Careers in
Laboratory
Medicine
Emphasis on Clinical Laboratory Scientists
Kathleen Cooney
Leo Canciller
Cathleen Pham
Did you know….?
 Laboratory

tests are extremely valuable
80% of physician decisions regarding
patient diagnosis and treatment are
based on clinical laboratory test results!
 Demand
for laboratory professionals
will exceed supply in the near future
Questions to ask yourself…
 Have
you enjoyed your biology and
science laboratory classes?
 Do
you want a career in healthcare?
 Would
you like an exciting and
rewarding career helping others?
 Would
you like to be part of a growing
field with flexibility and job security?
Medical Laboratory Professionals

Phlebotomists

Lab assistants

Cytotechnologist

Histotechnologists

Clinical Laboratory
Scientists

Pathology assistants

Pathologist
Phlebotomist & Lab Assistant
Draws blood for
laboratory testing
 Process samples to be
tested by the Clinical
Laboratory Scientists
 “The face of the lab”
Educational Requirements:

High
school Diploma
CPT license 3-4 month training at an accredited
program such as Kaiser Permanente School of Allied
Health Sciences or Community Colleges
Entry-level
Salary: $23/hr
Histology Technician (HT)

Prepares solid tissues such as
biopsy samples and tumors for
examination under the
microscope

A.A. degree, science courses

1 year of clinical training, HT
certification

Programs: Kaiser Reg. Lab.;
San Antonio College; online
programs with clinical partners

Starting salary: $35+/ hour
Cytotechnologist (CT)

Prepares and examines slides of cells; Pap tests for
cervical cancer; other types of specimens as well.

B.A. degree, certification
as a Cytotechnologist,
Calif. CT license

Certificate programs: Loma
Linda University
Cytotech.Prgm; UCLA Sch.
Of Cytotechnology

Starting salary: $43/hour
Clinical Laboratory
Scientists (CLS)




Old terminology: Medical
Technologist (MT)
“medtechs”
New terminology: Medical
Laboratory Scientist
(MLS)
Performs a variety of
complex laboratory tests.
Starting salary: $40/hour
What does a CLS do?
Play a critical role in the detection,
diagnosis, and treatment of disease
 Microscopically examine blood, tissue, and
other body fluids
 Culture body fluid or tissue samples to
determine the presence of bacteria, fungi,
parasites, or other micro-organisms
 Analyze samples for chemical content or
reaction

What does a CLS do? (cont’d)
Crossmatch blood samples for transfusion
 Operate automated equipment and
sophisticated instruments that perform a
number of tests simultaneously
 Prepare specimens for examination, count
cells, and look for abnormal cells
 Analyze the results of tests performed and
relay them to physicians

What does a CLS do? (cont’d)

Develop and modify procedures

Establish and monitor programs to ensure
the quality and accuracy of tests

Supervise technical and non-technical
personnel

Develop processes focused on continual
improvement and regulatory compliance
Departments in the Clinical
Laboratory
Hemostasis/Coagulation
Urinalysis
Toxicology
Immunochemistry
Flow
Cytometry
Hematology
Bacteriology
Genetics
Serology/
Immunodiagnostics
Mycology
Parasitology
Mycobacteriology/AFB
Virology
Chemistry
Immunmohematology
Molecular
Diagnostics
Newborn screening
Hematology


Study of Blood Cells
Useful in diagnosing:

Cancers



Infections




Leukemia
Lymphoma
Mono
Malaria
Bacteria
Anemia


Sickle cell
Iron deficiency
Immunohematology
Transfusion
Services/Blood Bank
 Testing for
patient/donor
compatibility

Trauma patients
 Anemia
 Surgery
 Bleeding disorders

Chemistry


Chemical analysis of
biological specimens
Useful in diagnosis
of:






Drug abuse
Diabetes
Heart attacks
Kidney and liver
diseases
Cancer
Thyroid diseases
Microbiology


Study of microbes
Helps in detection of:

Bacterial infections


Viral infection


HIV, hepatitis, herpes,
mono, HPV
Parasitic infections


UTI, strep throat, STDs,
tuberculosis
Worms, amoebas, flukes
Mold/Yeast infection
Molecular Diagnostics

Uses molecular
techniques such as:





PCR
Western Blot
Gel Electrophoresis
Microarray
Flow Cytometry

Diagnosis and
study of:




Cancer
Infections
Genetic
predisposition to
certain diseases
Therapeutic
decision and
monitoring
Educational Requirements

A Baccalaureate degree from an accredited
college/university with courses in biological
science, chemistry and mathematics

1 year of professional/clinical education by a
State approved provider, including interning
in an accredited clinical laboratory

Licensure, certification and continuing
education throughout career
Northern CA CLS Programs
 SFSU
CLS Internship Program
 SJSU CLS Internship Program
 UC Davis Med. Center. CLS
Internship Program
 UCSF Med. Center Limited license
program (Blood Bank, Hematology,
Microbiology, & Chemistry)
Career Ladder for Clinical
Laboratory Professionals
Pathologist
Medical laboratory technician
(MLT)
Laboratory assistant
Phlebotomy technician
Why Choose CLS?
Integral part of the medical community
 Good salary
 Flexible hours
 Job availability & security
 Advancement
 Versatility
 Challenging
 Exciting!

Job opportunity
Job opportunities
Hospitals Laboratories
 Physician Office Laboratories
 Independent or Reference
Laboratories
 Public Health Laboratories
 Pharmaceutical Companies
 Fertility Clinics
 Veterinary Laboratory
 Biotechnology

Resources
 www.labsciencecareers.com

 Labs are Vital
www.ascp.org


www.ascls.org


Amer. Soc. of Clin. Lab. Sciences
www.asm.org


American Society of Clinical Pathology
Amer. Soc. of Microbiology
www.naacls.org

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory
Sciences
Questions?
Created and Presented by:
Leo Canciller, CLS intern, Kaiser Medical Center, SF
Kathleen Cooney, CLS intern, Kaiser Regional Lab
Cathleen Pham, CLS intern, Kaiser Regional Lab
This presentation would not have been possible without the help and input
of Kaiser Permanente’s Subject Matter Experts. Thank you to:
Keith Ng, Quality Manager, Regional Lab
Carola Howe, MS, CLS, Education Coordinator, Regional Lab