The Medical Technologist and Clinical Lab Technician

When a person needs to go to the hospital or clinic and get a urine or stool sample taken for analysis, often the first human face (aside from that of their doctor or the receptionist) they come across with is that of the med tech assigned to get that sample. After the sample has been received, clinical laboratory science swings into action to discover whatever it is that may be found. Lab test results usually help the doctor by providing up to 70 percent of the information needed for diagnosis.

The linchpins of clinical laboratory science are the medical technologist and the clinical or medical laboratory technician. It is they who work behind the scenes to perform tests on samples.

Depending on the size of the lab, the medical technologist may or may not specialize in a particular field. Two examples of specialization would be the immunology technologist, who deals with the preparation of specimens and body fluid for chemical analysis, and the molecular biology technologist who runs complex tests on cell acid and protein.

Medical technologists also develop and establish protocols, evaluate results, and may supervise clinical laboratory technicians. A medical technologist is usually a graduate of a four-year medical technologist program, a course in medical science or a life science program. This is usually obtained from either medical technologist schools or clinical laboratory schools. Once certified, he may use the 'cls' (Clinical Laboratory Scientist) or 'MT' (Medical Technologist) designation depending on the issuing association.

The clinical laboratory technician performs the more routine tests. He is tasked with specimen preparation and automated testing and analysis. A medical technician generally obtains an associate degree from a community college, or certification from a hospital, vocational or technical institution, or from a US armed service. With enough training and experience, they can be promoted and become technologists.

The NAACLS (National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences) is the main organization which oversees the accreditation of education programs for medical technologists and technicians. Some states require licensing of lab personnel; such information is available from state health boards. Certification is a voluntary process and means that the individual meets the standards of a professional society or certifying agency.