Reasons to Earn a Lab Assistant Diploma:
Earning a Lab Assistant Diploma will allow you to work in the medical field helping those who suffer from diseases and illnesses. You will not be on the front lines but you will have a significant role to play.
Career Opportunities
Lab assistants can work in doctor's offices, hospitals, clinics, dental offices, blood banks, auditory labs or other medical facilities. Lab assistants may also work with scientists doing research.
Occupational Outlook
Healthcare is the fastest growing job field today. Therefore, there will be plenty of opportunities for employment in the coming years, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov. Lab assistants will be needed more than ever as the number of elderly people increases and medical technology advances, requiring qualified individuals to run equipment and perform lab tests.
Salary Information
Those who have a lab assistant diploma can expect to earn between $20,000 and $28,000 annually, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics. This may vary from region to region, however.
Coursework Requirements
The basic courses required for this diploma program may include:
- Medical terminology
- Healthcare
- Pharmacology
- Skills for laboratory assistants
- Laboratory procedures
- Administration of a laboratory
- Laboratory management
- Computers
- English
- Technical writing
- Work placement
- Hazardous materials training
Students may be required to take additional courses if they specialize in a certain area such as a medical or clinical laboratory assistant.
Skills that you will learn
Graduates with a diploma as a lab assistant may be have skills in the following areas:
- Computer skills
- Billing skills
- Skills in performing test
- Skills in using laboratory equipment
- Reporting skills
- Communication skills
- Analytical and problem solving skills
- Skills in handing hazardous materials and their disposal
