Scope of Medical Laboratory Technology, Courses, Jobs & Salary

• The healthcare industry consists of more than just doctors and nurses; there are laboratory assistants, administrators, technicians and others who make the healthcare industry and each person makes an important contribution to the healthcare industry.  
• Medical Laboratory technicians are equally a part of this healthcare industry and the task of a medical laboratory technician is quite important as they are also known as clinical laboratory technicians. They are in charge of doing tests which include analyzing blood, body fluids, body tissues, cell counting amongst other tests. These tests are required for preliminary treatment of the patient.
• There are two types of clinical assistants. One is a medical laboratory technician and the other is a technologist.
• A technologist has a higher responsibility than a technician as a medical technologist is required to perform in five major parts of the laboratory  being the hematology department which is related to blood as well as the blood banking department, then there is the clinical department of the laboratory where a variety of tests involving body fluids,  the next department is the immunology department which involves tests relating to the immune system and the last department is that of the study of various organisms such as viruses and bacteria. Medical laboratory technologists have to deal with urine, stool cultures, parasitology, blood transfusions and many other tests for determining a cause for a disease.
• Technologists are responsible for conducting tests on body samples and are required to do research work under the guidance of medical researchers. A medical technician is required to easier tasks such as set up, prepare, clean as well as preserve medical equipment and samples in proper form and operating condition.   
   

• To be a Medical Laboratory technician or technologist and take it as a career, the candidate has to complete their 10+2 in Science subject with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as their basic subjects. Thereafter pursue a bachelor degree in Medical Laboratory Technology as a vocational course which is usually a 3 year course.
• One can also pursue a 2 year diploma course in Medical Laboratory Technology soon after passing out or after graduation. There are also certificate courses which one can apply for.
   

A medical laboratory technician or technologist can mainly find employment in a variety of places which include:

• Government run hospitals 
• Private run hospitals 
• Nursing homes
• Military hospitals
• Clinics and the Health Department
• Schools and Colleges
• Rehabilitation centers
• Government sectors like the railways
• Teaching jobs
• Individual Cardiac surgeons
• Multi specialty hospitals
• Hospices
• ICUs
• Depending on the skill of the technician or technologist one can find employment in specialty clinics like those dealing with vitro fertilization, molecular diagnostics, cancer research centres, or stem cell cultivation centres, etc.
   

To be a medical laboratory technician or technologist, one must have few basic skills. These are as follows:

• The person should have a keen interest in people and their well being
• Both a technician and technologist should have excellent hand and eye coordination as they deal with delicate equipment.
• The person should have immense patience in his work.
• One should have attention to detail.
• One should have good understanding of the materials that are being used.
• All laboratory appliances that are used must be kept in  hygienic conditions
• One is required to be methodical and have a presence of mind in critical cases
   

• To pursue a career as a Medical Laboratory technician or technologist, the candidate must have completed their 10+2 in science, preferably with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as their main subjects and then pursue a Bachelor’s degree in medical Laboratory technology
• After graduation one can apply for either a diploma or a certificate course in medical laboratory technology.
   

To be a medical laboratory technologist or technician one has to keep in mind when applying:

• A medical technician’s main job is to keep all laboratory equipment in operational condition
• A medical laboratory technologist is required to conduct various tests involving blood, body tissues, body fluids, urine, stool, specimen cultures and others
• Both technician and technologist are required to be careful in handling either the equipment or culture to prevent wrong results
• A technician and technologist are also required to be careful that no foreign bodies enter into the equipment or samples as that will cause problems in the ultimate results.
• Both a technician and technologist must understand the workings of the various laboratory equipment and must immediate report any defect or any kind of operational malfunctioning so that proper action can be taken
• Both technicians and technologists must keep themselves protected from infectious diseases when working with samples and specimens by using correct protective gear 
• Technicians and technologists should also be careful when handling various chemicals and must keep them in proper conditions so as to avoid any accident from occurring.
   

• A medical technician initially can earn from Rs. 8000 to 10,000. A medical technologist depending on the case can earn more than a technician. 
• Thereafter based on their background and experience earnings can go up to Rs.35000/- or Rs.40,000/-.