However, this doesn’t mean that any Tom, Dick or Harry has the qualifications to enter the field. We examined a sampling of job postings of lab technicians and technologists and found that there are a number of qualifications that make this a career with required standards, experience, and proper education.

For a lab technician, most employers require an Associate’s Degree with one (1) year of medical laboratory experience or Bachelor’s of Science and applicable laboratory experience. Another option is that you successfully completed military training of 50+ weeks and served as a medical laboratory specialist.

If you are a student, it’s definitely possible to be hired as well. You’ll need to be enrolled in a recognized MLT program with clinical work in the core area.

To work as a  medical technologist, a Bachelors degree from an accredited medical lab technologist school is standard in addition to certification or eligibility to be certified from the ASCP (0r some equivalent).

We really like their take on the industry and the role lab techs play. According to the article, lab technicians are the “unsung heroes of the healthcare industry” where they are really behind the scenes getting stuff done so that tests can be conducted and analyzed.

Median pay was around $36,000 a year for 2009 and can get upwards of $55,000 at the top of the pay curve.

We’ve included the link to the U. S. News & World article here: Best Careers of 2011.

The lab technician career was chosen based on the aging baby boomer population and the need within the healthcare system to support their growing healthcare needs. The article describes the lab tech career as a bit ‘under-the-radar that requires less schooling’ which we know is not necessarily true if you decide to go on to become a medical lab technologist.

Lab technician was ranked #3 after x-ray technician and veterinarian for Best Healthcare Careers 2010.

Again, we are excited to see that lab technicians are getting recognized by the popular media as a well regarded career that is in high demand and holds great promise for those looking to get into healthcare.

We’ve included the link to the U. S. News & World article here: Best Careers of 2010.

Lab Tech Career has looked into numerous job listings in Indiana and has determined that there are few minimum requirements for getting a job as a medical lab technician or medical technologist, specifically around education and relevant experience.

For a lab technician, most places of work require an Associate’s Degree with one (1) year of clinical laboratory experience or Bachelor’s of Science and one (1) year of clinical laboratory experience.

For a medical technologist, you’ll need a Bachelors degree from an accredited medical lab technologist school and certification or eligibility to be certified from the ASCP.

Most lab tech employers in New Jersey still want to see you get certification from a recognized authority like the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). If you look at most job postings for lab technicians in New Jersey, you’ll find that practically every one requires that you already have certification from the ASCP or some equivalent like the NCA.

To become certified by the ASCP as a medical laboratory technician (MLT), you will need to invest some time and money into a combination of school, exams, and/or relevant work experience.

For Education:

1) Have an associate degree or at least 60 semester hours of academic credit from an accredited school.

plus

2a) Complete a NAACLS accredited program within the last five (5) years; or

2b) Have 6 semester hours of chemistry or 6 semester hours of biology and CLA certification; or

2c) Have 6 semester hours of chemistry or 6 semester hours of biology and completion of a fifty (50) week U.S. military medical laboratory training course with official notarized documentation; or

2d) Have 6 semester hours of chemistry or 6 semester hours of biology and three (3) years of full time clinical laboratory experience in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology, and Clinical Microscopy in the U.S., Canada, or CAP/The Joint Commission accredited laboratory within the last ten (10) years.

Satisfying one of the 1) plus of one of the 2a-2d allows you to sit for the MLT (ASCP) exam which costs $185.

Exam: Pass the ASCP’s Board of Registry’s examination for Medical Laboratory Technician

To become certified by the ASCP as a medical laboratory technologist (MT), you will need to do the following:

For Education:

1) Have a bachelor’s degree including courses in biology, chemistry and math plus completion of a NAACLS accredited Medical Technologist program within the last five years.

or

2) Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school with 16 semesters hours of biology, 16 semester hours of chemistry, 1 semester of math;

plus

2a) MLT (ASCP) certification and two years of full-time clinical laboratory experience  in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology and Clinical Microscopy within the last ten years; or

2b) CLA (ASCP) certification and four years of full-time clinical laboratory experience  in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology and Clinical Microscopy within the last ten years; or

2c) Five years of full-time clinical laboratory experience  in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology and Clinical Microscopy within the last ten years

Satisfying one of the 1) or 2) plus of one of the 2a-2c allows you to sit for the MT (ASCP) exam which costs $210.

Exam: Pass the ASCP’s Board of Registry’s examination for Medical Laboratory Technician

Here’s a recent and informative article from the Tampa Bay Online news site that gives more detail about Swine Flu and Hot Careers for Medical Technologists.

Almost all lab tech employers in Texas require certification from a recognized association like the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). In looking at most job postings for lab technicians in Texas, you’ll find that practically every one requires that you’re eligible to be certified by the ASCP or already have certification from the ASCP.

To become certified by the ASCP as a medical laboratory technician (MLT), you will need to do the following:

Education:

1) Have an associate degree or at least 60 semester hours of academic credit from an accredited school.

plus

2a) Complete a NAACLS accredited program within the last five (5) years; or

2b) Have 6 semester hours of chemistry or 6 semester hours of biology and CLA certification; or

2c) Have 6 semester hours of chemistry or 6 semester hours of biology and completion of a fifty (50) week U.S. military medical laboratory training course with official notarized documentation; or

2d) Have 6 semester hours of chemistry or 6 semester hours of biology and three (3) years of full time clinical laboratory experience in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology, and Clinical Microscopy in the U.S., Canada, or CAP/The Joint Commission accredited laboratory within the last ten (10) years.

Satisfying one of the 1) plus of one of the 2a-2d allows you to sit for the MLT (ASCP) exam which costs $185.

Exam: Pass the ASCP’s Board of Registry’s examination for Medical Laboratory Technician

To become certified by the ASCP as a medical laboratory technologist (MT), you will need to do the following:

Education:

1) Have a bachelor’s degree including courses in biology, chemistry and math plus completion of a NAACLS accredited Medical Technologist program within the last five years.

or

2) Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school with 16 semesters hours of biology, 16 semester hours of chemistry, 1 semester of math;

plus

2a) MLT (ASCP) certification and two years of full-time clinical laboratory experience  in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology and Clinical Microscopy within the last ten years; or

2b) CLA (ASCP) certification and four years of full-time clinical laboratory experience  in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology and Clinical Microscopy within the last ten years; or

2c) Five years of full-time clinical laboratory experience  in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology and Clinical Microscopy within the last ten years

Satisfying one of the 1) or 2) plus of one of the 2a-2c allows you to sit for the MT (ASCP) exam which costs $210.

Exam: Pass the ASCP’s Board of Registry’s examination for Medical Laboratory Technician