Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians: Job Description
Perform routine medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May work under the supervision of a medical technologist.
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What Tasks Do Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of medical and clinical laboratory technicians cover:
- 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.
- Prepare standard volumetric solutions or reagents to be combined with samples, following standardized formulas or experimental procedures.
- Collect blood or tissue samples from patients, observing principles of asepsis to obtain blood sample.
- Supervise or instruct other technicians or laboratory assistants.
What Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians Need to Know
Top medical and clinical laboratory technicians draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Biotechnician
- Blood Bank Laboratory Technician
- Blood Typer
- Blood and Plasma Laboratory Assistant
- Blood or Blood Bank Technician
- Catheterization Laboratory Technician (Catheterization Lab Tech)
- Certified Clinical Laboratory Technician
- Certified Dialysis Technician
How Many Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians Are There?
There are roughly 1,379,632 medical and clinical laboratory technicians working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +12.4% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $155,908 |
| Hourly median | $74.96 |
| 10th percentile | $91,233 |
| 25th percentile | $123,571 |
| 75th percentile | $188,246 |
| 90th percentile | $220,583 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Software Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians Use
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for medical and clinical laboratory technicians tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Telephone Conversations
Education and Training
Typical medical and clinical laboratory technicians positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Microbiologists (Supplemental)
- Biological Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Chemical Technicians (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Supplemental)
- Physicians, Pathologists (Supplemental)
- Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists (Primary-Short)
- Cytogenetic Technologists (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Students preparing for medical and clinical laboratory technicians often complete programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
7 programs across 2 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-2012.00 (Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians).
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