Savana Canary
CLINICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN

Correct Name of Career
o Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Education and/or Training Required
o Important skills of a clinical laboratory scientist are active listening,
critical thinking, and science.
o General high schools classes a clinical laboratory scientist are biology,
science, mathematics, and chemistry. Extracurricular activities of a
clinical laboratory technician could include interning under a professional
in the field.
o To become a clinical laboratory scientist at entry-level all you need is a
bachelor’s degree in medical technology or life science. The course might
be offered through a program that students could be apart of their senior
year of college. Clinical laboratory technicians often also complete an
associate’s degree. A limited 1-year certificate program is also available
from hospitals for those who have a degree in a related field.
o Some states require their laboratory personnel to be licensed. To be
licensed, a technologist often needs a bachelor's degree and must pass a
certain exam. Requirements vary by state. Certification of clinical
laboratory scientists is required in some states and by some employers.
Clinical laboratory technicians can obtain a regular certification or a
certification in a specialty, such as cytotechnology or medical biology.
Most credentialing institutions require that technologists complete an
education program in order to take an examination. Although certification
is not required, employers typically prefer to hire certified scientists and
technicians.

Responsibilities and Daily Activities
o Responsibilities and daily activities of clinical laboratory scientists vary
widely depending on what they specialize in.
o Some technologists specialize in blood sampling. Phlebotomy, the
specialization’s formal name, involves the collection of blood samples. A
complex list of steps must be followed when performing duties as a
phlebotomist. These duties include of patient assessment, puncture site
preparation, blood collection and proper labeling of the blood samples.
o Some clinical laboratory scientists also specialize in urinalysis. They begin
my taking the urine of the patient. Then they complete the steps that
follow during a urinalysis. Some duties of a clinical laboratory
technologist that specializes in urine are taking the urine and analyzing the
urine after to make sure there are no abnormalities, either big enough to
see with the naked eye or needed to be looked at under a microscope.

Salary Range
o Mid-range = $38,323
o Values are for Owensboro, KY
o Salary is highly variable depending on performance, education, years of
experience, and location.

Documentation of Sources
o Bureau of Labor Statistics. (nd). How to Become a Medical and Clinical
Laboratory Technologist or Technician. [accessed 24 March 2015].
Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-and-clinicallaboratory-technologists-and-technicians.htm#tab-4
o ONET Online. (nd). Summary Report for: 29-2011.00 - Medical and
Clinical Laboratory Technologists. [accessed 24 March 2015]. Retrieved
from https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-2011.00
o Learn.org. (nd). What Are the Responsibilities of a Clinical Laboratory
Technician? [accessed 24 March 2015]. Retrieved from
http://learn.org/articles/What_Are_the_Responsibilities_of_a_Clinical_La
boratory_Technician.html
o Salary.com (nd). Medical Laboratory Technician Salaries in Owensboro,
KY. [accessed 24 March 2015]. Retrieved from
http://www1.salary.com/KY/Owensboro/medical-laboratory-techniciansalary.html

Self-Reflection
o I had not heard of this career before.
o I would enjoy interacting with various patients.
o It does require having to work with urine though.
o No, I don’t think I would enjoy this job.
o Being a clinical laboratory technologist is an important job because there
needs to be someone to take the urine and blood of patients.