Clinical Laboratory
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Phlebotomists (PBT) perform blood specimen collections, a critical first step to quality patient care. Medical Laboratory Assistants or Aides (MLA) focus on specimen receipt, preparation, and simple testing, allowing Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLT) to perform routine, usually larger volume testing. Medical Laboratory Scientists (MLS) and Medical Laboratory Specialists (MLSp) perform advanced testing procedures and interpret diagnostic test results. A Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science provides consultation services as the liaison between the clinical laboratory and professionals treating the patient. The Pathologist is responsible for a patient’s diagnosis. Each position relies on the other positions in the laboratory to provide quality results and optimal patient outcomes.
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Anatomic Laboratory
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There are two main medical specialties within anatomic pathology:
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Public Health Laboratory
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Public health focuses on the well-being of a community. Professionals who work in a public health laboratory are the first level of response when it comes to questions about the safety of the environment and people around you.
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Industry
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Laboratory industry partners provide support to laboratories related to scientific instruments, testing methods, and installation and training on these products so that laboratories can provide quality test results.
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Research
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Research laboratories are workplaces that specialize in scientific research, such as applying new laboratory methods for detecting analytes, or formulating new antibiotics. There are three research laboratory sectors: academic laboratories, government laboratories, such as the National Institutes of Health, and private sector laboratories, such as pharmaceutical companies.
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Education
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Laboratory educators ensure the education and training of the next generation of laboratory professionals. In carrying out of this mission, they identify trends and strategies in laboratory medicine, enhance their teaching skills, and develop innovative ways to teach students.
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Medical Laboratory Scientists (MLS) are vital healthcare detectives, uncovering and providing laboratory information from routine to complex laboratory testing that assists doctors in patient diagnosis and treatment, as well as in disease monitoring or prevention. There are a number of routine laboratory procedures preformed in hematology, chemistry, and microbiology. Moref complex laboratory testing include molecular diagnostics, flow cytometry, and toxicology. As a Medical Laboratory Scientist you are responsible for performing tests to analyze blood and other body fluids, interpreting the results, and generating accurate reports. You operate and troubleshoot sophisticated laboratory equipment and use state-of-the-art technology to determine if a person is having a heart attack, has diabetes, cancer, or an infection. Other opportunities within the laboratory profession include management, supervision, quality assurance, safety oversight, process improvement activities, or as a member of a clinical care team. You may work in a hospital or clinic laboratory, but your education and experience prepares you for positions in laboratory information system (LIS), infection control, public health, medical research, and the healthcare industry. A baccalaureate degree, specialized training in an approved program for medical laboratory science, and national certification as a MLS are required to become a Medical Laboratory Scientist.
Medical Laboratory Specialists (MLSp) have the same responsibilities as the MLS, but have had additional training, increasing their knowledge and skills in one specialty area, such as microbiology, hematology, blood bank, or chemistry. MLSp are more likely to work in complex laboratory settings, including molecular diagnostics, flow cytometry, cytogenetics, toxicology, clinical immunology, immunogenetics, and endocrinology. You are often involved with hospital-wide committees such as Infection Control, Patient Safety, Pharmacy & Therapeutics, or Blood Product Utilization. A baccalaureate degree, specialized training, additional experience in a specialty area, and national certification as a Specialist are required to become a Medical Laboratory Specialist.
Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLT) are primarily responsible for routine laboratory testing that assist doctors in patient diagnosis, treatment, monitoring medical conditions, or disease prevention. As a Medical Laboratory Technician you are responsible for performing tests on blood and other body fluids using various methods and laboratory equipment, usually under the supervision of a pathologist or medical laboratory scientist. The test results you generate help a patient's healthcare provider diagnose many common diseases or disorders. Most MLTs work in a hospital laboratory or in a doctor’s office, a clinic, although some may opt to work in public health, research, or a reference laboratory. An associate degree, specialized training in an approved program for medical laboratory technicians, and national certification as a MLT are required to become a Medical Laboratory Technician.
Medical Laboratory Assistants or Aides (MLA) contribute in a critical way by receiving and preparing specimens for laboratory testing. In many ways the MLA provides a foundation for the laboratory by ensuring that the laboratory is well stocked with necessary supplies, that reagents are available, and even perform simple diagnostic testing under the supervision of MLTs or MLSs. MLAs generally work in hospital laboratories, although some may work in public health, research, and reference laboratories. Some employers train their own MLAs, though there are formal training programs available in vocational or community colleges.
Phlebotomists (PBT) are the face of the laboratory, as they are the ones who have constant and direct contact with patients. As a Phlebotomist, you are responsible for properly drawing blood from patients and delivering the samples to the laboratory for testing, usually under the supervision of a Medical Laboratory Scientist. This is a critical and essential first step in providing quality patient care. If specimens are collected incorrectly, a patient's diagnosis or treatment can be delayed. You will have opportunities to meet new people daily and, depending on your setting, may draw blood from people of all ages, from babies and children to adults and elderly patients. You will most likely work in a hospital laboratory, although you may work at blood drawing stations for reference laboratories. Some employers train their own PBTs, but there are also formal training programs available in vocational or community colleges.
Professionals who obtain a Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS) are often in a leadership position by providing consultative services and laboratory expertise to physicians, nurses, patients, and the public, as well as ensuring laboratory practitioners are performing testing correctly. You may participate directly in patient care decisions as part of a patient care team by providing accurate and appropriate laboratory information, thus having a positive effect on patient outcomes. You will most likely work in a hospital laboratory, although your expertise prepares you for many roles. A Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science requires an advanced graduate degree, specialized laboratory training, and national certification.