MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIST

Correct Name of the Career

o Medical Technologist
Education and/or Training Required
o Important skills needed to become a medical technologist include problem-
solving skills, being able to work under pressure, communication skills, the ability
to work well with technology, being detail oriented, being able to do hands-on
work, and being detail oriented.
o Some recommended high school classes and extra-curricular activities one should
take and be involved in if they are pursuing this field include classes in chemistry,
biology, and math.
o Necessary college majors, training programs, and licenses and certificates include
a bachelors degree in medical technology or life sciences, medical laboratory
science program, and certification as a medical laboratory technologist or
technician or in a certain specialty.
o Necessary postgraduate study and work required includes certificate programs.
Responsibilities and Daily Activities
o The common responsibilities and activities of a medical technologist include
analyzing body fluids, studying blood samples, operating lab equipment, logging
data from medical tests, discussing results and findings of tests with physicians,
and supervising and training medical laboratory technicians.
o The field of a medical technologist can be specialized into immunohematology,
clinical chemistry, cytotechnologists, immunology, microbiology, and molecular
biology.
o Medical technologists work generally in laboratories, clinics, or hospitals. They
generally work for hospitals, clinics, independent laboratories, and public health
laboratories.
Salary Range
o $41,600 - $50,000 per year
o This range is specific to all medical technologists in the U.S.
o Location can influence a medical technologists salary.
Documentation of Sources
o Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2015). Medical and Clinical Laboratory
 Technologists and Technicians. [accessed 23 February 2017]. Retrieved
from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/Healthcare/Medical-and-clinical-
laboratory-technologists-and-technicians.htm.
o Comanche County Memorial Hospital. (nd). A Career in Medical Technology.
[accessed 23 February 2017]. Retrieved from http://ccmhmtschool.org/
?page_id=61.
Self-Reflection
o I have heard of this career before.
o One positive thing about this career is that employment is expected to grow
within the next 10 years.
o One negative thing about this career is that medical technologists sometimes work
overnight, weekend, or evening hours.
o I would like to have this job.
o I would like to have this job because it seems to have a large variety of science
principles and health aspects to it.
Tests Run by Medical Technologists (include goal of test and how it includes clues to
problems)
o Glucose The goal of this test is to find the amount of glucose present in the
blood or, if tested, in the urine. The results may indicate whether or not a person
has diabetes or if there is a problem with the filtering system of the kidneys if
glucose is present in urine.
o Cholesterol The goal of this test is to find the amount of cholesterol present in
the blood. If cholesterol levels are too high, heart disease or other complications
are more likely to happen.
o Hematology (White blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet count) The goal of
this test is the assess the amount of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets
present in the blood. This test can indicate a possible infection in the body if white
blood cell count is high, or it can show problems in the immune system of any of
these levels are abnormal.