Medical Laboratory Professionals Week

Have you ever had a blood test?  Have you ever wondered where the test goes and who takes care of analyzing it?

You may or not be surprised to learn that the tests are received and analyzed by medical laboratory professionals.

A medical laboratory professional works out of a hospital or medical facility.  In order to be able to analyze blood, urine, and other body samples you need to be trained and certified by an accredited board.

Your job as a laboratory professional is very important.  You act as a health detective.  Through the test, you analyze data.  Based on this you assist doctors with patients’ diagnoses and treatments.  You also help to track progress of a treatment to determine if it is working.

A medical laboratory professional has a lot of responsibility.

If you chose to be a medical laboratory professional, a strong background in biology, chemistry and math is helpful.  You could be a technician with an associate’s degree or a medical laboratory scientist requiring a baccalaureate degree.

As a medical laboratory scientist you would collect and process specimens, assure lab procedures performances and maintain instruments.  In addition, you would relate lab findings to common diseases/conditions.  These match what a medical laboratory technician does.

Additionally, as a laboratory scientist your responsibilities include sophisticated analyses and evaluation and interpretation of results.  Likewise, you problem solve, consult, conduct research and even develop new test methods.

Your schooling as a medical lab scientist is much more involved than a technician.  You have in-depth courses in education and management, professional course work and a clinical experience of five to six months.

Whether you are a medical laboratory technician or scientist, both roles are important to the health field.  These are the people who receive samples and ultimately help to keep us able to manage disease or conditions that come our way.

Private Home Health Care salutes these medical professionals this week.

#MedicalLaboratoryProfessionalsWeek