One of the vital jobs in the healthcare sector is diagnosing the patient’s health condition. Only through diagnosis, a doctor can prescribe an appropriate treatment. This key responsibility of investigation lies on the shoulders of a medical lab technician. Typically, he conducts various medical tests in a laboratory and documents the reports appropriately. Hence, a medical lab technician’s contribution to the healthcare sector is considered to be humongous.
The lab technician associates with fellow senior technicians, pathologists, and scientists to come up with accurate results. Healthcare is one of the primary concerns of every individual, and any job related to this field is worthwhile. These days, most people get regular health checkups done every six months; hence a Medical Lab Technician is always in demand. If you wish to take up this as your career, you must have proper guidance in your journey. Therefore, this blog’s primary objective is to provide a detailed guide to help you establish your career as a medical lab technician.
Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Medical Lab Technician:
Follow the below steps for an impeccable journey as a lab technician
1. Qualifying 10+2 in a science stream:
As a preliminary step, you must qualify for 10+ 2 in a science stream. This means you must have physics, maths, biology, and chemistry as your mains. Only finishing 10+2 is a means to continue future education either in a diploma or a bachelor’s degree program.
2. Complete a formal education to be a medical lab technician:
After completing a 10+2 class, the next step is to take up a diploma or an undergraduate program to become a medical lab technician. While a few companies consider a diploma to employ the candidate as a medical lab technician, other big firms might look for an undergraduate degree holder.
A bachelor’s degree would be beneficial for those looking to pursue advanced courses related to this field. Also, a master’s degree in microbiology, virology, bacteriology, or clinical pathology would be helpful. In a nutshell, consider taking up the following options to become a medical lab technician: a diploma in ECG technology, a BSC in X-ray technology, a diploma in clinical pathology, a B.SC in Medical Imaging Technology, and others of such kind.
3. Opting for certification courses:
Although diploma or degree programs are sufficient to make you a medical lab technician, opting to take certification courses will help you stay updated with the latest skills. Therefore, one must take certification courses to be a successful lab technician. Since lab technology is a field that is diverse, staying updated with the latest skills is crucial. There are a great deal of certification courses available to enhance your career in this field. Also, a large number of online as well as offline platforms offer this course.
One of the trustworthy platforms to enroll in a medical lab-technician course is Henry Harvin. Being in the ed-tech space since 2013, they have acquired enough experience in providing quality educational services. Among the 1200 unique programs they have, an advanced diploma in medical laboratory technician course is one of the best.
4. Medical lab technician course:
According to Tribune India, Henry Harvin’s Medical Lab Technician Course is #1 in India. Primarily, their course provides training in medical lab practices, hematology, advanced clinical pathology, and a lot more. Secondly, you will gain prowess in the detection and diagnosis methodology of identifying the disease. In short, you can master all the techniques and methodologies necessary to identify the underlying disease. Besides, the training they offer facilities to take up projects and internship programs to help you gain practical experience. Above all, they have a personalized placement support system.
5. Undergo a Practical training:
As a medical medical lab technician, one must have practical exposure besides theoretical learning. Fortunately, most institutes, for instance, like Henry Harvin, offer practical learning experiences along with theory classes. Additionally, various labs recruit interns, which is also an excellent way to learn. However, some offer paid and others offer a non-paid internship. During the internship program, you will learn about sample collection, performing tests in a sterile environment, and also learn about documenting the report.
Essentially, practical experiences allow you to understand the theory better. While selecting a candidate as a medical lab technician, the companies usually check if he has practical exposure. Hence, training is as important as completing a certification course. So before applying for a proper job, it is advisable to undergo an internship program that makes you qualified to be a lab technician.
6. Read guides or books about medical lab-technician:
Another important step to becoming a medical lab technician is reading books. Along with training, you can read books that mention strict practices and methodologies for conducting diagnostics. Not only during training, one must always keep good books with them in order to stay updated. These books are necessary to guide you while you work as a lab technician. For instance, you can check the Medical Laboratory Technician Handbook.
7. Enhance yourself with relevant skills:
Along with educational qualifications, certain skills are necessary to be a successful lab technician. In short, for quick growth in this field, one must possess applicable skills. For instance, A lab technician must have the necessary analytical skills to interpret, analyze, and document the raw medical data. Since technicians handle large volumes of data, they must identify the patterns and relationships within the data; hence owning strong analytical skills is a must.
Next, problem-solving skills are equally important. For instance, you might have to deal with conditions like sample contamination, injury, or thermal failure; hence, problem-solving skills are necessary. Having these skills helps you come up with active and quick solutions during such conditions. As a result, analytical and problem-solving skills are useful for a medical lab technician. Other important skills include effective communication and organizational skills.
8. Preparing a presentable resume:
While applying for competitive jobs like lab-technican it is mandatory to have an appealing resume that showcases your talent. Precisely, your resume must include your certifications, qualifications, any internship experiences, and also a summary of skills that you own. In short, your resume must be effective enough to communicate your talent to the employer.
Career Prospects for a Medical Lab Technician:
Although a lab technician is an entry-level job, proper work experience can take you a long way in this field. With good work experience and professional contacts, you can start your diagnostic laboratory with a good 5-10 years of work experience. Else, you can also become a teaching professional in this field, which is also in demand. In case you wish to continue as a lab technician, then you would be promoted to the following roles sequentially:
- Senior lab technician
- Supervisor
- Assistant Manager
- Manager
Conclusion:
Having a dream to become a lab technician is not sufficient, one must have an ideal path to be one. This blog serves as a guide to direct you to the right path of becoming a lab technician. Follow this path and establish your career as a successful medical lab technician.
Recommended Reads:
- Top 15+ Medical Lab Technician Courses in India
- 15+ best Medical Lab Technician Courses Online
- Top 10 Medical Writing Courses in Delhi
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FAQ’s:
1. Should I take up a medical lab technician degree to be one?
Ans. Post 10+2 in a science stream, one must either pursue a diploma or a bachelor’s degree in laboratory sciences to be a lab -technician.
2. How does an internship program help in the journey to becoming a lab technician?
Ans. A certification course or degree provides you with theoretical knowledge, but to experience real-life lab conditions, one must take an internship program.
3. Are medical lab technician books helpful?
Ans. As a lab technician, one must always stay updated with the latest skills; books are a great way to stay relevant.
4. Is a medical lab technician a notable career?
Ans. Yes, there is a constant demand in this profession because in order to treat a disease, diagnosis is the first step to take. And lab technicians are the people who carry out the diagnosis process. Therefore, this profession is always in demand.
5. Is a diploma program sufficient to be in this field?
Ans. Since there is no shortage of jobs in this field, having a diploma would also suffice. However, it cannot be equal to a degree. People holding a degree will no doubt have better opportunities to grow.