Educational Requirements for Becoming a Medical Laboratory Scientist

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The Road to Discovery

Laboratory testing is an investigative process. A medical laboratory scientist is constantly asking the question, “why” and wants to know what will happen by adding new chemicals or substances together. The goal is to find and help develop new medical breakthroughs that will benefit humanity. They work within the laboratories of hospitals, clinics or research facilities. The work conditions are generally safe, although they may sometimes work with dangerous substances.

Medical laboratory scientists take great care to follow all necessary safety procedures, and must have a strong understanding of biology, chemistry, physiology and mathematics. Some of their job duties may entail examining body fluids for parasites, bacteria and other organisms. They may analyze chemical contents and their reactions or measure types and levels of drugs in a system to determine treatment or assess a response to treatment. Their purpose is to discover new methods for enhancing human health. To that end, they will conduct trials on volunteers, then regularly perform reviews, clinical investigations and write technical reports during the research process.

Early Preparations

The investigative mind is the most desirable quality to become a medical laboratory scientist. However, the curriculum is rigorous and should begin in high school, gaining a thorough background in the math and sciences before beginning a college curriculum. With a bachelor’s degree in medical technology, you can begin practice as a medical technologist. The school you attend needs to be recognized by a national accrediting agency, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

The student will become trained in the use of laboratory equipment, including cell counters, microscopes and computerized analyzers. The student will also learn how to practice infection control procedures, using surgical gloves at all times and sometimes masks or goggles.

From Technologist to Medical Laboratory Scientist

As the student becomes proficient in laboratory sciences, he or she may choose to specialize in a particular field. Some of the areas typically pursued by technologists developing their skills as medical laboratory scientists are clinical chemistry, microbiology, immunohematology and molecular biology. To become proficient in a specialized field, a Master’s Degree is required.

Before medical laboratory scientists can actually work with patients and conduct clinical trials, they must earn their doctorate degree and become licensed doctors. The physician licensure requires that a medical laboratory scientist complete one to seven years of medical education at the graduate level through a medical school recognized by an officially accredited organization. They must also pass an examination before receiving their licensure.

Typically, medical laboratory scientists pursue a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Biological Science; although, some choose to get their medical degree instead. Medical laboratory scientists work with laboratory technicians in the collection, processing and analysis of biological specimen to generate accurate laboratory data for the purposes of detecting cancer, diabetes, heart disease, viruses, bacteria and drug abuse, among other functions. However, they differ from medical technologists in that they not only perform laboratory procedures, they evaluate and interpret the results, integrate the data, consult with medical doctors, problem solve, research and develop new test methods.

With an expected thirty-six percent employment growth by the year 2020, an occupation as a medical laboratory scientist is not only an exciting one, but one that is very much in demand. You will be creating the cutting edge of medical technology, delivering new drugs and treatments for the health care profession.