuracy of the results.
  3. Operate, calibrate, or maintain equipment used in quantitative or qualitative analysis, such as spectrophotometers, calorimeters, flame photometers, or computer-controlled analyzers.
  4. 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.
  5. Enter data from analysis of medical tests or clinical results into computer for storage.
  6. Establish or monitor quality assurance programs or activities to ensure the accuracy of laboratory results.
  7. Analyze samples of biological material for chemical content or reaction.
  8. Set up, clean, and maintain laboratory equipment.
  9. Provide technical information about test results to physicians, family members, or researchers.
  10. Cultivate, isolate, or assist in identifying microbial organisms or perform various tests on these microorganisms.
  11. Supervise, train, or direct lab assistants, medical and clinical laboratory technicians or technologists, or other medical laboratory workers engaged in laboratory testing.
  12. Develop, standardize, evaluate, or modify procedures, techniques, or tests used in the analysis of specimens or in medical laboratory experiments.

Supplemental Tasks (3)

  1. Harvest cell cultures at optimum time, based on knowledge of cell cycle differences and culture conditions.
  2. Select and prepare specimens and media for cell cultures, using aseptic technique and knowledge of medium components and cell requirements.
  3. Obtain, cut, stain, and mount biological material on slides for microscopic study and diagnosis, following standard laboratory procedures.

Education & Training

Job Zone 4 Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Education: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
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.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

Bachelor's Degree
59%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
30%
Master's Degree
5%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.
4%
Some College Courses
1%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
0%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • MEDITECH software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Project
  • Microsoft Word
  • eClinicalWorks EHR software

Software (26)

  • Commercial plate reader software
  • Database software
  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • Email software
  • FileMaker Pro
  • Hematology laboratory workflow management software
  • Laboratory information system LIS
  • Medical digital imaging software
  • Medical procedure coding software
  • Medical software
  • Medical system integration software
  • Microscopic image capturing software
  • Quality control software
  • Reimbursement screening software
  • Specimen tracking software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Test result delivery software
  • Test routing software
  • Word processing software

Tools & Equipment (104)

  • 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 bank refrigerators
  • 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
  • Photometer
  • 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
  • pH meters

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Physical Health Advanced Manufacturing

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