A Career in the Clinical Laboratory Sciences

1. A Career in the Clinical Laboratory Sciences A Perfect Blend of Science, Medicine and Biotechnology

2. Would you like to know…. • How you can join an expanding field with multiple and flexible career opportunities? • How you can be a medical detective to investigate and find causes of illness? • How you can have an exciting and rewarding career helping to save lives and cure disease?

3. Consider A Career in the Clinical Laboratory Sciences! Center photo reprinted with permission of the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Chicago, IL

4. Why Choose to Become a Clinical Laboratory Professional… Clinical laboratory professionals analyze blood, body fluids, tissues and cells to determine the presence or absence of disease They are highly skilled in the use of the latest in biomedical techniques and instrumentation

5. Important Work! Clinical laboratory professionals are vital members of the health care team Up to 70% of physician decisions regarding patient diagnosis and therapy are based on lab test results Modern medicine could not function without clinical laboratory professionals

6. Unlimited Opportunities! Clinical lab professionals are in great demand! • Multiple employment opportunities immediately after graduation • Flexibility in working hours and shifts • Highly versatile skills that translate into an unlimited choice of practice settings • An excellent background for careers in research, medicine and biotechnology

7. Join a Large Component of Healthcare! • Clinical lab professionals are the third largest group of health professionals after doctors and nurses • Over a quarter of a million clinical lab professionals work in clinical labs nationwide • There are over a thousand different clinical lab tests • Over 7 billion clinical lab tests are performed each year in 171,000 laboratories in the US

8. Job Ratings! • Medical technologist and medical laboratory technician ranked 16 and 18 in a list of 250 jobs according to Jobs Related Almanac (Les Krantz, 1999) • They also ranked 3rd and 4th in the healthcare and medicine occupational category based on factors such as salary, stress levels, work environment, outlook, security and physical demands.

9. Where Do Clinical Laboratory Professionals Work? • Although most clinical laboratory professionals work in: • Hospital clinical labs • Physician office labs • Commercial or reference labs • Public Health labs • There are many other exciting employment opportunities for clinical laboratory professionals

10. Clinical Lab Professionals Also Work In………….. • Pharmaceutical and Chemical Industries • Biotechnology Companies • Forensic and Law Enforcement Laboratories • Veterinary Clinics • Research and Teaching Institutions • Transplant and Blood Donor Centers • Fertility Clinics • Cosmetic and Food Industry

11. A Degree in a Medical Laboratory Science is an Also Excellent Starting Point for Career Advancement in: • Medicine • Dentistry • Public Health • Biomedical Technology • Health Care Management and Administration

12. And more…. • Medical Informatics • Basic Science and Cancer Research • Sales, Marketing, Product Development • Law and Public Advocacy • Education • Many others

13. The Clinical Lab is a Biomedical Environment Requires excellent technical skills as well as problem solving, data analysis, computer skills, and good oral and written communication

14. Post HS Phlebotomist (PBT) Associate (2 Year Degree) Clinical Laboratory Technician (CLT) or Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) Histotechnician (HT) Baccalaureate (4 Year Degree) Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) or Medical Technologist (MT) Cytotechnologist (CT) Histotechnologist (HTL) Masters, PhD, MD Directors, Managers, Coordinators Who Works in a Clinical Laboratory?

15. Clinical Laboratory Scientistsand Technicians Analyze body fluids for many diverse proteins, sugars, enzymes, lipids, hormones and drugs Provide information to physicians to help diagnose: • Cancer • Diabetes and kidney disease • Drug overdoses • And many other conditions …

16. Clinical Laboratory Scientistsand Technicians Detect and identify disease-causing bacteria and parasites Determine the best antibiotics to use for bacterial infections

17. Clinical Laboratory Scientistsand Technicians Examine and count blood cells to detect abnormalities found in anemias, leukemias and infections so appropriate therapy can be started

18. Clinical Laboratory Scientistsand Technicians Analyze blood to find causes for abnormal bleeding or clotting Test plasma to monitor therapy with anticoagulant drugs

19. Clinical Laboratory Scientistsand Technicians Prepare red blood cells, platelets, plasma for safe transfusion Use techniques to detect antibodies to Strep Infections, Lyme Disease, Infectious Mono, and many other diseases

20. From: National Human Genome Research Institute Clinical Laboratory Scientists Perform testing on DNA, RNA or chromosomes to help identify genetic causes of disease or to identify pathogens and their drug resistance mutations

21. Cytotechnologists Examine cell samples on slides to determine the presence of cancerous or benign diseases Analyze microscopic cellular changes that can directly affect a patient’s course of treatment Assist in early detection of cancer Photo reprinted with permission of the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Chicago, IL

22. Cytotechnologists Examine cells from all body sources taken by swab or fine needle biopsy A Pap Smear is a commonly performed test

23. Photo reprinted with permission of the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Chicago, IL Histotechnologists and Histotechnicians Section, stain and analyze tissues from surgery for examination by a Pathologist Allow pathologists to determine if disease is present in that tissue

24. Photo reprinted with permission of the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Chicago, IL Phlebotomists Collect blood specimens from patients Are careful and accurate in processing samples Are excellent communicators with patients

25. At Masters, Doctoral and MD Level • Pathologists (MD) • Administrative Directors • Managers • Technical Supervisors • Laboratory Information Specialists • Quality Assurance Coordinators • Point of Care Testing Coordinators • Marketing and Outreach Coordinators • And more…

26. Clinical Laboratory Professionals • Enjoy the challenge of science theory, lab discovery, technology and medicine • Have a high level of responsibility and commitment to help others • Have the capacity for calm and reasoned judgment • Are organized, efficient and are good problem solvers, communicators and team players • Have high standards and demand quality performance and accuracy

27. For Medical Lab Professionals, Safety Always Comes First! • Protective clothing: gloves, lab coats, goggles • Safety needles, sharps containers • Biological and chemical safety hoods • Automatic loading instruments

28. US Labor StatisticsAccording to US Bureau of Labor Statistics, through the year 2010: • 12,200 new laboratorians needed in hospitals per year • Only 4000 graduates from educational programs per year • Projected need of 8,200 new laboratorians per year!

29. Vacancy Rates Source: 2002 Wage and Vacancy Survey of Medical Laboratories, American Society of Clinical Pathology. Lab Med (2003), 34:702-707.

30. Clinical Laboratory Science (Medical Technology) Jersey Shore Medical Center Monmouth Medical Center Morristown Memorial Hosp University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Valley Hospital Universities with Clinical Lab Science and Medical Technology Majors Bloomfield College Caldwell College College of St. Elizabeth Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Felician College Kean College Monmouth University New Jersey City Univ Ramapo College Rutgers Univ – Newark St. Peters College NJ Educational Programs Baccalaureate Degree Preprofessional Component Professional Component • Cytotechnology • University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

31. Clinical Lab Technician (Medical Lab Technician) Northern NJ Consortium for Medical Laboratory Technology Education (Bergen, Passaic and Sussex County Colleges) Camden County College Mercer County College Middlesex County College NJ Educational Programs Associate Degree Post HS Certificate • Phlebotomy • Mercer County College • University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

32. Clinical Laboratory Professionals • Highly versatile skills • Solving medical mysteries • Providing vital information to save a life and cure a disease

33. Further Information • American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science http://www.ascls.org/jobs/careers.asp • UMDNJ - Video clip on clinical laboratory profession http://healthcareers.umdnj.edu • New Jersey Society for Clinical Laboratory Science www.nj.ascls.org • National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science www.naacls.org • American Society for Clinical Pathology www.ascp.org/bor/medlab/careers

34. Acknowledgments www.LabScience.orgwas developed by the New Jersey Society for Clinical Laboratory Science with support from the New Jersey Hospital Association and the New Jersey Clinical Laboratory Management Association to promote awareness of careers in the clinical laboratory professions Photo credits: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Chicago, IL