Clinical Laboratory Technicians: Job Description, Education & Career Outlook

Also referred to as a medical laboratory technician, a clinical lab technician's main responsibilities include performing laboratory tests for diagnosis, treatment of disease and its prevention. So, if you have a strong passion for helping people prevent the onslaught of various illnesses and improve their health conditions, working as a laboratory technician can be a nice career option for you. The continuous advancement in diagnostic procedures and growth in population creates excellent job opportunities for clinical lab technicians. Most of these technicians perform their task under the supervision of a medical technologist. It is only after the tests have been done that medical professionals are able to diagnose diseases and plan effective required treatment.

Job Description
Medical lab technicians conduct a wide range tests for body fluids including blood and urine. By using microscopic and other clinical automatic analyzer, technicians detect the abnormalities or illnesses that a patient may be suffering from. Next, the diagnostic information is provided to patient's physician so that they can continue with appropriate treatment procedure. Depending on the nature of tests being done, lab techs use various techniques for diagnosing the abnormalities and diseases. Usually, laboratory technicians perform a range of tests. However, there are many who specialize in a specific area. For instance, a phlebotomist specializes in gathering blood sample, testing and analyzing it.

What do clinical lab technicians look for when they perform a test? These technicians are trained to detect the presence of some specific type of microorganism, pharmaceutical drug level and irregularities in the white blood cell levels among others. Technicians are responsible for analyzing the test results and making sure that the findings conform to the specifications. On the basis of what technicians analyze from the results, they issue reports, to be used for providing appropriate treatments to patients. When lab techs detect some abnormal cells in the collected specimens, they consult with pathologists to determine the final diagnosis of illnesses.

Educational Requirement & Training
To become a laboratory technician, candidates need to hold either a certification or an associate degree. There are several community colleges and technical schools where students can enroll in an associate degree. Many lab technicians also receive on-the-job training. The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) has given accreditation to 467 programs across the United States. Besides being formally trained, candidates may also need to fulfill some licensure requirements. A lab technician can also go on to become a laboratory technologist by acquiring advanced skills and education. Licensing or registration requirements vary from one state to another. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the following associations have the authority to certify medical or clinical laboratory technicians.

American Association of Bioanalysts (ABB) Board of Registry
The American Medical Technologists
The National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel
The Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology

Besides having an associate degree or a certificate, candidates should also have some essential skills to make the most of their careers as clinical laboratory technicians. These skills include active listening, reading comprehension, time management, communication, problem solving, decision making etc.

Career Outlook
With the increase in population, the demand for a wide range of clinical tests is also increasing. At the same time advancements are taking place in clinical testing methods. Job opportunities for clinical lab technicians are abundant. Employment opportunities for these technicians are on the rise at medical laboratories, doctor's offices, blood banks and organ banks. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment growth rate for laboratory tech jobs will be greater than the average of all other professions, through to the year 2018.

Annual Salary
The median annual salary of a laboratory technician is $35,380.