How do I become a Clinical Laboratory Scientist?

How to Become a Clinical Laboratory Scientist

• Answer:

  A clinical laboratory scientist is also known as a medical or laboratory technologist. They play important roles in the healthcare field. Responsible for verifying and performing a variety of diagnostic tests, a clinical laboratory scientist reports the results to doctors who use the information to treat disease. Difficulty: Moderate Instructions Make Moves to Become a Clinical Laboratory Scientist Enroll in a 4-year undergraduate program in clinical laboratory science or medical technology. A typical bachelor's program has a core curriculum of biology (including microbiology), chemistry, anatomy and physiology. Additional coursework in hematology and immunology is also part of the program. Complete a year of clinical training. Also known as an internship, this non-paid rotation allows you to learn how to perform diagnostic testing on human blood, tissues and body fluids alongside experienced professionals. Using lab equipment and data analysis, interns learn how determine whether results are within normal or abnormal ranges. Settle on an area of specialization. While some clinical laboratory scientists choose not to specialize and are known as generalists, many others decide to become further credentialed by pursuing additional education in one aspect of the work. Among the choices are: blood banking and immunohematology (working with donors and transfusions), hematology (looking at abnormalities in blood cells), microbiology (identifying the causes of infectious disease), immunology (resistance to disease), urinalysis (chemical analysis of the components of urine) and toxicology (identifying toxicities in bodily fluids. Receive your degree and become certified as a clinical laboratory scientist. There are two board exams, one of which must be completed successfully for certification to be granted. The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) administers the Medical Technologist (MT) exams and the National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel (NCA) offers the Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) exam. Determine whether the state in which you will be employed requires you to register or apply for a license before beginning work in a clinical setting. In some states, you may be required to pass a state-administered exam to obtain a license. Look for a job in your field. Begin by checking with the human-resources departments of local hospitals and private laboratories. Websites like MedHunter.com are also good resources as they are devoted solely to listing jobs in the medical field (see Resources below). Tips & Warnings Tip: Since your career goes by many names, be sure to read job descriptions carefully when you're looking for a position.