Medical Technologist Salary
Medical technologists, often referred to as clinical laboratory technologists or clinical laboratory scientists, play an important role in detecting, diagnosing and treating diseases. When a test is run, the medical technologist goes to work. He or she will examine and analyze the fluids and cells that were drawn to see if any parasites, bacteria or microorganisms are present. They are also responsible for many other tasks such as matching blood before a transfusion, preparing specimens and analyzing fluid chemical content. If you like working in a lab using sophisticated equipment to help others, this may be the career for you. The medical technologist salary is enough for many to provide a living for their family.
Medical Technologist Salary
The median annual wage of a medical technologist as of May 2008 was $53,500. Those who worked for the Federal Executive Branch made the most with a median annual wage of $59,800. Those who worked for universities, colleges or professional schools had the lowest annual median wage at $47,890. If this sounds reasonable to you and you feel you can handle the duties of the job, you may wish to consider a career in this field. It can be very satisfying.
Medical Technologist Training and Education
In order to obtain an entry-level position in this field, you will need to have a bachelor’s degree in either medical technology or another life science. A few employers do offer education combined with on the job training though and in most cases this will be in a hospital or university. Approximately 479 programs have been accredited through the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences. If the school you are considering has not been approved by this organization, look to see if it has received accreditation through either the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools or the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
Medical Technologist Certification and License
When choosing to pursue a medical technologist salary, you may be required by your state to become licensed. In most states, this means that you will need to pass an exam after obtaining your bachelor’s degree. Your State department of health can provide this information. Many employers also prefer that you be certified. A number of associations offer certification so ask the State department of health which are preferred where you will be working.
Job Growth Outlook For Medical Technologists
Job growth outlook for medical technologists is expected to reach around 12% according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is faster than average when compared to most jobs in the U.S. There are two factors affecting job growth in this career path. Both the advancement of technology and the increasing number of new medical technologies will increase the need for medical technology experts. However, at the same time, further technological advancements will result in the reduction of manpower on some machines because of their increasing reliance on automation. Having said that, jobs are still expected to rise at a good rate so this is a good fast-growing career path to embark on.
While hospitals are expected to remain largest employers of medical technologists keep your eyes open for new fast expanding areas of employment like diagnostic laboratories, medical laboratories, nursing facilities, ambulatory services and the offices of physicians.
As with most jobs, those job seekers with the best certification and training will have the best chance of landing the best positions. On top of that, those job seekers willing to relocate will also have an added advantage. Be sure to do some further research online as there are many online certification and training programs that can help you land great jobs in your specific state. Good luck!
Related posts: