When doctors collect blood or bodily fluids to examine them for diseases or infections, they send the specimen to a medical lab for testing. One of the job positions in the lab is that of a laboratory technician, whose responsibility it is to prepare the sample for testing and analysis. Much of the actual testing and analysis of test results is done by technologists who have more training and experience. While you can work your way up to the position of a technologist, it's fairly easy to get your start in the medical field by becoming a laboratory technician.
Instructions
1. Find a degree program. You can find accredited medical lab technician programs at colleges and technical schools by visiting the website of the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (see Resources). Attending an accredited program is important later when obtaining your license as a lab tech.
2. Earn your degree. After finding an accredited program, follow the admission steps for becoming a student of the school and the program. Be prepared once you start classes for semesters full of science and some health classes. Most programs last 1 to 2 years and result in an associate's degree.
3. Obtain your laboratory technician license if needed. Upon graduating with your degree, contact your state board of occupational licensing to determine if your state requires a license to work as a lab tech. If it doesn't, you can go straight to work, but if it does, you'll need to follow the state's process for getting a license. This often requires submitting a license application, transcripts from your degree program and a licensing fee as well as passing a state exam.
4. Apply for certification. It isn't a standard requirement to be certified as a medical lab technician, but some employers may require it before they will hire you. The National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel is the organization responsible for certifying medical lab technicians, and it does so through a nationwide exam (see Resources).
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