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Medical Laboratory Technicians generally have either an associate degree from a community or junior college or a certificate from a hospital, a vocational or technical school, or the Armed Forces. A few technicians learn their skills on the job.

 

Nationally recognized agencies that accredit Medical Technologist and Medical Laboratory Technician programs include the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).

 

Licensure: Some states require Medical Laboratory Technicians to be licensed or registered. Information on licensure is available from sate departments of health or boards of occupational licensing.

 

Certification: Many employers prefer applicants who are certified by a recognized professional association, such as the American Medical Technologists. 

 

Other skills: Employers seek Medical Laboratory Technicians with good analytical judgment and the ability to work under pressure. Close attention to detail is also essential for Medical Laboratory Technicians because small differences or changes in test substances or numerical readouts can be crucial to a diagnosis. Manual dexterity and normal color vision are highly desirable, and with the widespread use of automated laboratory equipment, computer skills are important.

 

Advancement: Medical Laboratory Technicians can advance and become technologists through additional education and experience. Technologists may advance to supervisory positions in laboratory work or may become chief technologists or laboratory managers in hospitals. Manufacturers of home diagnostic testing kits and laboratory equipment and supplies also seek experienced technologists to work in product development, marketing, and sales. Professional certification, specialization and/or a graduate degree in medical technology, one of the biological sciences, chemistry, management, or education usually speeds advancement.

 

Rapid job growth and excellent job opportunities for Medical Laboratory Technicians are expected. Most jobs will continue to be in hospitals, but employment will grow faster in other settings. Employment of Medical Laboratory Technicians is expected to grow 14 percent between 2006 and 2016, faster than average for all occupations. The volume of laboratory tests continues to increase with both population growth and the development of new types of tests.

 

Technological advances will continue to have opposing effects on employment. On the one hand, new, increasingly powerful diagnostic tests will encourage additional testing and spur employment. On the other, research and development efforts targeted at simplifying routine testing procedures may enhance the ability of nonlaboratory personnel—physicians and patients in particular—to perform tests now conducted in laboratories.

 

Job opportunities for Medical Laboratory Technicians are expected to be excellent because the number of job openings is expected to continue to exceed the number of job seekers. Although significant, job growth will not be the only source of opportunities. As in most occupations, many additional openings will result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations, retire, or stop working for some other reason.

Median annual wage-and-salary earnings of Medical Laboratory Technicians were $32,840 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $26,430 and $41,020. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $21,830, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $50,250. In general, salaries are higher in a hospital setting than in physician offices.

 

Profession Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics:

 

For Medical Laboratory Technicians (AMT) certification qualifications and requirements: Click Here