Become A Medical Labatory Technician By Attending Courses Online!
There’s no denial that modern technology has revolutionized medicine. In fact, it’s become such a dominant aspect of health care that doctors need a team of experts around him just to make a diagnosis. A key member of that team is the Clinical Laboratory Technician. No one just jumps into this field without some education in several different programs and one way to do this is college online.
The technician is a medical assistant who operates all the analytic machinery needed to investigate the cause of a patient’s illness. This machinery is far more complex than the stethoscope and thermometers of old. The technician, in consultation with the physician, runs the tests needed to find if the cause of the patient’s condition is anything from viral to drug-related, then reports his discoveries to the doctor.
Overall, lab technicians work in clean, well-lit; some could say sterile, environments. The most negative thing about being a technician is the hours. This job is highly prone to lots of overtime, whether one gets paid for it or not. In larger institutions, the labs operate non-stop, with someone always being there, even on weekends and holidays. In smaller labs the technicians work rotating shifts. It’s also not uncommon for techs to be on call just because of workload or medical crisis.
A less but still effective way to start as a technician is to qualify for some jobs in a work-study situation with on-the-job and specialized training. In this situation, universities and hospitals offer medical technology programs, often in tandem with online colleges. On the other hand, there are laws in place that say only certain types of technologists can perform highly complex tests, and they must have an associate degree at the very minimum.
Still, the usual requirement for what’s preferred for an entry-level position is a bachelor’s with a major in medical technology or one of the life sciences. A Bachelor’s degree program includes courses in chemistry, biological sciences, microbiology, mathematics, and statistics, as well as specialized courses devoted to knowledge and skills needed in the clinical laboratory. Many programs also offer or require courses in management, business, and computer applications. These latter courses must be taken when it’s time to advance to a supervisory position.
Even though there are currently well over 300,000 technicians in the workforce, the Bureau of Labor Statistics feels this will not be enough. It rates growth in the profession will be growing faster than average over the next decade. The Bureau also states half work in hospitals, with the rest in doctor’s offices and labs.
As for the job prospects, the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates the position as faster than average, meaning there is going to be a need for many more than what’s currently in the work force. Salaries reflect this with the average wage being in the low-to-mid $50,000 range. When one gets into management, the salaries escalate considerably.
Those who enter via work/study program will find online course allows them the most efficient method of learning. University and medical college are growing to meet the demands of online education and the proposed need for technicians in this exacting field. If you are interested in this career path and would like to do more research about healthcare administration degrees, you will find an abundance of information on the internet.