Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists

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

tasks jobzones knowledge skills abilities work_activities work_context interests work_styles work_values

Tasks

• Develop, standardize, evaluate, and modify procedures, techniques and tests used in the analysis of specimens and in medical laboratory experiments.

• Supervise, train, and direct lab assistants, medical and clinical laboratory technicians and technologists, and other medical laboratory workers engaged in laboratory testing.

• Provide technical information about test results to physicians, family members and researchers.

• Harvest cell cultures at optimum time based on knowledge of cell cycle differences and culture conditions.

• Set up, clean, and maintain laboratory equipment.

• Establish and monitor programs to ensure the accuracy of laboratory results.

• Conduct medical research under direction of microbiologist or biochemist.

• Select and prepare specimen and media for cell culture, using aseptic technique and knowledge of medium components and cell requirements.

• Obtain, cut, stain, and mount biological material on slides for microscopic study and diagnosis, following standard laboratory procedures.

• Analyze samples of biological material for chemical content or reaction.

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Job Zone

• Name: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

• Experience: A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

• Education: Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

• Job training: Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

• Examples: Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, human resource managers, computer programmers, teachers, chemists, and police detectives.

• Svp range: (7.0 to < 8.0)

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Knowledge

Browse Knowledge

• Biology
  Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

• 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.

• Mathematics
  Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

• 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.

• English Language
  Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

• Computers and Electronics
  Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

• 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.

• Mechanical
  Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

• 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.

• 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.

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Skills

Browse Skills

• Equipment Maintenance
  Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

• Quality Control Analysis
  Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

• Critical Thinking
  Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

• Reading Comprehension
  Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

• Operation Monitoring
  Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

• Active Learning
  Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

• Instructing
  Teaching others how to do something.

• Science
  Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

• Operation and Control
  Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

• Troubleshooting
  Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

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Abilities

Browse Abilities

• Near Vision
  The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

• Oral Comprehension
  The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

• Inductive Reasoning
  The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

• 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.

• Written Comprehension
  The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

• 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.

• Category Flexibility
  The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

• Deductive Reasoning
  The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

• 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).

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Work Activities

Browse Work Activities

• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
  Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
  Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

• Processing Information
  Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People
  Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
  Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

• Documenting/Recording Information
  Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

• 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.

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Work Context

• Face-to-Face Discussions
  How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

• Exposed to Disease or Infections
  How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?

• Time Pressure
  How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
  How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

• Telephone
  How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

• Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
  How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?

• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

• Work With Work Group or Team
  How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

• Contact With Others
  How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

• Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
  How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?

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Interests

Browse Interests

• 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.

• 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.

• Social
  Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

• Conventional
  Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

• Artistic
  Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

• Enterprising
  Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

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Work Styles

• Attention to Detail
  Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

• Analytical Thinking
  Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

• 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.

• Achievement/Effort
  Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

• Persistence
  Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

• Dependability
  Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

• Stress Tolerance
  Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

• Integrity
  Job requires being honest and ethical.

• Adaptability/Flexibility
  Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

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Work Values

Browse Work Values

• Ability Utilization
  Workers on this job make use of their individual abilities.

• 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.

• Achievement
  Workers on this job get a feeling of accomplishment.

• Security
  Workers on this job have steady employment.

• Working Conditions
  Workers on this job have good working conditions.

• Moral Values
  Workers on this job are never pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

• Co-workers
  Workers on this job have co-workers who are easy to get along with.

• 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.

• Variety
  Workers on this job have something different to do every day.

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