Reasons to Earn Your Medical Laboratory Assistant Diploma
As a medical laboratory assistant, you will be prepared to work under medical laboratory technicians and technologists. You get to use various lab equipment when testing and analyzing samples. Many schools require practicum sessions (also known as internships), which require you to work in various laboratory environments. Many programs are available for working adults through evening classes and online courses.
Some states require that all laboratory workers be licensed. Your program will inform you of any licensing requirements, and, if present, the program you are part of typically prepares you for state licensure.
Career Possibilities
Occupational Outlook
There are many facilities, which employ medical laboratory assistants such as clinics, hospitals, medical laboratories, and research universities and institutes. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), www.bls.gov, the occupation of clinical laboratory technicians and technologists (of which medical laboratory assistants fall under) is projected to grow faster than the average occupation.
Salary Information
According to Salary.com, the average entry-level laboratory assistant earns $33,740 annually.
Degree Specifics
Coursework Requirements
Some schools prepare you for transfer to colleges/universities while others offer associate's degrees or certificates. The following list of courses represents common courses found in medical laboratory assistant programs:
- Serology and Blood Banking
- Clinical Microbiology
- Medical Terminology
- Safety in the Laboratory
- Human Biology
- Urinalysis and Body Fluids
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Clinical Laboratory Techniques
- Collection, Storage, Transportation, and Analysis of Specimens
- Hematology and Coagulation
- Physiologic Systems
Skills You Will Learn
Upon completion of your program requirements, you will be ready to aid medical technicians and technologists in the laboratory environment. This is possible from the following skills you will obtain:
- Prepare samples for testing using established industry standards
- How to act safely and ethically in the laboratory environment
- Analyze and input data into computer programs
