How to Become a Medical Lab Technician

The role and responsibilities of a medical lab technician include doing routine laboratory testing manually. Scientific laboratory technicians prepare specimens and operate machines that automatically analyze samples. Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians prepare standard solutions which involve measuring and mixing the correct amount of various chemicals for use in the lab. Medical laboratory technicians have a major role to play in disease detection and cure, like cancer, diabetes, and many other chronic diseases. 

Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians work under the supervision of a doctor, medical laboratory scientist, or medical technician and evaluate substances in the clinic or laboratory. It is predicted that technicians can operate advanced laboratory instruments, like electron microscopy and automated spectrum analyzers. These systems are being used to scan for microbes, parasites, bacteria, and many others. Medical lab technology is all about performing less complicated operations and experiments than technologists in microbiology laboratories.

Organising

The role of a medical lab technician is to keep all the related documents in an organized manner. Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technician organizes work by matching computer orders with specimen labelling, sorting specimens, checking labels, logging specimens, arranging reports for delivery, and keeping work surfaces clean and orderly. All the related specimens are required to be kept in an arranged manner to avoid any kind of mixing and misleading results. A medical lab technician job requires the person to be careful while doing his or her job.

Maintenance of equipment

Medical lab technicians are surrounded by several kinds of machinery which help in conducting different kinds of tests. Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians maintain quality results by running standards and controls, verifying equipment function through routine equipment maintenance and advanced troubleshooting, calibrating equipment utilizing approved testing procedures, and monitoring quality control measures and protocols. It is important to take care of and maintain the equipment on a regular basis for its proper functioning.

Communicate

The job function of a medical lab technician is to keep communicating about the patient's health with the concerned doctor. It is the job of a medical lab technician to identify any kind of abnormal patient conditions by alerting supervisory personnel, the pathologist, the patient physician, or the nurse. Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians also do the reporting of mandated information to the public health department or other designated officials. It is a very critical job and the medical lab technician needs to be alert all the time while doing his or her job.

Handling chemical equipment

The role of a medical lab technician includes conducting several kinds of tests as suggested by the doctor on the patient. The medical lab technician provides the test results for patient diagnosis and treatment by operating on different kinds of chemistry equipment and performing hand chemistries. An individual who opts for a career as a medical lab technician needs to be aware of the proper functioning and handling of the equipment. He or she is also responsible for taking care of the equipment on a regular basis.

Conducting tests

There are various kinds of tests that a medical lab technician is responsible to conduct in order to enable the process of the patient’s diagnosis. A medical lab technician provides test results for patient diagnosis and treatment by operating haematology, urinalysis, and coagulation equipment, and performing manual methods of differentials. Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians must have knowledge of different processes used to conduct tests on different kinds of human fluids.

Ensuring safety

Providing safety to the people who visit the hospital is one of the most important tasks for a medical lab technician. Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians contribute to a safe and secure environment for patients, visitors, physicians and co-workers who visit the hospital. This is made possible by following the established standards and procedures of the hospital or clinic as well as complying with legal regulations imposed by the authorities.

Animal Health Technologist: Animal Health Technologists are also known as veterinary technologists or technicians, assisting veterinarians in providing medical care to animals. Veterinary technology programmes are designed to prepare students for immediate employment in veterinary offices, animal hospitals, research facilities, or animal shelters.

Assayers: An assayer is a person who tests ores and minerals and analyzes them to determine their composition and value. He or she may use spectrographic analysis, chemical solutions, and chemical or laboratory equipment, such as furnaces, beakers, graduates, pipettes, and crucibles.

Biotechnology Laboratory Worker: This type of lab technician's duties and responsibilities include performing bench work and laboratory procedures under the supervision of laboratory techs, laboratory researchers, research scientists, and other senior staff in the industry of biotechnology.

Biological Technologist: Biological technologists provide technical support and services to scientists, engineers, and other professionals working in fields such as agriculture, resource management, environmental protection, plant and animal biology, microbiology, cell and molecular biology, and health sciences.

Chemical Technician: This type of lab technician's duties and responsibilities include monitoring and adjusting equipment at manufacturing facilities. Chemical technicians use laboratory instruments and techniques to help chemists and chemical engineers research, develop, produce, and test chemical products and processes.

Laboratory Technician: Individuals who opt for a career as laboratory technicians collect and process specimens from patients in a hospital or private medical diagnostic laboratory, including skin and body fluid samples. They operate under the direction of a laboratory technologist using techniques that help medical professionals identify illnesses, prepare therapies, and assess their efficacy. 

Operation Theatre Technician: Individuals who choose a career as operation theatre technicians play a major role in helping health care practitioners when coping with patient care. Operation theatre technicians prepare the operative theatre, maintain instruments, sterilization, and personal hygiene, and support nurses and surgeons with various procedures, such as filling in the paperwork, before and after the surgery.

Ophthalmic Medical Technician: An ophthalmic medical technician provides the physician with various duties, such as maintaining the equipment, performing tests, monitoring, and several of these duties. The job duties of an ophthalmic medical technician include conducting diagnostic tests, maintaining various eye equipment, and explaining principles relevant to eye care to patients.

Perfusionist: Perfusionists are highly trained specialists and part of the heart surgical team who are important. They are mainly responsible for working in cardiovascular surgery as perfusionists and they are also involved in blood conservation. Long-term care for respiratory failure, assistance in the treatment of cancerous tumours, and organ transplants are also done by them.

Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians can be found working in hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, or physicians' offices. Other employment options for medical lab technicians are available with blood and organ banks, medical equipment sales companies, research facilities, clinics, and public health organizations, as well as pharmaceutical and reference laboratories. Scientific laboratory technicians' workplaces are clean, sanitized, and well-lit. Individuals who opt for a career as a medical lab technician must wear protective clothing including lab coats, masks, goggles, and gloves when handling equipment or specimens.

Does Medical Lab Technician require travelling?

Not Likely

The job of a medical lab technician (MLT) does not involve travelling as such. But, in some cases, they may have to travel. For example, If there is an immediate requirement for blood in one of the branches of a hospital they are working in, they may have to go and supply the blood from one hospital building to the other.

Employment Shifts

Full Time

Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians are supposed to be present at the location of work. Scientific laboratory technician's job cannot be done over calls or from home. The nature of the job is full-time.

Employment Nature

Permanent

The nature of the employment of a medical lab technician is permanent. 

Work Place

hospitals

Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians work full time, about 40 hours per week. May work nights, weekends, or holidays. Hospitals need tests run at all hours of the day.

Presence in Geographical Area

Rural, Semi-urban, Urban

Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians work in all kinds of geographical locations. Individuals who opt for a career as a medical lab technician work in Urban, Semi-urban as well as rural locations.

Time Pressure

Not Likely

The work pressure for Medical lab technicians is considered moderate. Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians usually work indoors in labs conducting their research and preparing solutions for a particular project field. He or she is usually required to work at least 40 hours per week. An Individual who opts for a career as a medical lab technician may sometimes work irregular hours to monitor experiments that can't be completed during regular working hours.

Overtime Details

Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians are usually required to work at least 40 hours per week. Sometimes, when the work pressure is more, he or she is required to accomplish a project in less time, and his or her working hours may extend to 45-50 hours per week. An individual who opts for a career as a medical lab technician may also be required to work day, evening, or night shifts if working in production.

Weekly Hours of Work

Min 45 Hours

Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians work odd shifts throughout the day and be on call in case of an emergency. It generally varies from place to place. Different recruiters have different work schedules for medical lab technicians. For example, a medical lab technician working in a university has to work from 9 to 5 on weekdays (Monday to Friday) only. On the other hand, the medical laboratory scientist who works in a hospital may work night shifts or he or she can be called on their holiday in case of an emergency.

You must be wondering how to become a Medical Lab Technician? So, in this section, we will be answering the most commonly asked question that how to become a Medical Lab Technician. In order to make a career as Medical Lab Technician, one must possess some skills. Some skills required by a Medical Lab Technician are mentioned below:

Listening: Listening skills help one to understand and make perfect sense of what the other is saying. Listening skills start making it much more efficient for the employees. The willingness to hear properly means allowing the employees to better understand their tasks. They get to recognize what their organization expects from them. Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians need to pay full attention to what other people are saying, take time to consider the points that are being made, ask questions as necessary, and not interrupt improperly.

Reading Skills: Reading is associated with enhanced vocabulary, general knowledge and understanding, and the ability to think critically. Research shows that reading a book could also decrease stress, increase intellectual ability and enhance communication skills. Reading is a difficult and complicated process that involves perception and also reasoning. Reading is composed of two linked processes word recognition and interpretation. Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Critical Thinking: In an organization, critical thinking should be developed. Critical thinking is important in ensuring that you also have the best answer to the questions, with the maximum buy-in from across all concerned parties-an end result that will undoubtedly save time, and money as well as pressure. An individual who opts for a career as a medical lab technician uses logic and common sense to define the benefits and disadvantages of potential solutions, assumptions, or ways to solve problems.

Speaking: Speaking up in the workplace is meaningful action. Positive communication environments seem to want workers to speak to one another about suggestions or problems and also support a climate where employees feel relaxed. Workplace speaking up is a treatment and support. Positive information and communication environments should want employees to communicate with each other about recommendations or difficulties, and also to assist an environment wherein the employees feel relaxed. Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Scientific Knowledge: Scientific information enables us to create new technologies, solve problems, and make educated, personal, and social judgments. Although the services are really valuable, the innovation process is updated with a great scientific understanding of certain technologies that can lead to new technologies. Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Supervisory Skills: Having strong leadership and supervisory skills over employees of an organization is one of the key elements of business expansion. Individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians need to communicate with each other and make the correct decision to keep improving their supervisory skills and improve leadership. Monitoring or assessing yourself, other persons, or organizations' performance to continue improving or take the appropriate action.

Problem-solving ability: Problem-solving is beneficial to individuals and institutions as it helps us to exercise control of the environment. Problem-solving provides one with a process to detect such problems, find out that they've been damaged, and identify a line of action to solve them. Recognize complex issues and identify relevant information to enhance and assess options and come up with solutions.

We have mentioned below major certification courses that individuals who wish to opt for a career as medical health technician can opt to upgrade their skill sets. 

Junior Medical Lab Technician: A Junior Medical Lab Technician is a professional who assists physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases by conducting various tests. A Junior Medical Lab Technician conducts chemical analyses of body fluids and sets up and maintains the medical laboratory equipment.

Senior Medical Lab Technician: A Senior Medical Lab Technician is an experienced professional who is responsible for preparing standard volumetric solutions or reagents to mix with the samples and supervising and instructing other technicians or laboratory assistants. 

Depending upon one’s training and qualification, a medical lab technician may work as a technologist or technician at medical laboratories. At the beginning of the career, a candidate starts by working the post of a medical lab technician of the junior category either in a hospital or a clinic. After gaining some work experience, one may rise through the posts and become a senior medical lab technician and earn a good amount of medical lab technologist salary in India. 

Depending on the knowledge, skills, medical lab technician certification as well as hard work of the candidate he or she can even rise through several posts and become a lab manager. This can require the experience of several years but job growth in this field is quite significant. 

With the outbreak of the recent Covid-19 pandemic, the job market scenario has narrowed for almost all sectors except for medical and healthcare. In fact, experts suggest that the country is going to invest even more in the healthcare sector to avoid losses of life in the future. But medical lab technology is a growing sector in general. This will in turn open several job opportunities for the people aiming to work in the healthcare sector including medical lab technicians. 

Medical labs are where individuals who opt for a career as medical lab technicians can be seen in action. Government hospitals, private hospitals, clinics and nursing homes having medical labs are known to recruit medical technicians. Independent commercial medical labs and pathological labs are also known to recruit medical lab technicians.