What Does A Medical Laboratory Technician Do?
Are you interested in becoming a laboratory technician? Laboratory technicians in Bakersfield Ca have a variety of responsibilities. They also need to have specific skills and education in order to obtain this position. You probably would also like to know the salary you can expect from this position. We will discuss the job responsibilities, the education and skill requirements, and how much you can expect to earn as a laboratory technician.
First of all, the median salary for this type of job is around $35,000 a year, but this salary will range. Some of these laboratory technicians earned under $34,000 in a year, but some were able to earn more than $53,000 in a year, so there is a wide range of salaries for this job.
Educational Requirements For A Medical Laboratory Technician
Are you still interested in this position after learning about the salary? Well, now you will need to know how to even get a job in this field. Most laboratory technicians will have an associate degree from a community or junior college. Some will have training from a technical or vocational school, and some will even earn a certificate from the military or from a hospital. There is an accreditation agency in this field called the NAACLS, and it accredits many programs around the country. It is important to know the requirements from your particular state. A number of states will require that their laboratory technicians are licensed or registered. If licensure is necessary, you may have to first obtain a bachelor’s degree and pass an exam, but as I said before, this will vary from state to state, and many states will not require a bachelor’s degree. A number of employers will want to hire new employees who are certified. They also will want you to be able to handle pressure really well. You will also need to be a detail oriented person. Computer skills are also a necessity and you will need to be able to have manual dexterity.
It is also important to note that lab technicians can be promoted to lab technologists, and this may allow for them to have a better pay along with more leadership responsibilities. Technologists in general make around $54,000 a year, and this is much better than the $35,000 a year earned by technicians, so keep this in mind while you are considering this as a career.
Medical Laboratory Technician Job Description
What exactly does a laboratory technician do? Well, a lab technician participates in laboratory testing. The majority of laboratory testing is performed by the laboratory technician. As a lab technician, you will be able to examine body cells and body fluids. You will be looking for a number of things, including bacteria, parasites, and microorganisms. You will be able to make sure blood is matching when transfusions are needed and you will check for drug levels in the blood. You will be able to help a doctor determine if a treatment is working for a patient when you see how the patient is responding to a specific treatment. In Kern County, many lab techs get their start by taking phlebotomy training in Bakersfield.
Lab technicians will usually work in a hospital or in a clinic. They must be very clean and wear lab coats and goggles when working in the lab. They often will work for forty hours a week. Many work first shift, but some will be needed to work in the evenings and on weekends.
As you can see, being a lab technician is a very important job. A lab technician completes jobs that are essential for physicians and for hospitals, as the information they obtain will help them to make very important decisions about their patients. The education requirements will vary from state to state. If you are interested in making more money than a lab technician makes, you may instead be interested in becoming a lab technologist or working your way up into this position.