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Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians is the O*NET name for people who perform routine medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. Its interest code is RIC. Realistic leads at 6.0 out of 7, so expect hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, with Investigative next at 5.9. The preparation level is medium preparation, typically one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree. O*NET’s skill data points to reading comprehension, active listening, and quality control analysis as the ones to build. A regular part of the work is to perform quality control analyses to ensure accuracy of test results. It tends to suit people who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.

What they do

Perform routine medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May work under the supervision of a medical technologist.

Main tasks

  • Perform quality control analyses to ensure accuracy of test results.
  • Conduct blood tests for transfusion purposes and perform blood counts.
  • Conduct chemical analyses of body fluids, such as blood or urine, using microscope or automatic analyzer to detect abnormalities or diseases and enter findings into computer.
  • Analyze the results of tests or experiments to ensure conformity to specifications, using special mechanical or electrical devices.
  • Set up, maintain, calibrate, clean, and test sterility of medical laboratory equipment.
  • Examine cells stained with dye to locate abnormalities.

Skills

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Critical Thinking
  • Time Management

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
  • You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
  • You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and active listening.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You need to start within a few months, with no training period.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RIC takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.

Also called

  • Clinical Lab Tech (Clinical Laboratory Technician)
  • Lab Assistant (Laboratory Assistant)
  • Lab Associate (Laboratory Associate)
  • Lab Tech (Laboratory Technician)
  • Medical Lab Assistant (Medical Laboratory Assistant)

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.