How to become a medical laboratory scientist
Conduct tests to diagnose diseases and provide information about treatment and future prevention.
Pathways to this career
- Medical laboratory scientists must complete a bachelor's degree in health, medical or biomedical science.
- To further your career as a medical laboratory scientist, consider postgraduate studies to specialise in a particular subject area within the field.
- Seek out internships and placement programs within government and local councils, or private firms dealing in science, medicine or technology to gain specialised in-lab experience and priority for internal promotion.
What does a medical laboratory scientist do?
Duties and tasks
- Advise medical professionals on the results of tests and offering suggestions for diagnosis and treatment.
- Analyse samples for consistency, makeup, and irregularities.
- Maintain laboratory equipment and making minor repairs as needed.
- Operate microscopes and other equipment to test and examine samples.
- Receive tissue and other samples for experimentation and analysis.
- Work with occupational health authorities to ensure laboratories are kept up to code and established regulations.
Professional bodies
Related jobs
- Biomedical scientist
- Hospital scientist
- Medical laboratory technician
- Medical scientist
- Microbiologist
- Pathologist
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