Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians Onet SOC Code 29-2012.00 Career Description: Perform routine medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May work under the supervision of a medical technologist. Related Clusters:

Career Summary:

• Cut, stain and mount tissue samples for examination by pathologists.
• Supervise and instruct other technicians and laboratory assistants.
• Prepare standard volumetric solutions and reagents to be combined with samples, following standardized formulas or experimental procedures.
• Prepare vaccines and serums by standard laboratory methods, testing for virus inactivity and sterility.
• Test raw materials, processes and finished products to determine quality and quantity of materials or characteristics of a substance.
• Conduct chemical analyses of body fluids, such as blood and urine, using microscope or automatic analyzer to detect abnormalities or diseases, and enter findings into computer.
• Set up, adjust, maintain and clean medical laboratory equipment.
• Analyze the results of tests and experiments to ensure conformity to specifications, using special mechanical and electrical devices.
• Analyze and record test data to issue reports that use charts, graphs and narratives.
• Perform medical research to further control and cure disease.
• Conduct blood tests for transfusion purposes and perform blood counts.
• Obtain specimens, cultivating, isolating and identifying microorganisms for analysis.
• Examine cells stained with dye to locate abnormalities.
• Collect blood or tissue samples from patients, observing principles of asepsis to obtain blood sample.
• Consult with a pathologist to determine a final diagnosis when abnormal cells are found.
• Inoculate fertilized eggs, broths, or other bacteriological media with organisms.

• Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

• A high school diploma or acceptable equivalent is necessary for this occupation. The usual requirement for an entry level position is completion of at least two years (60 semester hours) of courses in an accredited college -- including at least 25 semester hours in those disciplines that comprise medical technology, chemistry, biological science, and mathematics. At the end of this period, the applicant must acquire an associate's degree. In addition, six months of laboratory experience must be included. Several community colleges in Tennessee offer programs which integrate academic courses with clinical laboratory experience. Certification must then be obtained through an examination conducted by the American Medical Technologists Association. For related information and recommended courses to prepare for this occupation, Tennessee high school students may visit the Health Science Education Curriculum Standards online.

  Military job training consists of between 12 and 36 weeks of classroom and on-the-job instruction, including practice in testing specimens. Training length varies depending on specialty. Course content typically includes medical laboratory procedures; study of human parasites and diseases; and, laboratory administration and record keeping.

• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
• Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
• Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
• Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.

• Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

• Third Interest High-Point - Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

• Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
• Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
• Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
• Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
• Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
• Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
• Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
• Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
• Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
• Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
• Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

• Ability Utilization - Workers on this job make use of their individual abilities.
• Moral Values - Workers on this job are never pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
• Achievement-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
• Activity - Workers on this job are busy all the time.
• Security - Workers on this job have steady employment.
• Achievement - Workers on this job get a feeling of accomplishment.
• Co-workers - Workers on this job have co-workers who are easy to get along with.
• Relationships-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
• Working Conditions - Workers on this job have good working conditions.
• Supervision, Human Relations - Workers on this job have supervisors who back up their workers with management.
• Working Conditions-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
• Company Policies and Practices - Workers on this job are treated fairly by the company.
• Independence - Workers on this job do their work alone.
• Support-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Wage and salary data provided by:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tennessee Department of Labor website
• TN Department of Labor & Workforce Development website
• Bureau of Economic Analysis website