Occupation Profile

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians

(SOC Code : 29-2012)

in California

Perform routine medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May work under the supervision of a medical technologist.

Employers are usually looking for candidates with a Associate degree .

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Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$21.12	$15.99	$19.61	$25.25

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	16,900	19,400	2,500	14.8	580

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

Within miles of Zip Code.

Possible Licenses Required and Issuing Authority

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License Title

License Authority

Medical Laboratory Technician

Department of Public Health
Division for Health Care Quality
Laboratory Field Services
www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/lfs

About Licenses

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals

1,393

48.4%

Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories

3,335

20.7%

Offices of Physicians

62,928

10.0%

Colleges and Universities

1,979

8.9%

Outpatient Care Centers

6,487

2.6%

Other Ambulatory Health Care Services

7,050

2.3%

Scientific Research and Development Svc

5,742

2.0%

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Blood Bank Technology Specialist

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Assistant

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science & Allied Professions, Ot

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Conduct chemical analyses of body fluids, such as blood or urine, using microscope or automatic analyzer to detect abnormalities or diseases and enter findings into computer.

Conduct blood tests for transfusion purposes and perform blood counts.

Examine cells stained with dye to locate abnormalities.

Set up, maintain, calibrate, clean, and test sterility of medical laboratory equipment.

Analyze the results of tests or experiments to ensure conformity to specifications, using special mechanical or electrical devices.

Analyze and record test data to issue reports that use charts, graphs, or narratives.

Consult with a pathologist to determine a final diagnosis when abnormal cells are found.

Prepare standard volumetric solutions or reagents to be combined with samples, following standardized formulas or experimental procedures.

Inoculate fertilized eggs, broths, or other bacteriological media with organisms.

Collect blood or tissue samples from patients, observing principles of asepsis to obtain blood sample.

More Tasks for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians

Top Skills used in this Job

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

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Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)

Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

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Alternate Titles

Histologic Technicians; Laboratory Assistants; Laboratory Associates; Laboratory Technicians; Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLTs); Phlebotomists; Toxicology Laboratory Technicians