HealthcareTop JobColorado Talent Pipeline Report-aligned occupation with strong annual openings, growth, and wage signals.
Medical/Clinical Laboratory Technologist
Perform complex medical laboratory tests for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May train or supervise staff.
Annual openings
448
BLS median wage
n/a
Typical education
Bachelor's degree
10-year growth
+12%
Career requirements
What does this career require?
The education, credentials, and on-the-job competencies Colorado employers expect for this role.
Typical education
Bachelor's degree
Credential requirement
No specific credential listed yet
Experience detail
It is common for a person to work as an Medical/Clinical Laboratory Technician before they become a Cardiovascular Technologist.
Employer competency information
Feedback from employers identifies the following critical competencies and how they apply for this job
- Critical and Analytical Thinking — Applying theory and knowledge to correlate with a patient’s results and identifying when the results do not correlate with the current situation.
- Basic Problem Solving — Following procedures to analyze a specimen, but also being able to troubleshoot and solve issues as they arise.
- Health & Safety — Knowing and following institutional policies in an ethical manner and leading by example in dealing with specimens in a proper manner.
- Teamwork — Interacting professionally with colleagues and other members of the Healthcare team.
- Communication and Customer Focus — Communicate effectively with patients, to provide good customer service, co-workers, to facilitate effective shift handoffs of in-process activities, and physicians/care providers so that test results are understood and appropriate action/treatment can be taken.
- Tools & Technology — Must be able to skillfully use laboratory information software and instrument software.
Is this work a fit?
What the work actually feels like
How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.
A typical day
- Analyze samples of biological material for chemical content or reaction.
- Analyze laboratory findings to check the accuracy of the results.
- Enter data from analysis of medical tests or clinical results into computer for storage.
- Set up, clean, and maintain laboratory equipment.
- Select and prepare specimens and media for cell cultures, using aseptic technique and knowledge of medium components and cell requirements.
- Collect and study blood samples to determine the number of cells, their morphology, or their blood group, blood type, or compatibility for transfusion purposes, using microscopic techniques.