The camera pans in closer and closer. First, we see a medical lab. Then, we see technicians in their signature white lab coats. The final zoom-in reveals cells under a microscope. The laboratory technicians have just made an important discovery. It’s a scene we have seen in both movies and on the news. But what does a medical laboratory technician career path actually entail? Here is a look at four areas of specialization to which medical lab techs can contribute.
Diagnostic Cytology
In Canada, the leading cause of death is cancer. Diagnostic cytology is key in the fight against this deadly disease. It identifies and diagnoses precancerous and cancerous cells, as well as other cellular infections. If you’re wondering, “Is medical lab tech a good career?” consider how crucial eradicating cancer is — and that you will be contributing to this important cause. You will spend your time in a lab, examining cellular changes through the use of slides under a microscope. Your job environment may be in a may be in hospital, clinic, or research lab.
Hematology
Another medical laboratory technician career path is in hematology. While diagnostic cytology focuses on cancer, hematology diagnoses diseases such as anemia, infections, hemophilia, and blood clotting disorders. It is the study of blood and blood disorders, and the professionals in this area of science are familiar with the blood’s components. These components include blood and bone marrow cells. You may be familiar with white blood count and red blood count tests. They are an example of the types of tests lab techs in this area may help to analyze.
Histopathology
We’ve covered blood and we’ve covered cellular infections, like cancer. The next specialization possibility for medical lab techs is histopathology. It is the study of tissues such as skin, liver, kidney, or other organs. More specifically, histopathology examines a biopsy or surgical specimen. The tissue is collected during surgery, a biopsy, or an autopsy. Its examination occurs after the specimen has been processed and histological sections have been placed onto glass slides. That’s a contrast to the work of cytopathology, which examines free cells or tissue micro-
fragments (known as cell blocks). As they examine the tissue, histopathology professionals are looking for changes in cells that might explain what is causing a patient’s illness.
Immunology
This crucial branch of medical and biological sciences studies the immune system, which protects us from infection through various lines of defence. If our immune system isn’t functioning properly, it can lead to conditions such as autoimmune diseases (type A diabetes, for example), allergies, and cancer. Immune responses can also contribute to common disorders that were not traditionally viewed as immunologic. That includes metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s. Clinical immunologists specialize in diagnosing and treating all of the disorders related to the immune system. As a lab tech, you will work alongside them.
Is Medical Lab Tech a Good Career?
Canada’s federal job-hunting and career-planning website, Job Bank, is predicting an expected shortage of Medical Laboratory Technologists in Canada until 2031. That makes it a great time to get the education you need to enter this crucial field. As Job Bank reports, “For medical laboratory technologists and medical laboratory technician and pathologists’ assistants, over the period 2022 – 2031, new job openings arising from expansion demand and replacement demand are expected to total 25,600. While 23,800 new job seekers arising from school leavers, immigration and mobility are expected to be available to fill them.”
The Medical Laboratory Technician Centennial College Program
Centennial College offers a three-semester program in this area of study that is based on the national (CSMLS) standards and the provincial (MLPAO) standards of practice for entry-level positions. The Medical Laboratory Technician Centennial program includes both theory and practical application as well as a five-week clinical placement in a real-world setting.
By Izabela Shubair