Careers in the Medical Laboratory

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Careers in the Medical Laboratory
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The clinical laboratory is a place well out of
the public eye where professionals work as part
of the medical team.

• A highly-skilled team works together in the lab
  to determine the presence or absence of disease
  and to provide data needed to evaluate the status
  of patients as well as the effectiveness of
  treatment.
• The practice of medicine as we know it today
  would be impossible without the tests performed
  in the laboratory.
• Well over 70 of all medical decisions are
  affected by laboratory results.

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Who works in the laboratory?

• Certified Phlebotomy Technicians
• Medical Laboratory Technicians
• Clinical Laboratory Scientists (a.k.a. Medical
  Technologists)
• Histotechnologists
• Cytotechnologists
• Pathologists
• position soon to be established

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1. Anatomic Pathology deals with most of the
tissue biopsies. Histotechnologists prepare
slides, which are reviewed by Cyto-technologists
and Pathologists. 2. Clinical Pathology deals
with most of the blood work. Blood is usually
collected by Phlebotomists and analyzed by
Clinical Laboratory Scientists. 3. Experimental
Pathology is on the horizon as a potential means
to incorporate a research component into the
department.
The CSMC Department of Pathology Laboratory
Medicine is currently divided into two parts
(with a third planned)
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Laboratory DivisionsAnatomic Pathology
Histotech

• Prepares tissue and fluids for microscopic
  examination
• Thin sectioning of frozen or paraffin-imbedded
  tissues
• Mounting of sections on slides
• Staining using various dyes
• Shortage has caused salaries to rise
  substantially in recent years
• AA degree and certification provided in the
  histologic tech program at Mt. SAC

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Laboratory DivisionsAnatomic Pathology

• The electron microscope can magnify tissues
  well over 100,000 times.

Electron Microscopy Team
Electron Microscopist education 2-year AA
program like the one in San Joaquin
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Laboratory DivisionsAnatomic Pathology
Cytotechnologist
Cytology

• Examines slides prepared by histology technicians
• Reports cellular abnormalities seen
  microscopically
• Frequently interacts with pathologists
• Education requirements similar to that of CLS
• CSUDH has a cytotechnology program with a 1-year
  clinical rotation

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Laboratory DivisionsAnatomic Clinical Pathology
Pathologists

• MDs with a specialty in Anatomic and/or Clinical
  Pathology
• Graduation from medical school plus a 4-year
  residency, and many also complete a fellowship.
• 25 pathologists are part of the staff of CSMC
  Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
• Roughly 25 pathology residents and fellows are
  currently in the process of their education here
  at CSMC.

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Laboratory Personnel Clinical Pathology
Lab Support Services Phlebotomy
Certified Phlebotomy Technician

• Collects blood specimens
• Interacts directly with patients
• Most visible laboratorian to patients
• Requirements
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Completion of a state-approved program, like the
  1-month CMSC program
• national board examination
• state certification

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Laboratory Personnel Clinical Pathology

• Assist licensed personnel with
• specimen processing
• some instrumentation
• non-judgmental testing of waived and moderate
  complexity procedures
• Regulations for this position have recently been
  approved by the State of California (but not yet
  implemented).
• CSMC hopes to affiliate with a community college
  to provide the 6-month clinical rotation portion
  of a 2-year program.

Lab Support Services Medical Lab Technicians
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Laboratory Personnel Clinical Pathology

• Baccalaureate requirements
• 18 college semester hours in biological sciences
• 16 in chemistry
• 3 in math/computer science
• 3 in physics
• Completion of a medical technology program
  approved by the State of California, including a
  1-year clinical rotation, like the one offered at
  Cedars-Sinai Medical Center through CSU,
  Dominguez Hills

Clinical Laboratory Scientist (aka Medical
Technologist) works in all divisions of Clinical
Pathology. Provides the analyzis and results for
most fluid specimens.
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Laboratory Divisions Clinical Pathology
Hematology

• Blood cell analysis
• Body fluid analysis
• Coagulation

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Laboratory Divisions Clinical Pathology

• Chem panels
• Thyroid function evaluation
• Diabetes assessment
• Cardiac enzyme evaluation
• Lipid profiles
• Toxicology
• Therapeutic drug monitoring
• Drugs of abuse testing

Chemistry
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Laboratory Divisions Clinical Pathology

• Infectious disease serology
• Hepatitis testing
• AIDS screening (ELISA Western blot)
• Syphilis serology
• Autoantibody testing
• Protein electrophoresis
• Immunopathology
• Flow cytometry

Immunology
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Laboratory Divisions Clinical Pathology
Microbiology

• Bacteriology
• Mycology
• Parasitology
• Virology
• Molecular Pathology

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Laboratory Divisions Clinical Pathology

• Transfusion Medicine
• Donor Center
• Compatibility Testing

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Laboratory Divisions Clinical Pathology

• Cytogenetics
• Analysis of fetal or post partum chromosomes to
  indicate genetic defects
• Analysis of tumor chromosomes to indicate type of
  cancer

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• The US Department of Labor says almost 14,000
  new medical laboratory professionals will be
  needed every year between now and 2012. But we're
  graduating fewer than 5000 licensed students each
  year. According to Jobs Rated Almanac, medical
  technology has 25 job growth, very low
  unemployment good job security. Medical
  Scientist was ranked 2 in the 2005 survey of
  top jobs by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Questions????? Please feel free to e-mail me at
lab.ed_at_cshs.org