What is Medical Technology?

Medical technology, also known as clinical laboratory science, is a scientific health care discipline that deals with pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical testing of patients specimens. The pre-analytical phase includes selecting the appropriate specimen and tests with the physician. The analytic phase is the actual testing procedure. The post-analytical phase involves reporting and interpretation of laboratory data. Approximately 70 percent of the medical decisions are based upon the data obtained from laboratory testing performed by medical technologist/clinical laboratory scientists.

These professionals are involved in the diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and prevention of disease. They are required to perform testing in many disciplines, including microbiology, chemistry, immunology, hematology, immunohematology and molecular biology with sophisticated biomedical instrumentation and cutting edge technology. In addition to scientific testing of patient specimens, these professionals must be able to evaluate and interpret laboratory results, communicate effectively with other health care professionals and the patient, analyze and improve laboratory services, effectively utilize laboratory resources, and perform workforce education.

What are medical technologist\clinical laboratory scientists?

Medical technologists\clinical laboratory scientists, are vital health care detectives who uncover and provide laboratory information from laboratory analyses that assist physicians in patient diagnosis and treatment, as well as in disease monitoring or prevention (maintenance of health). We use sophisticated biomedical instrumentation and technology, computers, and methods requiring manual dexterity to perform laboratory testing on blood and body fluids. Laboratory testing encompasses such disciplines as clinical chemistry, hematology, immunology, immunohematology, microbiology, and molecular biology. Medical technology\clinical laboratory science professionals generate accurate laboratory data that are needed to aid in detecting cancer, heart attacks, diabetes, infectious mononucleosis, and identification of bacteria or viruses that cause infections, as well as in detecting drugs of abuse. In addition, we monitor testing quality and consult with other members of the healthcare team.

The clinical laboratory science profession has more than one career track based on level of education: clinical laboratory technician (two years) and clinical laboratory scientist (four to five years). Clinical laboratory technicians are competent in the collection, processing and analysis of biological specimens, the performance of lab procedures, the maintenance of instruments, and relating lab findings to common diseases/conditions. Clinical laboratory scientists have a more extensive theoretical knowledge base. Therefore they not only perform laboratory procedures including very sophisticated analyses, but also evaluate/interpret the results, integrate data, problem solve, consult, conduct research and develop new test methods.

(ASCLS source: http://ascls.org/jobs/index.asp)

Job Outlook/Salaries

• U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 13,000 new medical technologists and medical technicians are needed annually. Presently fewer than 5,000 are graduating annually at present.
• American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of Registry 2003 survey indicated 72 percent of the present laboratory workforce is 40 years of age or older, with the majority close to retirement. According to this data, as retirements occur, the shortage will increase.
• The survey also found that nearly 100 percent of the graduates who should employment during the last two years found employment in a laboratory.
• 10 billion laboratory tests were performed in the United States in 2001; that number is expected to triple by 2010.
• Salary range reported on the survey:
  • Medical technologist (staff position)..............$33,280-$45,760
  • Medical technologist (supervisor)..................$41,600-$53,581
  • Medical technologist (manager).....................$50,690-$62,400

(Survey results in Laboratory Medicine, September, 2003)

Career Opportunities

• Staff technologist
• Section Supervisor
• Administrative Technologist
• Teacher
• Salesperson
• Instrument and Product Evaluator
• Technical consultant
• Equipment Maintenance Consultant
• State Public Health Labs Employee
• Accreditation Team Member
• Lab Information Computer Analyst
• Infection Control Coordinator
• Hospital Administration
• Physician Lab Consultant
• Researcher