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HealthcareTop JobColorado Talent Pipeline Report-aligned occupation with strong annual openings, growth, and wage signals.

Medical Laboratory Technician

Perform routine medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May work under the supervision of a medical technologist.

Annual openings

448

BLS median wage

n/a

Typical education

Associate'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

Associate's degree

Credential requirement

A certification is expected for this job.

Credential detail

To practice, you will need to pass the ASCP (Am Society of Clinical Pathology) or the AMT (American Medical Technologists), though more CO employers look for the ASCP.

Work experience

Can be entry-level, but could be an additional step on a career pathway.

Experience detail

Work experience as a Phlebotomist or other Healthcare professional is highly valued. If this is the first job, previous experience developing the listed knowledge and abilities, if possible in a Healthcare environment, is preferred.

Training

Expected completion of an Associate's degree program for a Medical Lab Technician/Assistant that is certified by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).

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

  1. Conduct chemical analyses of body fluids, such as blood or urine, using microscope or automatic analyzer to detect abnormalities or diseases and enter findings into computer.
  2. Collect blood or tissue samples from patients, observing principles of asepsis to obtain blood sample.
  3. Set up, maintain, calibrate, clean, and test sterility of medical laboratory equipment.
  4. Prepare standard volumetric solutions or reagents to be combined with samples, following standardized formulas or experimental procedures.
  5. Supervise or instruct other technicians or laboratory assistants.
  6. Analyze the results of tests or experiments to ensure conformity to specifications, using special mechanical or electrical devices.

Also includes

Specializations that share this occupation’s labor-market data.

  • Medical/Clinical Laboratory Technician