Diagnostic Detectives: Medical Laboratory Professionals A Closer Look at Careers in Medical Laboratory Science

When your doctor orders “lab tests” do you know….. Who collects and processes your blood sample? Phlebotomists / Lab Assistants Who analyzes blood and body fluid samples in a variety of laboratories? Medical Laboratory Technicians Medical Laboratory Scientists

Medical Laboratory Facts A behind-the-scenes, highly skilled team of pathologists, specialists, scientists, and technicians work together to provide valuable data needed to: determine the presence or absence of disease evaluate the effectiveness of treatment maintain health Also called Clinical Pathology and Anatomic Pathology.

Medical Laboratory Facts Clinical laboratory professionals generate data to assist physicians in the detection of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, infectious mono, bacterial and viral infections, and drugs of abuse. 80% of all physician decisions are based on laboratory test results produced by the laboratory team.

Clinical Pathology Performs testing on blood and body fluids. Sophisticated biomedical instrumentation and technology Computers Methods requiring manual dexterity Thousands of tests

Careers in the Clinical Pathology Laboratory Phlebotomist Laboratory Assistant Medical Laboratory Scientist Medical Laboratory Technician Supervisor/Manager/Educator Technical Specialist (PhD) Pathologist (MD or DO)

Other Job Opportunities Hospital laboratories Reference laboratories Physician office laboratories State Department of Health Fertility clinics Pharmaceutical / Biotech industry Veterinary laboratories Forensic laboratories

Daily Routine Phlebotomist Specimen Collection Laboratory Assistant Specimen Processing and Pre-Analytic Functions Medical Laboratory Technician and Medical Laboratory Scientist May be a Generalist (working in all lab sections) or a Specialist (work in one lab) Specimen Analysis (automated or manual) Instrument Maintenance Quality Control Procedures Result Review

Typical Clinical Pathology Laboratory Sections: Hematology Coagulation Chemistry Toxicology Immunology Transfusion Medicine (Blood Bank) Histocompatibility Testing Medical Microbiology Molecular Pathology Flow Cytometry

Photo Tour of a Clinical Pathology Laboratory

Phlebotomy The phlebotomist collects blood samples from patients - young and old.

Specimen Processing Laboratory assistants receive and prepare blood and body fluid specimens for testing.

Hematology Laboratory Medical Laboratory Technician Performing blood cell counts on automated instrument interfaced with the computer

Hematology Laboratory Medical Laboratory Scientist reviewing blood cell morphology under the microscope to detect the presence of certain anemias, leukemias, or lymphomas.

Hematology Laboratory Normal Lymphocyte Leukemic Blasts & Lymphocyte Reactive Lymphocyte

Coagulation Laboratory Medical Laboratory Scientist performing tests that determine the presence of a bleeding or clotting disorder.

Chemistry Laboratory Technicians and scientists analyze blood serum for hundreds of biochemical elements that reflect cardiac, liver, renal, endocrine and acid/base function. Example tests include glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, heart and liver enzymes.

Chemistry Laboratory Medical Laboratory Scientists monitor instrument quality control data and review patient results before releasing the information to the physician.

Toxicology Laboratory Medical Laboratory Scientists utilize immunoassay and thin layer chromatography methods to analyze urine specimens for therapeutic drugs as well as drugs of abuse.

Urinalysis Laboratory Medical Laboratory Technicians and Medical Laboratory Scientists use manual and automated methods to analyze urine for elements such as glucose, protein, ketones, bilirubin, pH, abnormal cells and chemical crystals.

Immunology Laboratory Medical Laboratory Scientists and Medical Laboratory Technicians perform tests on serum to detect antibody production in response to various infections and disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, hepatitis, herpes, and allergies.

Transfusion Medicine Laboratory (Blood Bank) Medical Laboratory Scientists perform ABO and Rh typing, antibody screening, and crossmatching to determine safe donor blood for a transfusion of a patient.

Transfusion Medicine Laboratory (Blood Bank) Medical Laboratory Scientists check the paperwork for correct information before releasing the unit of blood to be transfused.

Histocompatibility Laboratory Medical Laboratory Scientist perform serological typing of white blood cells for HLA antigens to determine: if a donor organ or bone marrow is a good match for transplantation into a recipient. certain disease associations

Microbiology Laboratory Medical Laboratory Scientists use various culture techniques to determine which bacteria, virus or fungus might be causing illness.

Microbiology Laboratory Medical Laboratory Scientists perform antimicrobial susceptibility testing on bacterial isolates to determine what antibiotics will be effective in treating the infection.

Molecular Pathology Lab Medical Laboratory Scientists extract and amplify the DNA from various samples.

Molecular Pathology Lab The DNA or RNA nucleic acid sequences are then studied for: unique sequences of various bacterial, fungal or viral organisms defective genes found in inherited disease such as cystic fibrosis mutations in certain cancer cells

Flow Cytometry Lab Medical Laboratory Scientists use a flow cytometer to detect: abnormal cell surface markers found in leukemia and lymphoma lymphocyte subsets in HIV infection.

More Information… Education & Training Certification Career Advancement Wages and Job Outlook

Education, Training, and Certification

Phlebotomy Technician High School diploma or GED Good communication skills Formal course in Phlebotomy preferred Occupational Endorsement Certificate (OEC) offered at UAA- 9 credits; On-campus and Distance Delivered Clinical training required Certification recommended (after one year work experience or formal clinical training in accredited program): PBT (ASCP) Work in hospitals, physician offices, home health care, clinics, insurance companies

Lab Assistant (Clinical Assistant) High School Didactic courses in Lab Skills and Computer Applications also preferred Occupational Endorsement Certificate (OEC) offered at UAA- 20 credits; Distance Delivered On the job clinical training Work in hospitals, commercial reference laboratories, research labs

Medical Laboratory Technician Associate degree 8 semester hours of both biology and chemistry (with labs) Math and Computer Applications Courses in Clinical Hematology/Hemostasis, Clinical Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry, and Immunohematology Completion of a NAACLS accredited MLT program UAA NAACLS Accredited AAS in Medical Laboratory Technology-70-71 credits National certification: MLT (ASCP

Medical Laboratory Scientist Bachelor’s degree 16 semester hours of both chemistry and biology (with labs) Math (algebra) and computer applications Courses in biochemistry, statistics, physics, genetics, general microbiology recommended Courses in Clinical Hematology, Immunohematology, Immunology, Medical Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry Completion of a NAACLS accredited MLT program UAA NAACLS Accredited S in Medical Laboratory Science-123-129 credits National certification: MLS (ASCP)

Career Advancement

Supervisor/Manager Senior laboratory scientists with an interest in management play an important role in coordinating laboratory operations, staffing, and finances.

Educator Senior Laboratory Scientist (Masters Degree) with an interest in education train new employees and share their knowledge with the next generation of professionals. Clinical Laboratory Educator and Students

Technical Specialist Technical Specialists (PhDs) function as: laboratory section technical directors researchers consultants to a patient’s physician. PhD Technical Specialist and a Supervisor

Doctorate Clinical Laboratory Science A DCLS can contribute to the inter- professional health care team as: Experts in clinical laboratory testing Partners with clinical pathology to serve as consultants involved in clinical rounding and patient care Promoters of quality healthcare through appropriate cost-effective utilization of clinical laboratory services Advocates of patient safety by contributing to the reduction of medical errors

Careers in Anatomic Pathology Laboratory

Histotechnologist Histotechnologists prepare tissue samples, or biopsies that Pathologists look at to spot tiny imperfections in cells. Need steady hands to slice tiny, paper-thin sections of tissue and apply special stains so that cells can be viewed under the microscope. Completion of a NAACLS accredited Histology program Bachelor of Science Degree National certification: HTL (ASCP)

Cytotechnologist Cytotechnologists use microscopes to pinpoint diseases and infections, all the way down to a single cells. For example: Pap Smears Completion of an accredited Cytotechnologist program Bachelor of Science Degree National certification: CT (ASCP) Average Salary: $61,235

Pathologist’s Assistant Pathologist’s Assistant helps surgeons in the operating room find cancer in organ tissue and assists with autopsies Need high attention to detail and ability to touch cadavers Completion of an NAACLS accredited Pathologist’s Assistant program BS or MS National certification: PA (ASCP) Average Salary: $74,922

Clinical and Anatomic Pathologist Pathologists (MDs or DOs) function as laboratory directors and consultants to patient physicians. Pathologist and a Medical Technologist

Average Wages Profession Average Salary Phlebotomist $28,080 Medical Laboratory Technician $40,768 Medical Laboratory Scientist $54,413 Pathologist $247,013 Source: ASCP Preliminary 2010 Wage Survey of U.S. Clinical Laboratories, Lab Medicine March 2011;42(3);141-146

Certifying Agencies American Society for Clinical Pathology - Board of Registry (ASCP-BOR) Box 12277 Chicago, IL 60612-0277 www.ascp.org/bor National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel, Inc. (NCA) P.O. Box 15945-289 Lenexa, KS 66285-9173 www.nca-info.org

Summary If you... are fascinated by science like to solve puzzles and problems enjoy mysteries like challenge and responsibility are accurate and reliable work well under pressure communicate well and set high standards for yourself ….

then… consider a career in Medical Laboratory Science !! Summary then… consider a career in Medical Laboratory Science !!