Why choose a career in the medical laboratory?

Heroes in the Medical Laboratory

Turn your love of science into a fun and rewarding career.
Enjoy strong job prospects nationwide.
Make a great salary while helping Dont Just Make a Difference.
people around you.
Be the Difference.
What are you waiting for?

To learn about all of the career

paths available to you, look inside!

Medical Laboratory Scientist

Medical Laboratory Technician
Phlebotomist
Pathologist
Pathologists Assistant
Clinical Chemist
Histotechnologist
Cytotechnologist
Technologist in Cytogenetics
Technologist in Molecular Biology
Where do you see Find out which career is right for you
Learn about these jobs in the medical laboratory and what youll need to get started.
yourself in the future?
Medical Laboratory Scientist Page 3
Shareen Lee, MLS(ASCP)CM
Studying patients specimens to help doctors diagnose and treat diseases

Medical Laboratory Technician Page 5

Robert Callaham, MLT(ASCP)CM
Earning an Conducting tests that influence doctors treatment decisions
Living and
excellent salary Phlebotomist Page 6
working in
while helping Karen Penrod, PBT(ASCP)CM
the city of Working face-to-face with patients to draw blood samples
people live longer,
your dreams? Pathologist Page 7
fuller lives? Alexandra Harrington, MD, FASCP, MT(ASCP)
The doctor who diagnoses diseases at the microscopic level

Pathologists Assistant Page 9

Cheryl Talbott, MHS, CT(ASCP)CMPACM
Having fun doing Providing the hands-on assistance that pathologists need to help patients

something that Clinical Chemist Page 11

Ross Molinaro, PhD, MT(ASCP)
interests you? Guiding doctors toward new, better ways to diagnose patients

Histotechnologist Page 12
Melissa C. Kemp, HTL(ASCP)CM
Preparing tissue samples to help pathologists diagnose diseases

Cytotechnologist Page 13
Sean A. McNair, CT(ASCP)CM
Examining cells to find cancer and infections today

Technologist in Cytogenetics Page 14

Ashley Mariano, CG(ASCP)CM
A medical laboratory career Looking into genes to find the diseases of tomorrow

can help you get there! Technologist in Molecular Biology Page 15

Look inside to find a career that can take you
where you want to go. Each page has information
on exciting jobs in the medical laboratory, and stories
from the real professionals who do them every day.
Johanna Sloss, MB(ASCP)CM
Fast-growing area of laboratory medicine
Specialize to Further Your Career Page 16
Resources Page 17
ASCP Board of Certification Page 18

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 Medical Laboratory Scientist
Studying patients specimens to help doctors diagnose and treat diseases
The Medical Laboratory Scientist is one of the most important people in
medicine. In a single day, a Medical Laboratory Scientist performs some
of the most complex tests on blood, tissue, body fluids, and other samples
from many patients. This helps provide doctors with most of the information
they use to treat infections and diagnose cancers and other diseases.
At the same time, theyre a vital part of the emergency medical team
and can even save lives.
Shareen Lee, MLS(ASCP)CM, was working as a Medical Laboratory Scientist
in Los Angeles when a young boy was rushed into her hospitals emergency
room. He had suffered a gunshot wound and needed a blood transfusion
right away. But first, laboratory professionals and doctors needed to get
information about his blood, and they were running out of time fast.
Thats where Shareen came in. She performed tests to find the correct
blood type for the boy. It ensured his system could handle the transfusion
that helped keep him alive.
We issued blood quickly, and his condition stabilized, Shareen says.
It played a huge role that day in saving his life.
We issued blood quickly, and his
condition stabilized. It played a
huge role that day in saving his life.
Shareen Lee, MLS(ASCP) CM
Photography by Sara Press 3 4
Medical Laboratory Scientists dont have to work in a hospital
to save lives. They can also work for reference laboratories,
medical offices, and pharmaceutical or biotech companies
where they help diagnose and treat infections, anemia,
and even cancer. Then they relay that information to doctors,
so they can find the best treatment for each patient.
In some cases, Medical Laboratory Scientists actually provide
treatment information for the physician. For example, they can
test bacteria, taken from a patient, with different antibiotics
to find out which one works best to treat an infection.
If you enjoy science and solving problems, a career as a Medical
Laboratory Scientist may be the right choice for you. And because
positions are becoming available faster than employers can fill them,
Medical Laboratory Science students often have their choice of job
offers when they graduate. Once you get started you can become a
supervisor, and even specialize in a specific area that interests you
(like Hematology, Microbiology, Chemistry, or the Blood Bank).
What youll need:
Strong science background
Interest in solving puzzles
Education Requirements:
Bachelors degree in science
Medical (or Clinical) Laboratory Science program
accredited by the National Accrediting Agency
for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)
Certification:
Earn certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist
from the American Society for Clinical Pathology
Board of Certification (ASCP BOC).
Average Salary:
$54,413; Supervisor: $65,8941
 Medical Laboratory Technician
Conducting tests that influence doctors treatment decisions
What youll need:
Interest in science and technology
Ability to be careful and organized
Education Requirements:
Associates degree
Medical Laboratory Technician
program accredited by NAACLS
Certification:
Earn certification as a Medical
Laboratory Technician from the
ASCP BOC.
Average Salary:
$40,768; Supervisor: $49,3381
Photography by Mark Erickson
Phlebotomist
Working face-to-face with patients to draw blood samples
Phlebotomists are on the front lines in the medical laboratorythe ones
If you love performing experiments in science class, you may want to join
who work hands-on with patients to collect blood samples.
the ranks of Medical Laboratory Technicians. Each day, they run the simple,
day-to-day tests on blood, tissues, body fluids, and other samples with Other duties performed by Phlebotomists include point-of-care testing,
high-tech equipment in the medical laboratory. such as glucose testing for diabetic patients or infants. Theyre also
responsible for identifying patients prior to sample collection, and ensuring
Those test results help doctors determine the right treatments for
that each sample is correctly identified for future testing.
patientsand occasionally lead to extraordinary breakthroughs.
To become a Phlebotomist, you can often start right after high school.
Thats what happened to Robert Callaham, MLT(ASCP)CM, a Medical
You just need to be able to handle stressful situations, have skilled hands,
Laboratory Technician from New Mexico. He once ran a test on a patient
and love working with people.
who had told his doctor that he was tired.
Just ask Karen Penrod, PBT(ASCP)CM, a Phlebotomist at a hospital
No one could figure out what was wrong, Robert says. Finally, I asked
in Columbus, Ind. Because of her gentle nature and happy attitude,
if the patient had traveled outside the United States. He had.
people ask for her by name when they need to have blood drawn.
A new test was ordered, and it found a rare disease in his blood work.
Some people are nervous about needles, Karen says. So if youre
The test I ran helped the doctor diagnose and treat the patient,
good at talking to people, you can get them to concentrate on you
and restore his health, he says.
and not the needle going into their arm.
As with Medical Laboratory Scientists, the job market for Medical
Sometimes, you even get the opportunity to save a life. Thats what
Laboratory Technicians continues to growand there are opportunities
Karen did when she noticed a baby in her hospital had strange-smelling
to raise your salary and advance in the laboratory by getting certified
breatha tell-tale sign of diabetes. She reported the smell to the
by the ASCP BOC.
babys doctor, who helped lower the childs blood sugar just in time.
I love my job, Karen says. I get the opportunity to meet and
help a lot of people. Its an awesome feeling. What youll need:
Precision and accuracy
High attention to detail
Excellent people skills
No one could figure out what was If youre good at talking to people, Education Requirements:
wrong. My test helped the doctor you can get them to concentrate High school diploma
Phlebotomy training or
diagnose and treat the patient, on you and not the needle going work experience
and restore his health. into their arm. Certification:
Earn certification as a Phlebotomy
Robert Callaham, MLT(ASCP) CM Karen Penrod, PBT(ASCP)CM Technician or Donor Phlebotomy
Technician from the ASCP BOC.
Average Salary:
$28,080; Supervisor: $41,7661
5 6 Photography by Polina Osherov
 Pathologist
The doctor who diagnoses diseases at the microscopic level What youll need:
Strong science background
Ability to recognize patterns
Excellent leadership skills

Education Requirements:
Do you enjoy being a leader? Taking on a high degree of responsibility? Had these leukemia cells not been recognized, the patient would not Four-year medical school program
How about rising above challenges to solve problems for others? have had an answer for her tiredness, and her leukemia would have
Residency program in Pathology
spread and caused life-threatening complications. But because of
For Pathologists, these qualities come naturally. Thats because, when a One- or two-year fellowship
Dr. Harringtons expertise, it took less than a day to begin the program in anatomic or
patients life hangs in the balance, these laboratory medicine physicians
chemotherapy that saved her life. clinical pathology or both (optional)
need to know they have what it takes to lead a laboratory team and
diagnose diseases in a timely fashion. Any delay in diagnosis can be devastating, even fatal, she says. Average Salary:
Fortunately, her leukemia type has an excellent outcome when
Alexandra Harrington, MD, FASCP, MT(ASCP), knows this from experience. $247,0132
detected and treated early.
One day, when reviewing a patients blood cells under the microscope,
she found a rare leukemia cell in the background of many normal cells. Because early diagnosis can determine whether a person survives,
The patient was young, healthy, and athletic and only complained of the Pathologist has one of the most important positions in the laboratory
recent tiredness, so the diagnosis was a complete surprise. and in the entire medical field. These medical doctors are at the center
of all other positions in the lab, working with each team member on the
patients behalf.

Its hard work, but the rewards are worth it.

Any delay in diagnosis can
be devastating, even fatal.
Fortunately, her leukemia
type has an excellent
outcome when detected
and treated early.
Alexandra Harrington,
MD, FASCP, MT(ASCP)

Photography by Corey Hengen 7 8

Pathologists Assistant
Providing the hands-on assistance that pathologists need to help patients

If you like dissecting frogs, you might very well enjoy a
career as a Pathologists Assistant. Youll get to work directly
with specimens and tissues, and be the eyes that help
Pathologists diagnose diseases correctly.
This can include everything from helping surgeons in the
operating room find cancer in organ tissue to performing
autopsies on people who have died. Its an exciting and
interesting career for people who enjoy learning more
about how the human body workslike Cheryl Talbott,
MHS, CT(ASCP)CMPACM.
I love the hands-on aspect and variety, Cheryl says. I never know
what Ill get that day.
Pathologists Assistants work can be the deciding factor in whether
a patient lives or dies.
Sometimes, a tumor may look benign, but well find out its cancerous,
she says. Our work determines what kind of treatment that patient
will receive.
The career prospects for Pathologists Assistants have grown in recent years,
and experts predict even more growth in the future.

I love the hands-on aspect and variety.

I never know what Ill get that day.
Cheryl Talbott, MHS, CT(ASCP)CMPACM
What youll need:
High attention to detail
Ability to touch and
examine human cadavers
Education Requirements:
Bachelors degree in science
Pathologists Assistant program
accredited by NAACLS
Certification:
Earn certification as a Pathologists
Assistant from the ASCP BOC.
Average Salary:
$74,922; Supervisor: $77,3761

9 10 Photography by Rick Madsen

 Clinical Chemist Histotechnologist
Guiding doctors toward new, better ways to diagnose patients Preparing tissue samples to help pathologists diagnose diseases

What youll need:

Excellent hand-eye coordination
Clinical Chemists are the scientific detectives of the medical laboratory. Every day, It takes patience and a steady hand to do what Histotechnologists do:
Precision and accuracy
they investigate the procedures that lab professionals use to find errors, because slice tiny, paper-thin sections of tissue and apply special stains in
the more smoothly the medical laboratory runs, the better care patients receive. preparation for them to be analyzed under a microscope. Education Requirements:
For example, Ross Molinaro, PhD, MT(ASCP), DABCC, FACB, once noticed that If youre good at working with your hands, being a Histotechnologist Bachelors degree in science
a patients blood test didnt match his doctors report. It was Rosss job to find may be the right choice for you. Just ask Melissa C. Kemp, HTL(ASCP)CM, Histology program
out why. Was the blood collected wrong? Or maybe labeled incorrectly? Did the whose love of doing crafts led her to her dream career in the accredited by NAACLS
patient eat something he wasnt supposed to before the test? medical laboratory.
Certification:
By discovering the reason behind testing flaws like these, he helps make sure the I love science, and I love making things, Melissa says. Ive never Earn certification as a
same mistakes dont happen again. His doctorate degree gives him the knowledge been let down in my career as a Histotechnologist. Histotechnologist from
and respect he needs to run an efficient chemistry laboratory that helps patients the ASCP BOC.
Histotechnologists prepare tissue samples, or biopsies, that Pathologists
quickly. And that can lead to saving lives. Average Salary:
look at to spot tiny imperfections in cells. This can involve working
Every day, I learn about new clinical laboratory tests, Dr. Molinaro says. under pressure. Histotechnologists are sometimes called upon to $54,080; Supervisor: $66,7681
This information is so valuable for providing the best health care for patients. prepare samples quickly during surgery to help surgeons assess
the procedures progress.
Every day, I learn about new clinical Job opportunities for laboratory professionals are great, and the job market
laboratory tests. This information is for Histotechnologists is especially strong. Experts believe that trend will
continue well into the future.
so valuable for providing the best
health care for patients. I love science, and I love making things. Ive never
Ross Molinaro, PhD, MT(ASCP) been let down in my career as a Histotechnologist.
Melissa C. Kemp, HTL(ASCP)CM

What youll need:

Critical thinking skills
Ability to organize and lead others

Education Requirements:
Doctorate degree
Post-doctoral fellowship in
clinical chemistry (optional)

Average Salary:
$100,000 to $110,0003

Photography by Michael Schwarz 11 12 Photography by Luci Pemoni

 Cytotechnologist Technologist in Cytogenetics
Examining cells to find cancer and infections today Looking into genes to find the diseases of tomorrow

What youll need:
Familiarity with microscopes
Ability to recognize patterns
Education Requirements
Bachelors degree in science
Cytotechnologist program accredited
by the Commission on Accreditation
of Allied Health Education Programs
Certification:
Earn certification as a Cytotechnologist
from the ASCP BOC.
Average Salary:
$61,235; Supervisor: $71,2611
No one gets a closer look at the human body than the Cytotechnologist.
These laboratory professionals use microscopes to pinpoint diseases and
infections, all the way down to a single cell.
If youre detail-oriented like Sean A. McNair, CT(ASCP)CM, its the kind
of career youll love. Each day, he magnifies the tiniest cells to find
patterns in their physical features. By doing this, he can alert
doctors to changes in those patterns that could turn out to be cancer.
My real-time assessments help provide a diagnosis, Sean says.
Its a crucial step in determining if a patient needs further treatment.
My real-time assessments help provide a
diagnosis. Its a crucial step in determining
if a patient needs further treatment.
Sean A. McNair, CT(ASCP)CM
Technologists in Cytogenetics help us see the future. By discovering how
chromosomes affect human development, they help predict diseases that
patients will have even before birth.
By looking at specially treated cells under a microscope, Ashley Mariano,
CG(ASCP)CM, can detect whether a baby will be born with a condition like
Down syndrome or Turner syndrome. I thrive on learning about different
diseases, Ashley says. Were crazy about genetics and want to learn more.
Today doctors aim to diagnose diseases as early as possible. Because of this,
the job market for Technologists in Cytogenetics is predicted to grow.
I thrive on learning about different diseases.
Were crazy about genetics and want to learn more.
Ashley Mariano, CG(ASCP)CM

What youll need:

An interest in genes
Familiarity with microscopes
Education Requirements
Bachelors degree in science
Cytogenetic technology program
accredited by NAACLS
Certification:
Earn a Technologist certification in
Cytogenetics from the ASCP BOC.
Average Salary:
$54,413; Supervisor: $65,8941

Photography by Leslie Barbaro 13 14 Photography by Kevin Seifert

 Technologist in Molecular Biology
Fast-growing area of laboratory medicine
What youll need:
Interest in the role of genes
in laboratory medicine
Precision and accuracy
Education Requirements:
Bachelors degree in science
Medical (or Clinical) Laboratory
Science or Molecular Biology
program accredited by NAACLS
Work experience in Molecular Biology
Certification:
Earn certification as a Technologist in
Molecular Biology from the ASCP BOC.
Average Salary:
$54,413; Supervisor: $65,8941*
Photography by Brent Nicastro
Specialize and
take your career
to the next level
Molecular biology is the future of the clinical laboratory, Believe it or not, once youve begun your career and
because we are learning more and more about genetic information
are doing a job you love, there are still opportunities
in DNA and how it affects diseases. There arent many experts
in the field, and those who do exist are in very high demand.
to go farther.
Can you imagine how good it would feel to be one of them? Whether you are a medical doctor like a pathologist
or a certified laboratory professional, you can choose
Thats the position Johanna Sloss, MB(ASCP)CM, is in. She started
to specialize in your favorite area of expertise. Being a
out as a Medical Laboratory Scientist but chose to focus on her
favorite area: Molecular Biology. Now, because shes one of the
specialist puts your skills in high demand. That can mean
fields few experts, medical professionals come from all over a better chance of landing the job you want and often
to take advantage of her expertise. for a higher salary.
Getting the ASCP certification in molecular biology shows my Below are some of the most popular areas of specialty.
colleagues that I have the knowledge and expertise in my field, Do any of them sound interesting to you?
Johanna says.
Because shes ASCP BOC-certified, her job prospects are booming.
All because she made the choice to focus on her favorite field.
Getting the ASCP certification
in molecular biology shows my Areas of Specialty:
colleagues that I have the knowledge
Blood Banking Immunohistochemistry
and expertise in my field. Breast Pathology Informatics
Chemistry Laboratory Management
Johanna Sloss, MB(ASCP)CM
Cytometry Laboratory Safety
Dermatopathology Microbiology
Forensic Pathology Neuropathology
Hematology Pediatric Pathology
* The 2010 Wage Survey did not include the Technologists in Molecular Biology. This wage is equated
to that of Medical Laboratory Scientist since the level of skills and and responsibilities are similar.
15 16
Resources ASCP Board of Certification
Still have questions? Providing excellence in certification of laboratory professionals on behalf of patients worldwide.

Contact these institutions for information on programs around the United States.

Education Programs for Medical Laboratory Science, Medical Laboratory Technology,

Histologic Technology, Cytogenetics, Molecular Pathology, Phlebotomy, and Pathologists
Assistant.
When you complete your education and clinical rotations, you can take an exam to become
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) certified by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC).
If you pass, your certification allows you to:
773.714.8880
www.naacls.org Find better job prospects
Earn higher salaries
Education Programs for Cytotechnology: Add credentials such as MLS, MLT, CT, HTL, CG, MB, HT, PA, or PBT after your name
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
727.210.2350 Being ASCP BOC-certified also shows that you are competent and able to perform
www.caahep.org high-quality tests. And in the ASCP 2010 Wage Survey of U.S. Clinical Laboratories,
people who were certified earned up to 14.7 percent more per year.
To learn about ASCP BOC educational and clinical requirements,
Scholarships:
visit www.ascp.org/certification.
Visit www.ascp.org/scholarships for a complete listing of current scholarships.

Job Listings:
Medical Schools:
www.ascp.org/careercenter
Liaison Committee on Medical Education
Council on Medical Education www.facebook.com/ASCP.Chicago
American Medical Association www.pathologyoutlines.com/jobs
312.464.4933
www.lcme.org/directry.htm
References:
1
Garcia E, Bennett A, DeFranco M, Schulze M, Tanabe P, Rodriguez F, Edward J, Lee H, American Society for
Association of American Medical Colleges Clinical Pathologys 2010 Wage Survey of U.S. Clinical Laboratories, LabMedicine. March 2011;42(3):141-146.
202.828.0400 2
Physician salaries. Salary.com website. www1.Salary.com/Physician-Pathology-Salary.html. Accessed March 27, 2012.
www.aamc.org/about/medicalschools/ 3
Survey Monkey website. http://svy.mk/ClinicalChemistWage. Accessed March 27, 2012.

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