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Career Profile: Medical Laboratory Assistant

Medical laboratory assistants are also known as medical laboratory technicians, and as the name implies, these health care professionals work in medical laboratories. There is some overlap in the roles of medical laboratory assistants and medical laboratory technologists, so read on for more information!

What is the role of a medical laboratory assistant?

Medical laboratory assistants work under the supervision of physicians, medical laboratory technologists, or other health care professionals. A common task is processing specimens for analysis by a technologist in the same lab. Educational programs often emphasize phlebotomy skills, as medical laboratory assistants are primarily responsible for collecting blood samples. In addition, the ability to perform ECGs (electrocardiograms) Holter monitoring means medical laboratory assistants have a certain degree of patient interaction.

What is the difference between a medical laboratory assistant and a medical laboratory technologist?

Though the names of these careers are similar, they are not the same. Medical laboratory technologists are trained to perform more tasks than medical laboratory assistants (hence their programs of study are longer). In addition, the work of medical laboratory assistant centers on pre-analytical and data-entry tasks. Technologists perform the actual analysis of specimens, using various analyzers and special tests.

Where do medical laboratory assistants work?

Most medical laboratory assistants find employment in hospitals, working in their laboratories and phlebotomy teams. Because they are trained to take blood, they may also work in doctor’s offices and blood donor testing centres.

How do you become a medical laboratory assistant?

There are many medical laboratory assistant programs across Canada. These programs are typically found in community colleges, and last around a year. When comparing programs, don’t look at just the tuition costs, but ensure that the program you want to enroll in offers a clinical placement. Clinical placements give you invaluable work experience and a start on career networking.

Becoming a medical laboratory technician is for those interested in a combination of lab work and patient interaction. The added advantage is the educational programs are typically short, allowing you to hit the workplace as soon as possible!

References:

https://www.trade-schools.ca/programs/medical-lab-technician.asp

March 1, 2017

Career Profile: Cardiovascular Perfusion

Cardiovascular perfusion is probably one of those health care professions you have never heard of. These individuals are an integral member of open-heart and thoracic surgery teams. Now let’s dive into the details of what cardiovascular perfusionists do and how to become one.

What is the role of a cardiovascular perfusionist?

The primary responsibility of cardiovascular perfusionists is to operate a heart-lung machine (1). In open-heart and thoracic surgeries, these machines take over breathing and blood pumping for the patient, whose heart needs to be stopped in order to be operated on. In addition, cardiovascular perfusionists monitor the patient’s breathing and circulation. If anything is irregular, they must take the necessary corrective actions. The scope of practice of cardiovascular perfusionists also include administering intravenous fluids, blood products, and anesthetic drugs.

Where do cardiovascular perfusionists work?

Cardiovascular perfusionists work in hospitals, specifically ones that perform open-heart and thoracic surgeries.

How do you become a cardiovascular perfusionist?

This is a rather specialized health care profession, so currently Canada only has three training programs, offered by the Michener Institute of Education at UHN, the University of Montreal, and the British Columbia Institute of Technology. You should check the specific details of each program, but generally, they last two years and require applicants to have at minimum a Bachelors of Science degree. Registered nurses and respiratory therapists can also upgrade their skills using one of these programs.

Now that you know more about this health care profession, you should consider the field of cardiovascular perfusion if you are interested in health care, especially surgery, cardiology, and physiology.

References:

March 1, 2017

Career Profile: What is a Bioinformatics Scientist?

Bioinformatics is an exciting, emerging field of science that combines two seemingly unrelated fields: biology and computer programming. A bioinformatics scientist is someone who is trained to analyze biological data using computer software. Computers have become so ubiquitous and their capabilities so advanced that we can apply their power to helping answer questions regarding gene function, protein structure, molecular evolution, drug targets, and disease mechanisms. If this sounds like something you would be interested in pursuing, read on for more information on this career.

How do I become a bioinformatics scientist?

Bioinformatics scientists require extensive education. After earning a four-year undergraduate degree in biology or computer programming, the aspiring scientist would pursue graduate studies. It is usually during this time that you would specialize in bioinformatics. To work as a bioinformatics scientist, you need at least a Master’s degree or preferably a PhD in this field—note that these programs are a minimum of five years. Alternatively, you may attend medical school and then after graduation, enroll in further training specifically in bioinformatics. All in all, bioinformatics is a complex field and you need to be prepared to study for several years.

Where do bioinformatics scientists work?

Bioinformatics scientists are in high demand! They may work for a variety of employers, including universities, hospitals, private corporations, and government agencies. Bioinformatics scientists, given their specialized knowledge, are commonly asked to consult with other scientists and researchers. If hired by a university, they may have their own lab, supervising laboratory technicians and mentoring students. The working hours are typical nine-to-five, but longer hours or weekend work may be required.

What is the career outlook for bioinformatics scientists?

Very positive, in fact! The average US salary is a very comfortable $75,000. A quick search on Glassdoor indicated that in Canada, average salaries are around the same figure. Salaries are likely to increase as demand goes up—and demand is expected to rise. In the US, this career has grown by 16% since 2004 and 7,170 vacancies are expected to be filled by 2018.

Becoming a bioinformatics scientist is a difficult but rewarding career choice. If you love biology and you love computers, this may just be the perfect fit for you!

References:

February 27, 2017

Tag: careers in the medical field

Career Profile: Medical Laboratory Assistant

Career Profile: Cardiovascular Perfusion

Career Profile: What is a Bioinformatics Scientist?