profession of medical laboratory technology

The Medical Laboratory Profession

 Medical laboratory science professionals, often called medical laboratory technologists, are vital healthcare detectives, uncovering and providing laboratory information from laboratory analyses that assist medical consultants/medical officers in patient diagnosis and treatment, as well as in disease monitoring or prevention

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The medical Laboratory professionals use sophisticated biomedical instrumentation and technology, computers, and methods requiring manual dexterity to perform laboratory testing on blood and body fluids. Laboratory testing encompasses such disciplines as clinical chemistry, hematology, immunology, immune hematology, microbiology, medical entomology, genetic technology, medical parasitology and molecular biology.

Not only that medical laboratory science professionals generate accurate laboratory data that are needed to aid in detecting cancer, heart attacks, diabetes, infectious mononucleosis, and identification of bacteria or viruses that cause infections, as well as in detecting drugs of abuse. In addition, we monitor testing quality and consult with other members of the healthcare team.

The clinical laboratory science profession has more responsibility based on level of education: Medical laboratory technologists (2 years/3 years) and Laboratory consultants (6 years). Medical laboratory technologists are competent in the collection, processing and analysis of biological specimens, the performance of lab procedures, the maintenance of instruments, and relating lab findings to common diseases/conditions. The medical laboratory professional with having scientific education will also conduct research and develop new test methods.

Laboratory consultants have a more extensive theoretical knowledge of diseases and disease patterns. Therefore do not perform basic laboratory procedures but involved in very sophisticated analyses, but also evaluate/interpret the results, integrate data, solve problems, consult clinical communities.

Medical laboratory technologists are required to work both independently and collaboratively with other health care workers such as medical consultants, doctors, nurses, and patients to provide quality patient care. Communications skills, kindness, the capacity for calm, reasoned judgment and the ability to multi-task and problem solve are invaluable characteristics of medical laboratory technologists. Professionalism, ability to maintain confidentiality, and ethical and moral behavior are essential elements of successful medical laboratory technologist.