A lab tech is a person who performs the practical hands-on work in laboratories. Lab techs work in diverse settings which include health care, industry, research, and educational institutions. Lab techs may work in a wide variety of fields such as medicine, biology, chemistry, electronics, geology and the environment. In this document, it is assumed that a lab tech works predominately indoors in a traditional laboratory setting.
The main duties of a lab tech normally include:
- Receiving, processing and analyzing samples. Depending on the work setting, the samples may consist of blood and tissue (health care); air, water, soil, and rock (environment, public health and mining); chemical products (chemical and pharmaceutical industry), etc.
- Conducting tests on new products or experimental processes.
- Designing and conducting lab tests according to standard procedures.
- Using, cleaning and maintaining various types of equipment.
- Handling and storing chemicals and other materials.
- Handling of compressed gas cylinders.
- Administrative tasks such as maintaining notebooks, documenting procedures, and preparing orders and invoices.
Role of Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists:
Medical laboratory technicians and technologists play an important role in the healthcare system. They collect samples from patients and perform tests to analyze body fluids, tissues, and other medical samples. Medical laboratory technicians and technologists also operate the laboratory equipment used to perform medical tests, record data from these tests and discuss the results with physicians.
Medical laboratory science professionals can specialize in several areas. A blood bank technologist, also known as an immunohematology technologist, collects and classifies blood samples and prepares materials for blood transfusions.
Clinical chemistry technologists perform tests that analyze the chemical and hormonal levels in body fluids. Immunology technologists test the human immune system through their research, while microbiology technologists identify bacteria or other microorganisms in body fluids.
Medical Laboratory Technician or Technologist Skills
Medical laboratory technicians and technologists rely on several critical skills to perform their jobs. They must have a strong background in technology, particularly computerized laboratory equipment.
They must also possess a detail-oriented outlook to effectively perform tests and collect results. Most medical laboratory technicians and technologists work in hospitals, medical or diagnostic laboratories, or doctors’ offices.
Both technicians and technologists perform medical tests using laboratory equipment; however, medical laboratory technologists hold greater responsibilities and conduct more complex tasks. For example, a technologist might perform more difficult tests that require manual procedures, while technicians conduct more automated tests.
Medical laboratory technicians generally need an associate degree or certificate, while medical laboratory technologists must typically hold a bachelor’s degree. Some states require both medical laboratory technicians and technologists to hold a license. Effective lab technicians tend to possess the following skills:
Dexterity and hand-eye coordination
Dexterity is the ability to use your hands skillfully, while hand-eye coordination is the ability to align what you see with what your hands are doing. These two physical skills complement each other and are vital for performing the various laboratory tasks that involve manipulating or maneuvering with the hands. Preparing samples, for instance, requires transferring specific amounts of a substance by syringe or pipette to small surfaces or containers. The combination of dexterity and hand-eye coordination helps to ensure the proper handling of these materials.
Technology skills
Technology is a necessary aspect of laboratory work. On the job, lab techs use various types of specialized equipment, including computerized tools, instruments and software. Thus, it’s necessary that they understand not only how to use this technology but also how to maintain it, calibrate it and repair it if necessary. Otherwise, the tests that they run may not produce accurate results.
Attention to detail
Attention to detail is the ability to notice even the smallest nuances or pieces of information, allowing you to accomplish tasks as thoroughly as possible. This skill relates to the fact that lab technicians receive orders for tests from other professionals, such as doctors and scientists. A lab tech with strong attention to detail is likely to carry out the requested procedures properly because they’ve meticulously read and understood the directions.
Analysis
Skills of analysis refer to the ability to examine information and come to a logical conclusion based on what you see. Lab techs use equipment to analyze samples, but the job also involves analyzing the results of mechanical analyses. They interpret the data and record their findings so that others can understand what it means.
Communication
Communication is the ability to exchange information with others in an easily understandable way. Both verbal and written communication skills are important for lab techs. They commonly discuss the results of their tests with the professionals who order them, and effective conveyance of complex technical information ensures that all relevant parties can comprehend the information.
Organization
Being organized means you can systematically manage your work and your workspace. This soft skill is useful in the laboratory in a couple of ways. One is that it can help to streamline tasks by minimizing the time and energy spent on identifying relevant records, as lab techs commonly work with numerous samples and perform multiple analyses throughout the day. Read more here!
