Medical laboratory scientists’ majorly work on biological specimens. They use sophisticated equipment like microscopes to analyze the patients’ samples and find crucial diagnostic information, to facilitate further treatment.
To pursue a career as a medical laboratory scientist, you are required to graduate from a BSc Medical Laboratory Science program.
After completing the education at a reputable institute of health and allied sciences, one can start working in hospitals and other medical facilities.
To provide you with more clarity about the medical laboratory scientist profile, we have explained its job responsibilities and other career prospects in detail. So, without any further delay, let’s check them out.
Roles and Responsibilities of A Medical Laboratory Scientist
A medical laboratory scientist’s work involves testing and analyzing patients’ samples. They find the potential reasons for the health problems and report them to the senior doctor. Thus, these scientists help healthcare experts to identify various diseases and treat them accordingly.
In short, all the steps in a patient’s treatment, from admission to the hospital to discharge, everything is influenced by the test reports curated by them.
So, medical laboratory scientists play an important role in the smooth functioning of healthcare services. Here are some of their key duties:
- To find out about diseases such as leukemia and anemia. These experts detect abnormal cells with the help of a differential cell count.
- To transfuse the blood to a patient, they perform cross-matching and blood typing.
- They use reliable quality assurance approaches to maintain accuracy in the test results.
- These professionals manage a team of assistants & technicians and supervise them for various tasks.
- They diagnose and find new and better ways to treat and prevent diseases.
Required Equipment To Start Practicing
After completing the BSc MLS course, the students can start practicing in a hospital, clinic, or other health-related facilities. Some of the common equipment that medical laboratory scientists commonly use are:
- Hematology Analyzers
- DNA analyzers
- Histology and Cytology Equipment
- Urinalysis Analyzers
- Microscopes
The practitioners must look for a healthcare facility that has all the above-mentioned equipment, in proper working condition.
This is because the effectiveness of medical laboratory scientists as a professional depends on how well they can operate these types of equipment.
Various Workplace Choices
The professionals working as medical laboratory scientists have the option to choose from various workplaces.
Thus, such experts can effectively decide their job location. Here are some of the common workplaces for these professionals:
- Hospital Laboratories
- Biotech Companies
- Commercial Laboratories
- Pharmaceutical Companies
- Public Health Laboratories
- Teaching and Research Institutes
- Fertility Clinics
- Blood Donation & Transplant Centers
Job Timings & Work Hours
Most medical facilities and laboratories operate 24 x 7 for the whole year. So, medical laboratory scientists have the option to choose their work hours and location as per their preference.
However, depending upon the organization, they may need to work irregular hours such as the night shift.
Hence, in some conditions, medical laboratory scientists need to work at different times from their regular routines.
Salary Package
The salary of such health professionals is decided by work experience and the location of the healthcare facility.
However, the average package offered at this profile is higher than in other careers. As new diseases and health threats are emerging day by day, there is a huge requirement for such scientists.
Hence, there is good scope in this domain. For this reason, individuals who graduate from a reputable health science institute, often get a good starting salary.
Moreover, such experts are required to carry forward the ongoing research on diseases like cancer, and diabetes, and find out their suitable cures. So, overall career growth is promising in this field.
As an individual gains experience, there are senior-level profiles such as lab manager and department lead.
These profiles include assisting and supervising other junior scientists in their work. Thus, one can increase the salary package by gathering relevant knowledge and experience.
Who Should Opt For a Career as a Medical Laboratory Scientist?
Individuals who naturally are good communicators have an edge in this career. Because the scientists have to convey the key points of the test reports to the specialist doctors.
This way, they facilitate proper treatment for patients. Moreover, skills like dexterity, visual acuity, and good hand-eye coordination are required to operate with the required equipment and analyze tests.
In simple words, among all the allied health sciences programs, the medical laboratory science profession is perfect for the ones interested in research. Additionally, this career doesn’t involve direct interaction with the patients, which can be a preference for many individuals.
Conclusion
After going through the above information, one can get more clarity related to a career as a medical laboratory scientist.
It is one of the unique job profiles, which involve research work as well as medical support. Moreover, like all the other healthcare careers, you get the opportunity to make a positive change in the patients’ life by serving them indirectly. So, get admitted to a reputable allied and health sciences institute, and start your learning journey.
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