There
are many healthcare careers to be interested in. Everyone
knows you can be a doctor or nurse. But have you thought
of becoming an X-Ray Technician, Physical Therapist,
or Pharmacist? There are hundreds of careers in health
care to choose from!
One
of the most interesting careers involves working in
the medical laboratory. Many different jobs are found
in a laboratory, which is usually divided up into
two areas - the clinical laboratory and the anatomic
laboratory.
The
clinical laboratory is a place where blood and body
fluid samples are tested, to see whether people are
well or sick. Some tests that you might have hear
about are cholesterol, AIDS testing, and blood sugar
(glucose). People in the laboratory wear gloves and
special gowns to make sure that they are safe while
they are testing these specimens. The results of testing
are reported to the patient's doctors so that the
right diagnosis can be made and the right treatment
can begin.
The
anatomic laboratory is a place where tissue and body
fluid specimens are examined under microscopes. Special
colored stains are used to help identify the different
kinds of cells found in the fluids and tissues. If
the cells look abnormal, the patient may have cancer
or another serious illness. In this case, a doctor
with special training called a Pathologist will look
at the cells to make a diagnosis.
Here
are some of the jobs that you could find in the laboratory,
and a little bit about them.
Phlebotomist
(a person who collects blood samples from patients)
: You will need a high school diploma, ability to
work well with patients and other healthcare professionals,
and you may need a car to drive to the different places
where you will collect samples. You will learn the
different kinds of tests in the laboratory and which
types of specimen containers can be used to collect
the different samples. Certification: PBT(ASCP) or
PT(NCA).
Specimen
Processor (a person who enters test orders into
a computer, and who prepares specimens for testing)
: You will need a high school diploma, and ability
to enter information into a computer very accurately.
You will learn the different kinds of tests in a laboratory
and some special information about what kinds of specimen
is needed for each test. You will learn how to solve
problems in case the specimens aren't the right kind
or you don't have enough information to order a test.
Certification: none
Laboratory
Technician (a person who helps perform some simple
testing, keeps equipment running properly, and keeps
track of supplies) : You will need a high school diploma
and also some special training, such as a certificate
in laboratory technology or some college coursework.
You will be trained to perform testing and the other
procedures in the laboratory where you work. You need
to have good concentration and you must be good with
details and accuracy. Certification: none
Medical
Laboratory Technician (a person who performs testing
while being supervised by Clinical Laboratory Scientist)
: You will need an Associate Degree in Medical Laboratory
Technology, an internship to gain experience in the
laboratory, and you will need to pass a national certification
exam. You will be able to perform most of the tests
in the laboratory, but you will need to work with
other Clinical Laboratory Scientists (or Medical Technologists)
who will perform the more advanced procedures. Certification:
MLT(ASCP) or LT(NCA).
Histotechnician
(a person who studies tissue samples to detect cancer
or other diseases) : You will need an Associate of
Science Degree in Histotechnology, an internship to
gain experience in the Histotechnology area of the
laboratory, and you will need to pass a national certification
exam. You will be able to prepare, stain, and examine
tissue samples. Certification: HT(ASCP).
Histotechnologist
(a person who performs more complex stains and procedures
on tissue samples) : You will need an Associate of
Science or Bachelor of Science Degree in Histotechnology,
an internship to gain experience in the Histotechnology
area of the laboratory (if you have not already completed
one previously), and you will need to pass a national
certification exam. You will be able to prepare, stain,
and examine tissue samples, and also to prepare and
use more complex stains and techniques. Certification:
HTL(ASCP).
Cytotechnologist
(a person who studies cells in body fluids to detect
cancer or other diseases) : You will need a Bachelor
of Science Degree in CLS, an internship to gain experience
in the Cytotechnology area of the laboratory, and
you will need to pass a national certification exam.
You will be able to prepare, stain, and examine fluid
and tissue samples. (This is one of the degrees offered
by Wayne State University.) Certification: CT(ASCP).
Clinical Laboratory Scientist (also called Medical
Technologist, who can perform testing on blood and
body fluids in the clinical laboratory) : You will
need a Bachelor of Science Degree in CLS, an internship
to gain experience in all areas of the clinical laboratory,
and you will need to pass a national certification
exam. You will be able to perform all testing in the
clinical laboratory. (This is one of the degrees offered
by Wayne State University.) Certification: MT(ASCP)
or CLS(NCA).
In
General...
Most
people who are interested in health care careers like
the thought of helping others, but they also want
to do something that is very interesting to themselves.
Do you think a career in the laboratory would be interesting?
Here are some things you can do to explore further.
* Speak to your guidance counselor and ask if he or
she has any information on laboratory careers
* Search on the web for "Clinical Laboratory
Science" and see what you find
* Ask you parents, relatives, or friends if they know
anyone who works in a laboratory. Try to talk to that
person to see what it's like. Can you come for a short
visit?
And,
in school,
* Plan to take high school courses in Biology, Chemistry,
and Physics as well as Math, English, and Social Studies.
* Work hard to get "B" grades or better
in all your classes.
Once
you become a laboratory professional, there are many
options if you want to advance - either by being promoted
to a supervisory position, or by branching out into
related fields. The possibilities are endless! Check
out the link to "Career Paths" if you want
to see some of the careers that Clinical Laboratory
Scientists / Medical Technologists can become involved
in!
Good
luck to you in your classwork and in your future career
planning!
