Clinical Technicians: Job Description and Requirements for a Career As a Clinical Tech

If you want to start a career as a Clinical Technician, you will need to have a bachelor's degree in a field like medical technology or one of the life sciences. Experience as a lab worker or as a medical tech will help prepare you for a career in Clinical Technology. Read on to discover more about how to become a Clinical Technician.

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Career Definition: Clinical Technician

Clinical Technicians work in private and public laboratories, hospitals, clinics and outpatient care facilities. They are an important link in the process of identifying, classifying, treating and monitoring patients for ailments, conditions and diseases. Typical duties of a Clinical Technician include collecting and labeling samples and specimens, sterilizing and preparing instruments, preparing and staining slides and running tests.

How to Become a Clinical Technician

Education Requirements for a Career in Clinical Technology

Depending on the workplace and the exact duties of the role, you may be able to become a Clinical Technician with only a high school diploma and on-the-job training; generally, though, a bachelor's degree in a field like medical technology or one of the life sciences is required. Typical courses in a 4-year bachelor's program that would prepare you for a career in Clinical Technology include biochemistry, organic chemistry, biostatistics, microbiology, mathematics and courses that emphasize hands-on lab work. Some states may also require Clinical Technicians to be licensed, which usually involves passing an examination.

Required Skills for a Career as a Clinical Technician

Clinical Technicians work with potentially dangerous and contagious samples and specimens; they should exercise the utmost caution and care in executing their duties. They also must work well as part of a team, because others depend on their work in performing their duties and delivering information to doctors and patients.

Clinical Technology Career and Economic Outlook

The employment outlook for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, which includes Clinical Technicians, is good; the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment growth of 14% from 2006-2016 in this field, www.bls.gov. Median earnings in 2006 for clinical lab technologists and technicians were $49,700.

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