Medical laboratory technologists

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

• Set up, operate and maintain laboratory equipment

• Conduct and interpret chemical analyses of blood, urine, and cerebrospinal and other body fluids

• Study blood cells and other tissues to determine their relation to various physiological and pathological conditions

• Prepare tissue sections for microscopic examinations using techniques to demonstrate special cellular tissue elements or other characteristics

• Perform and interpret blood group, type and compatibility tests for transfusion purposes

• Validate, document and report test results

• Establish procedures for the analysis of specimens and for medical laboratory experiments

• Conduct quality control assessment of testing techniques

• May supervise and train other medical laboratory technical staff, students and helpers

• May assist pathologists during autopsies.

• Medical laboratory technologists may specialize in areas such as clinical chemistry, clinical microbiology, hematology, histotechnology, transfusion medicine or immunohematology, cytotechnology, cytogenetics and molecular genetics.

• A two- or three-year college program in medical laboratory technology is required and a period of supervised practical training may be required.

• Certification by the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science is usually required by employers.

• Combined laboratory and X-ray technicians require completion of a combined laboratory X-ray technology program.