What many people don’t realize is the days of doctors peering into microscopes are long, long gone. The truth is they are the lead on a team of specialists, from nurses to medical billing experts. One of the most important members of the team is the Clinical Laboratory Technician. While experience plays a big part in this field, education via traditional or college online, is vital.
The technician is a medical assistant who operates all the analytic machinery needed to investigate the cause of a patient’s illness. This machinery is far more complex than the stethoscope and thermometers of old. The technician, in consultation with the physician, runs the tests needed to find if the cause of the patient’s condition is anything from viral to drug-related, then reports his discoveries to the doctor.
Probably the most negative thing about being a technician is the hours. In larger institutions, the labs go 24-7, i.e., operating continuously. Personnel must be there day, evening, night and someone is always there even on weekends and holidays. In smaller facilities, technicians end up working rotating shifts. Being on call in case of an emergency is just par for the course.
There are several ways to become a technician. One highly effective way is to start in a work-study program with on-the-job and specialized training. Employers in this case are often universities and hospitals who offer the classes, often in conjunction with an online college. It should be noted though that this has some restrictions. There are tests that can only be conducted by technicians who have at least an associate degree.
The other way, and one that’s becoming much more preferred these days, is for a student to enroll in a college or vocational school first, online or on campus, and then complete a full four year course. The degree needed is a Bachelors of Science with majors in either medical technology or a life science. The degree should include classes in chemistry, biology, microbiology, math and statistics. It should also include lab work on the various kinds of machinery one will use in real life. Recommended minors are in business and computer applications, although the bulk of these classes will really not come to the fore until it’s time to be promoted to a supervisory position.
Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians hold over 300,000 jobs. Over half were in hospitals. Most the remaining jobs were in offices of physicians and laboratories. A small proportion is with educational services and ambulatory healthcare services.
Salaries reflect this high demand, averaging about $53,000 range. It comes with health benefits and retirement plan. Depending on the institution where one works, the size and scope of the professional responsibilities plays a part in salary and benefits.
Completing course online is an excellent way for the technician to the basic experience needed, while considering that on the job training is also an important factor. The growth of colleges for medical will allow many to enter this prestigious field, working closely with their own medical team. If you are interested in this career path and would like to do more research about healthcare administration degree, you will find an abundance of information on the internet.
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