Medical Laboratory Scientist

MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENTIST (ASCP)

Also known as clinical laboratory scientists and medical technologists, analyze human blood, tissues, and body fluids. They also oversee the performance of thousands of types of medical laboratory tests using a wide variety of precision instruments. They may also conduct research and develop scientific methods to advance the study of disease processes.

Medical Laboratory Scientists exercise independent judgment, correlate test results, and interpret the findings with respect to normal or abnormal ranges. Physicians depend on medical laboratory scientists to produce reliable and valid results which may be used in determining the presence, extent, and possible cause of disease.

Areas of Specialization:
Medical Scientists may work in several different areas of the clinical laboratory including clinical chemistry (analyzing chemical substances present in blood); blood banking (involving the preparation of blood components and plasma for transfusions); immunohematology (determining if donor's blood can be safely transfused to the patient); hematology (examining abnormal cells and diseases affecting blood); microbiology (identifying the bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites that cause infectious disease); immunology (examining the degree of immunity or resistance to disease and assisting in studies for organ transplantation); urinalysis (involving chemical and cellular analysis of urine); and toxicology (the identification of toxic substances and drugs in body fluids).

Length of Training/Requirements:
Bachelor's degree programs in medical science require three or four years of college education plus one year of clinical laboratory education and experience in an accredited health facility. The courses include general college courses with high emphasis in chemistry, biological sciences, mathematics, and computer sciences plus all of the clinical courses that are practice areas for medical scientists.