How Does a Medical Technologist Spend a Workday?
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What is a medical technologist?
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Medical technologists use a series of high-tech equipment to study blood, tissue and other components of the body. These processes can help determine disease and paternity, as well as help assist in criminal investigations.
What they do
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Medical technologists, or MTs, work in hospitals, laboratories and clinics all over the world. Doctors will take samples from patients and send them to the lab for work. This lab work is done by medical technologists. The medical technologist will examine the specimen with the appropriate equipment and try to observe abnormalities and differences from a health sample. He then reports this information to doctors, who interpret the results as a diagnosis and tell the patient.
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What is required to become an MT
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Becoming a medical technologist does not require as much schooling as a doctor. However, in most cases it does require a 4-year degree and specialized training. There are some 2-year programs and certifications to become a medical laboratory technician, but most MLTs work under MTs and have less responsibility--and make less money. Becoming a medical technologist also requires a very detailed personality as well as superior analytical thinking skills to be able to determine results.
What to expect
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A medical technologist's job can be tedious and repetitive. However, the knowledge that you are assisting in saving lives and helping people can be worth it. Salary is comparable to nursing in many cases, and the demand for medical technologists are great throughout the entire United States and even abroad. This field will continue to grow and be a secure source of employment.
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Resources
- Photo Credit http://www.healthpronet.org
