Meet the Hidden Heroes of Healthcare: Medical Laboratory Professionals
When you think about healthcare, you probably picture doctors and nurses. But there's another group of experts working behind the scenes every day to help patients: medical laboratory professionals.
These technicians and scientists use equipment, microscopes, and manual methods to analyze blood, urine, tissue, and other sample types. The results help doctors diagnose illnesses, monitor diseases, and choose the best treatments.
In fact, laboratory test results help guide nearly 70 percent of medical decisions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), making these professionals a vital part of the healthcare team.
What Else Do They Do?
Along with testing samples, medical lab professionals also use advanced technology to:
- Find bacteria, viruses, and other disease-causing organisms
- Check that laboratory results are accurate before they are sent to healthcare providers
- Help identify health problems that patients may not even know they have
Most medical lab professionals work in hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, public health agencies, and research centers.
Why Are More Lab Professionals Needed?
Right now, the United States and Canada are experiencing a shortage of medical laboratory professionals. Many experienced workers are retiring, fewer students are entering the field, and the COVID-19 pandemic increased demand for laboratory testing while contributing to worker burnout, according to the PRS Global article “The Growing Med Tech Shortage: A Critical Challenge.”
This shortage can affect how quickly patients receive important test results. Clinical laboratories play a key role in detecting diseases such as cancer, diabetes, infections, and heart disease, and in helping doctors monitor whether treatments are working.
What Can You Earn?
Medical laboratory careers offer competitive salaries. In the United States, clinical laboratory technologists and technicians earn a median annual salary of about $61,900, according to 2024 figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Earnings can be higher depending on education, experience, specialty, and location. In Canada, certified medical laboratory technologists earn similar salaries, which can be viewed in the Government of Canada Job Bank. They may vary by province and employer.
How Can You Become One?
If you enjoy science, solving puzzles, and using technology, this career may be a great fit.
In the United States, medical laboratory technicians must typically complete a two-year associate degree, while medical laboratory scientists usually need to earn a four-year bachelor's degree, complete a 6- to 12-month clinical internship, and pass a national certification exam.
In Canada, students must complete an accredited 2.5- to 4-year medical laboratory science program, gain hands-on clinical experience, and earn certification through the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) before entering the profession.
Do You Want to Make a Difference?
Every day, medical laboratory professionals help doctors find answers that can save lives. As healthcare systems continue to face staffing shortages, today's students have an exciting opportunity to enter a growing, high-impact career where science, technology, and patient care come together.
Written with the help of generative AI.
Discussion Questions
- Why are medical laboratory professionals important to healthcare, even though most people never see them?
- Why do you think more students should consider becoming medical laboratory professionals?