What is a Medical Laboratory Scientist?

If you have a strong science interest, the desire to help others, good critical thinking skills, good manual dexterity, the ability to work well in a team environment, and have a well-developed sense of responsibility, you may have found a niche in Medical Laboratory Science!

Medical Laboratory Scientists are highly educated people who use both their technical skills and their knowledge of disease states to provide valuable laboratory information. Such data is an integral part of patient diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance.

In a clinical laboratory setting, Medical Laboratory Scientists perform and/or supervise the performance of analytical testing of blood, body fluids, urine, and other types of biological specimens. They may work with bacteria and viruses and may help prepare units of blood for transfusion and perform/interpret all relevant serological data. They may help diagnose bleeding disorders, examine highly complex differential preparations, and perform toxicology screens. They will use critical thinking skills and a high degree of subjective judgment in performing, evaluating, and troubleshooting laboratory data.

Careers for those in Medical Laboratory Science are abundant. Clinical laboratories, private and governmental laboratories, the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, forensic laboratories, transplant programs, biotechnology companies, and educational institutions are all places where Medical Laboratory Scientists can build rewarding careers.