Medical LaBORATORY dISCIPLINES
Blood Bank
Coagulation
Blood Bank
While many areas of the lab include the need for urgent and critical testing, the blood bank area can be especially hectic. The need for blood products in critical care situations provides medical laboratory professionals with a workplace that matches science with critical thinking skills. See a blood bank video.
Chemistry
Coagulation
Blood Bank
Almost all chemistry testing is performed on automated equipment. The most modern of these can accept bar code-labeled blood specimen tubes and do all of the chemistry testing. Laboratory professionals in chemistry are trained to watch large numbers of test results to make critical decisions on their consistency and accuracy. See a chemistry video
Coagulation
Coagulation
Coagulation
Blood clotting is a complex biological and chemical process. Medical laboratory professionals provide physicians with coagulation test results that help manage a variety of disease states in patients.
Core Lab
Hematology
Coagulation
The Core lab is a term with different meanings depending on a laboratory's size. Large hospital and independent labs typically include testing in chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, serology, and blood gases in their core labs. Employees typically work in one or more of those areas. The areas of blood bank and microbiology tend to be areas of single specialization - although it varies.
Hematology
Hematology
Hematology
By definition, hematology involves working with the blood and blood-forming organs. The image above shows a type of cell suggestive of a type of leukemia. Laboratory professionals are trained to identify white and red blood cell morphology to assist physicians with many different blood cell disease states. See a hematology video.
Immunology
Hematology
Hematology
The immune system protects us from infections from many sources. Laboratory professionals provide automated and manual testing to help physicians manage cases like organ transplants, autoimmune disorders, and the presence of antigens in body fluids.
Microbiology
Non-hospital settings
Microbiology
Microbiology (or bacteriology) generally involves culturing, identification and antibiotic sensitivity testing of pathogenic bacteria. The plate above shows what single bacterial colonies look like on an agar plate. Microbiology can also include testing in virology, mycology and other areas of microbiology.
Urinalysis
Non-hospital settings
Microbiology
Many medical laboratory professionals work in settings outside of hospitals. These can be large off-site medical laboratories, research laboratories, and commercial manufacturers of diagnostic and therapeutic products.
Non-hospital settings
Non-hospital settings
Non-hospital settings
Many medical laboratory professionals work in settings outside of hospitals. These can be large off-site medical laboratories, research laboratories, and commercial manufacturers of diagnostic and therapeutic products.
Serology
Parasitology
Non-hospital settings
Many medical laboratory professionals work in settings outside of hospitals. These can be large off-site medical laboratories, research laboratories, and commercial manufacturers of diagnostic and therapeutic products.
Virology
Parasitology
Parasitology
Many medical laboratory professionals work in settings outside of hospitals. These can be large off-site medical laboratories, research laboratories, and commercial manufacturers of diagnostic and therapeutic products.
Parasitology
Parasitology
Parasitology
Many medical laboratory professionals work in settings outside of hospitals. These can be large off-site medical laboratories, research laboratories, and commercial manufacturers of diagnostic and therapeutic products.
Cytology
Histology
Histology
Our laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to provide accurate and fast results to our clients. We understand that time is of the essence when it comes to testing, so we make sure to deliver results as soon as possible.
Histology
Histology
Histology
Our laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to provide accurate and fast results to our clients. We understand that time is of the essence when it comes to testing, so we make sure to deliver results as soon as possible.
a typical day in a medical laboratory
There are typically three shifts in a hospital laboratory, day, evenings, and nights. Most testing is the same, there are variaties on the test volume and sources of tests for each shift.
On the day shift, the workload is typically heavy during the first few hours of the shift. Many blood and other specimens are submitted as physician's orders are placed and patients wake-up. In addition, much preventive maintenance and quality control testing is done as the day shift starts. Staffing on days usually consists of experienced MLS/MLT employees who have earned seniority to work 'normal' hours.
The evening shift is almost always staffed at a lower level than the day shift. Depending on the size of the hospital laboratory, MLS/MLT employees may work across multiple clinical areas. Outpatient testing volume is typically higher on the evening shift as outpatient work is delivered from physician's offices. One of the challenges for evening shift employees is stepping in to seemlessly transition into the testing the day shift has started.
There are many fewer night shift MLS/MLT employees. Their typical workload is on acutely ill patients from the emergency department and other hospital patients.
A large percentage of laboratory testing is routine. It is performed on automated analyzers and the results posted electronically for MLS/MLT employees to review and release. Stat testing is common and laboratories have processes in place to prioritize the testing of critically ill patients.
Throughout all three shifts, MLS/MLT employees will regularly communicate on the telephone with nurses and physicians. In most cases, it is to report result, answer questions about results, or address the status of a test result.
The clothing attire for MLS/MLT employees working 'on the bench' is casual. Tennis shoes are almost always worn. (There is a slight risk of getting icky stuff on them.) Disposable lab coats and gloves are always worn. Masks and protective eye gear are commonly worn depending on the work being done.
Many MLS/MLT employees work in rrivate labs (Quest, LabCorp, etc). These are high volume settings not inside of hospitals. In most cases, employees specialize in one clinical area.
Learn More
The link below will let you share where you are in your academic career so that we can provide you the best guidance in pursuing a medical laboratory career.
Professional laboratory organizations
American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP)
The ASCP unites more than 100,000 anatomic and clinical pathologists, residents and fellows, medical laboratory professionals, and students to advance laboratory medicine to better improve patient care through knowledge, collaboration and global community.
American Society for Microbiology
With 30,000 members, including researchers, educators and health professionals, ASM advances the microbial sciences through conferences, publications, certifications and educational opportunities. It enhances laboratory capacity around the globe through training and resources. It provides a network for scientists in academia, industry and clinical settings. Additionally, ASM promotes a deeper understanding of the microbial sciences to diverse audiences.
American Association for Clinical Chemistry
The American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) is a global scientific and medical professional organization dedicated to clinical laboratory science and its application to healthcare. Our leadership in education, advocacy and collaboration helps lab professionals adapt to change and do what they do best: provide vital insight and guidance so patients get the care they need.
American Medical Technologists
As a globally renowned certification agency in existence since 1939, American Medical Technologists (AMT) is committed to supporting allied health professionals in their quest to verify their skills and competence, learn and grow in their chosen profession, and maintain quality in the workplace
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
The mission of ASCLS is to make a positive impact in health care through leadership that will assure excellence in the practice of laboratory medicine.
Clinical Laboratory Management Association
Founded in 1976, the Clinical Laboratory Management Association (CLMA) is an international association of over 1,400 clinical laboratory professionals. CLMA provides support, resources, and advocacy in the clinical laboratory industry, supporting laboratory professionals as they take on leadership roles in their laboratories. CLMA educates and advocates on behalf of members and plays a leadership role in enhancing the image and increasing the visibility of the laboratory management profession
American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)
AABB is a connected community dedicated to advancing transfusion medicine and biotherapies. From donor to patient. From lab to bedside.
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratories (NAACLS)
The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science is committed to being the premier international agency for accreditation and approval of education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences and related health care professions. NAACLS provides leadership in fostering innovative educational approaches and actively supports cooperative efforts with other agencies.