Clinical laboratory scientists (CLS) are the detectives of the medical field. They look for clues and analyze results to aid in diagnosis, which is necessary for treating disease and other medical conditions. The clues often come from body fluids, such as blood or tissue samples.
In addition, they might oversee and manage the laboratory and ensure all equipment is working properly.
Education
Gain familiarity with the sciences as early as high school.
Chemistry and biology are particularly important to understand as a lab scientist. If possible, invest time early in your career to cultivating a strong foundation in these subjects. Math is also an important subject to understand. If you truly understand and enjoy these subjects, this might be a good career for you.
Know what type of post-high school education is required.
Clinical laboratory scientists usually have a bachelor’s degree with a major in medical technology or in one of the life sciences; clinical laboratory technicians generally need either an associate degree or a certificate.
Lab scientists have a more extensive knowledge of molecular biology and microbiology techniques.
Consider various schools
Gather information on universities that have programs specific to training clinical lab scientists.
Degrees from schools with these accreditations are nationally recognized and will make you more competitive as a job candidate.
Take the proper chemistry, biology, and physics coursework.
Being a CLS requires that you learn the proper subjects before entering the workforce: biology, immunology, hematology, chemistry (organic, physical, and analytical), biochemistry, and physics (light and electricity).
These courses represent the core type of work you will be doing on a daily basis. If you find these classes don’t interest you, consider a different career path or speak to a counselor about other options.
Starting Your Career
Look for jobs in the medical field.
Hospitals are the leading employers, but clinical laboratory technologists are also employed by independent laboratories, physicians’ offices and clinics, and manufacturers of lab equipment and diagnostic supplies.
Learn about the various job duties of clinical lab scientists.
Some of the many duties that fall under the job description are:
Examine body fluids and tissues for parasites, bacteria, and other organisms.
Analyze chemical content and reactions necessary for finding out cholesterol levels and matching blood for transfusions.
Measure types and levels of drugs in the system for treatment or to assess response to treatment.
Become trained in using various laboratory equipment
Microscopes, cell counters and computerized equipment are all used by clinical laboratory scientists. In the process of obtaining your degree, you will be trained on these devices. Volunteer in a lab for additional experience and to decide if this is the right career for you.
Practice infection control procedures
Clinical lab technicians and technologists often have to handle infectious material. Knowing about and wearing proper protective equipment (PPE) is essential in this field.
Training in basic lab safety and blood borne pathogens is also necessary.
Specialize in a specific clinical laboratory field to be considered for specific jobs.
If you want to practice in a particular field, you will need to do some additional work. Research the different specialties and choose the one that is the best fit for you.
Gain at least one year post-graduation experience.
Obtaining a license requires that you have at least one year working experience or training in a clinical laboratory. You must also have verification of this experience before applying for the license. The training must be comprehensive in terms of the duties of a clinical scientist.
