Medical Laboratory Technician
What the work is
Performs routine medical laboratory tests, and operates diagnostic laboratory equipment under the supervision of Medical Laboratory Scientists and Pathologists.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Prepares and stains slides and tissue sections to study the cells of blood for histological examination
- Performs diagnostic tests on tissues and fluids, and analyses the chemical constituents of blood, urine, faeces and tissues
- Tests for diseases by looking for the presence of antibodies and the products of immune response in samples
- Operates and maintains laboratory equipment, ensuring accuracy and reliability of test results
- Records and analyses test results, and reports findings to medical professionals
- Assists in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases by providing accurate and timely laboratory test results
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in the operating theatres of a fictional city hospital, working beside surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A long list runs smoothly because you had every piece of equipment ready and checked
- A nervous patient relaxes as you chat to them before the team begins
- A theatre team that works so well that hardly anyone needs to speak
Hard days
- A surgeon in a hurry asks you to skip a check that exists for a reason
- A long emergency case that stretches well past the end of your shift
- Standing for hours in a cold, bright room with your full attention on the job
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 311233, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.