Lab Technician Job Description

Every symptom, prognosis, diagnosis and clinical outlook relies on the laboratory result that we are going to get. A Lab technician job description is a person that performs these tests is a laboratory technician who usually possesses a bachelor’s degree, and his degree may be in medical technology or life sciences. The clinical laboratory technicians are generally in need of an associate degree or certificate.

The clinical laboratory testing plays a vital role in diagnosis, treatment and detection of diseases. A clinical laboratory technologist may also be referred as clinical laboratory scientist and clinical laboratory technician. They perform most of these

tests. Their duty is to analyze the bodily fluids and cells. In these analyses they search for parasites, bacteria and many other microorganisms. The lab technicians may analyze the chemical content of fluids as well as match the blood used for transfusions. Depending on the request they may prepare specimens, look for abnormal cells in blood and use many other laboratory techniques. Automated equipment and computerized instruments are used to perform these techniques such as microscopes, cell counters and other sophisticated equipment.

Depending on the education and training there are several types of laboratory technicians: clinical laboratory technologists, clinical technicians, immunology technologists and etc.

The clinical laboratory technologists may perform complex chemical, hematological, biological, microscopic and bacteriological tests.  They can examine the blood and the other fluids as well as making cultures of the body fluids and tissue samples in order to determine the presence of bacteria, parasites or any other microorganisms.

Thee clinical laboratory technicians may perform much less complex tests such as to prepare specimens and operate with automated analyzers. The technicians can become technologists in time with proper additional education and experience. As much as they are widely accepted by the health care employers, they need certification in order to do most of the job requirements. The Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology along with the American Medical Technologists, National Credential Agency for Laboratory Personnel and other agencies have different requirements for certification as well as various sponsors.

Lab Technician’s Job Forecast

In 2024, the median annual wage for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians in the U.S. was $61,890, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This means that half of the workers in this occupation earned more than this amount, and half earned less. 

Several factors can influence the actual salary, including location, experience, and specialization. For example, the BLS reports that some states may offer higher salaries due to cost of living or demand.