Medical technologists are clinical laboratory scientists working in a wide array of
practice settings such as hospital laboratories, reference laboratories, fertility
clinics, pharmaceutical companies, research laboratories and even in veterinary laboratories.
Most technologists work in hospital laboratories performing a full range of tests
to help diagnose diseases such as AIDS, diabetes, and cancer. The medical technologist
is responsible for the testing of body fluids, tissues, or cells and then reporting
the findings to the physician, thus influencing the medical treatment a patient receives.
It is a very challenging and rewarding career in medicine.
Students interested in medical technology should have a solid foundation in high school
sciences, biology, chemistry, math and computer science. A combination of formal
education (college) and clinical education (school of medical technology) leads to
a baccalaureate degree. Medical technologists, after graduation, can become certified
by taking a national examination. For example, many medical technologists have passed
the Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology exam and use the credentials MT(ASCP) after their name to show they are proficient
in their field.
