Responsibilities

• According to the Occupational Information Network, clinical technicians conduct routine medical lab tests for the purpose of diagnosing, treating and preventing disease. Clinical technicians can work under the direct supervision of a clinical technologist. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, clinical technicians perform less complicated tests than technologists. For example, technicians may operate automated analyzers, prepare specimens or perform manual tests with the use of detailed instructions.
  
  

Environment and Hours

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, clinical technicians work in clean and well-lit laboratories within various settings, such as small independent laboratories or large hospitals. These individuals can be exposed to infections, so workers take proper safety precautions, including proper methods of sterilization and infection control. Laboratory personnel also wear protective masks, gloves and goggles. The work hours of a clinical technician depends on employment settings. Hospitals and some labs operate around the clock, so personnel can work in varying shifts. Some laboratory personnel are on-call at all times in case of emergency.
  
  

Education and Training

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, clinical laboratory technicians typically need an associate degree or professional certificate. Associate degree programs can be found within community or junior colleges. Certification programs can be found within hospitals, vocational or technical schools, or the Armed Forces. A few technicians learn solely through on-the-job training.
  
  

Earnings

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical and clinical laboratory technicians earned a national mean hourly wage of $18.20 and a national mean annual wage of $37,860 in May 2009. The industries that employed the highest number of medical and clinical laboratory technicians were general medical and surgical hospitals with a mean annual wage of $38,820; medical and diagnostic laboratories, $35,590; physicians' offices, $37,060; ambulatory health care services, $34,130; and colleges, universities and professional schools, $40,020.
  
  

Job Outlook

• According to the National Employment Matrix from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for medical and clinical laboratory technicians is expected to increase at a rate of 16 percent through 2018. Job prospects will be excellent because the number of job openings will exceed the number of job seekers in this occupation.