Statewide occupation search

Sort your search results or select and compare details of two occupations. Find out if an occupation is in demand or not in demand in your local area, at Learn about an occupation.

Statewide occupation search

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists

It's a bright outlook for

This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Learn more about what they do.

Perform complex medical laboratory tests for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May train or supervise staff.

Related: Cytogenetic Technologists Cytotechnologists Histology Technicians Histotechnologists Medical & Clinical Laboratory Technicians

Industries: Health & Counseling

Summary
Details

Select and prepare specimens and media for cell cultures, using aseptic technique and knowledge of medium components and cell requirements.
Operate, calibrate, or maintain equipment used in quantitative or qualitative analysis, such as spectrophotometers, calorimeters, flame photometers, or computer-controlled analyzers.
Obtain, cut, stain, and mount biological material on slides for microscopic study and diagnosis, following standard laboratory procedures.
Collect and study blood samples to determine the number of cells, their morphology, or their blood group, blood type, or compatibility for transfusion purposes, using microscopic techniques.
Conduct chemical analysis of body fluids, including blood, urine, or spinal fluid, to determine presence of normal or abnormal components.
Obtain, cut, stain, and mount biological material on slides for microscopic study and diagnosis, following standard laboratory procedures.
Cultivate, isolate, or assist in identifying microbial organisms or perform various tests on these microorganisms.
Set up, clean, and maintain laboratory equipment.
Supervise, train, or direct lab assistants, medical and clinical laboratory technicians or technologists, or other medical laboratory workers engaged in laboratory testing.
Set up, clean, and maintain laboratory equipment.
Analyze laboratory findings to check the accuracy of the results.
Cultivate, isolate, or assist in identifying microbial organisms or perform various tests on these microorganisms.
Cultivate, isolate, or assist in identifying microbial organisms or perform various tests on these microorganisms.
Supervise, train, or direct lab assistants, medical and clinical laboratory technicians or technologists, or other medical laboratory workers engaged in laboratory testing.
Establish or monitor quality assurance programs or activities to ensure the accuracy of laboratory results.
Provide technical information about test results to physicians, family members, or researchers.
Operate, calibrate, or maintain equipment used in quantitative or qualitative analysis, such as spectrophotometers, calorimeters, flame photometers, or computer-controlled analyzers.
Harvest cell cultures at optimum time, based on knowledge of cell cycle differences and culture conditions.
Provide technical information about test results to physicians, family members, or researchers.
Collect and study blood samples to determine the number of cells, their morphology, or their blood group, blood type, or compatibility for transfusion purposes, using microscopic techniques.
Analyze samples of biological material for chemical content or reaction.
Set up, clean, and maintain laboratory equipment.
Develop, standardize, evaluate, or modify procedures, techniques, or tests used in the analysis of specimens or in medical laboratory experiments.
Enter data from analysis of medical tests or clinical results into computer for storage.

Systems Evaluation
- Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Management of Material Resources
- Managing equipment and materials.
Operations Analysis
- Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Technology Design
- Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
Mathematics
- Using math to solve problems.
Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Learning Strategies
- Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Operation and Control
- Using equipment or systems.
Instructing
- Teaching people how to do something.
Speaking
- Talking to others.
Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Troubleshooting
- Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Systems Analysis
- Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Science
- Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Management of Financial Resources
- Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Equipment Maintenance
- Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
Management of Personnel Resources
- Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Active Learning
- Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Quality Control Analysis
- Testing how well a product or service works.
Time Management
- Managing your time and the time of other people.
Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Persuasion
- Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
Negotiation
- Bringing people together to solve differences.
Programming
- Writing computer programs.
Service Orientation
- Looking for ways to help people.
Equipment Selection
- Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

Oral Expression
- Communicating by speaking.
Speed of Limb Movement
- Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Static Strength
- Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Category Flexibility
- Grouping things in different ways.
Response Orientation
- Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Number Facility
- Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Extent Flexibility
- Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Information Ordering
- Ordering or arranging things.
Glare Sensitivity
- Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Gross Body Coordination
- Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
Peripheral Vision
- Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Problem Sensitivity
- Noticing when problems happen.
Rate Control
- Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Explosive Strength
- Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Inductive Reasoning
- Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Night Vision
- Seeing at night or under low light.
Sound Localization
- Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Finger Dexterity
- Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Visualization
- Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Spatial Orientation
- Knowing where things are around you.
Originality
- Creating new and original ideas.
Written Expression
- Communicating by writing.
Reaction Time
- Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Auditory Attention
- Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Speed of Closure
- Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Dynamic Strength
- Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Perceptual Speed
- Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Deductive Reasoning
- Using rules to solve problems.
Visual Color Discrimination
- Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Multilimb Coordination
- Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Trunk Strength
- Using your lower back and stomach.
Far Vision
- Seeing details that are far away.
Time Sharing
- Doing two or more things at the same time.
Flexibility of Closure
- Seeing hidden patterns.
Mathematical Reasoning
- Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Speech Clarity
- Speaking clearly.
Hearing Sensitivity
- Telling the difference between sounds.
Gross Body Equilibrium
- Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Speech Recognition
- Recognizing spoken words.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Memorization
- Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Fluency of Ideas
- Coming up with lots of ideas.
Dynamic Flexibility
- Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Depth Perception
- Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Selective Attention
- Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Oral Comprehension
- Listening and understanding what people say.
Stamina
- Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Written Comprehension
- Reading and understanding what is written.
Near Vision
- Seeing details up close.
Control Precision
- Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Wrist-Finger Speed
- Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Manual Dexterity
- Holding or moving items with your hands.

Geography
- Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Philosophy and Theology
- Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Mechanical
- Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Administrative
- Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Law and Government
- Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Chemistry
- Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Physics
- Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Food Production
- Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Personnel and Human Resources
- Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Medicine and Dentistry
- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Telecommunications
- Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Psychology
- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Sociology and Anthropology
- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Foreign Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Economics and Accounting
- Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Sales and Marketing
- Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Biology
- Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Fine Arts
- Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
History and Archeology
- Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Therapy and Counseling
- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Communications and Media
- Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Public Safety and Security
- Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Transportation
- Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Engineering and Technology
- Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Building and Construction
- Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

No on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

Washington Annual Salary

68650/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

33.01/hr

Currently Employed

7,750

Yearly Projected Openings

630

Investigative: People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out. They do well at jobs that need:

Attention to Detail
Dependability
Integrity
Analytical Thinking
Cooperation
Stress Tolerance

Anaerobic jars or accessories
Analytical balances
Bench refractometers or polarimeters
Benchtop centrifuges
Binocular light compound microscopes
Blood bank analyzers
Blood bank cell washers
Blood collection needle holders
Blood collection needles
Blood collection syringes
Calorimeters
Capillary or hematocrit tubes
Chemistry analyzers
Chromatographic detectors
Coagulation analyzers
Colorimeters
Compact disc CD or labeling printers
Desktop computers
Dropping pipettes
Electrolyte analyzers
Electronic multichannel pipetters
Extracting equipment for laboratories
Fluorescent microscopes
Forced air or mechanical convection general purpose incubators
Fume hoods or cupboards
Gel documentation systems
Glucose monitors or meters
Hemacytometer sets
Hematology analyzers
Histology tissue cassettes
Hypodermic needle
Immunology or serology test kits or supplies
Laboratory balances
Laboratory chillers
Laboratory diluters
Laboratory mechanical convection ovens
Laboratory mixers
Laboratory vacuum pumps
Laminar flow cabinets or stations
Lancets
Laser printers
Liquid scintillation counters
Manual multichannel air displacement pipetters
Manual or electronic hematology differential cell counters
Manual single channel air displacement pipetters
Microbiology analyzers
Microcentrifuges
Micrometers
Microplate readers
Microplate washers
Microscope slides
Multipurpose or general test tubes
Multiwell plates
Notebook computers
Osmometers
Personal computers
Petri plates or dishes
Phlebotomy trays or accessories
Photo attachments for microscopes
Photometer
Pipetter inserts or accessories
Platelet mixers
Robotic or automated liquid handling systems
Specialty plates for bacteria
Spectrometers
Spectrophotometers
Steam autoclaves or sterilizers
Stereo or dissecting light microscopes
Surgical instrument brushes or instrument stylets or instrument wipes
Temperature cycling chambers or thermal cyclers
Tissue culture coated plates or dishes or inserts
Tissue embedding stations
Tissue processors
Tourniquets
Triple beam balances
Tube rotators
Ultracentrifuges
Urinalysis analyzers
Vacuum blood collection tubes or containers
Warming cabinets
Winged infusion needle set
pH meters

Data base user interface and query software
Electronic mail software
Medical software
Office suite software
Presentation software
Project management software
Spreadsheet software
Word processing software

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Find Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists jobs Education and Training for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists

Statewide occupation search

Statewide occupation search

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists

Work Activities

Skills

Abilities

Knowledge

Education

Pay

Washington Employment Trends

Personality

Tools

Technology

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES