Diagnostic Detectives: Medical Laboratory Professionals A Closer Look at Careers in Clinical Laboratory Science (Medical Technology)

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? Clinical Laboratory Technicians (Medical Laboratory Technicians) Clinical Laboratory Scientists (Medical Technologists)

Medical Laboratory Facts A behind-the-scenes, highly skilled team of pathologists, specialists, technologists, 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 This laboratory performs testing on blood and body fluids. Laboratory professionals use sophisticated biomedical instrumentation and technology, computers, as well as methods requiring manual dexterity, to perform the thousands of laboratory tests currently available.

Careers in the Clinical Pathology Laboratory Phlebotomist Laboratory Assistant Clinical Laboratory Scientist / Medical Technologist Clinical Laboratory Technician / Medical Laboratory Technician Supervisor/Manager/Educator Technical Specialist (PhD) Pathologist (MD or DO) NOTE: Educational requirements for professions in blue will be discussed later.

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 Clinical Laboratory Technician and Clinical Laboratory Scientist Also known as Medical Laboratory Technician and Medical Technologist 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 Clinical Laboratory Technician (Medical Laboratory Technician) performing blood cell counts on computerized automation.

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

Hematology Laboratory Normal Lymphocyte Leukemic Blasts & Lymphocyte Atypical Lymphocyte

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

Chemistry Laboratory Technicians and technologists 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 Clinical Laboratory Scientists (Medical Technologists) monitor instrument quality control data and review patient results before releasing the information to the physician.

Toxicology Laboratory Clinical Laboratory Scientists (Medical Technologists) utilize thin layer chromatography to analyze urine specimens for therapeutic drugs as well as drugs of abuse.

Urinalysis Laboratory Medical Laboratory Technicians and Medical Technologists analyze urine for elements such as glucose, protein, ketones, bilirubin, pH, abnormal cells and chemical crystals.

Immunology Laboratory Clinical Laboratory Scientists and Clinical 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) Clinical 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 Technologists check the paperwork for correct information before releasing the unit of blood to be transfused.

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

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

Molecular Pathology Lab Clinical 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 Technologists 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 Phlebotomy programs are available through community colleges, proprietary health occupation schools, or other academic institutions. Clinical training required Certification recommended (after one year work experience or formal clinical training in accredited program): Plb or PBT Work in hospitals, physician offices, home health care, clinics, insurance companies

Lab Assistant High School Didactic courses in Lab Skills and Computer Applications also preferred These can be taken in a high school technical/occupational health program or in a community college medical assisting curriculum. On the job clinical training Work in hospitals, commercial reference laboratories, research labs

Clinical Laboratory Technician / 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/CLT program National certification: CLT or MLT

Clinical Laboratory Scientist / Medical Technologist 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 MT/CLS program National certification: CLS or MT

Career Advancement

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

Educator Senior technologists 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

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

Wages & Job Outlook Source: ASCP Preliminary 2003 Wage & Vacancy Survey of Medical Laboratories, July, 2004, www.ascp.org

Accredited Educational Programs The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) has a comprehensive listing of accredited educational programs in clinical laboratory science. National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences 8410 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 670 Chicago, IL 60631-3415 773-714-8880 www.naacls.org

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

Certifying Agencies American Board of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ABHI) P.O. Box 19173 Lenexa, KS 66285-9173 www.ashi-hla.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 ….

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