Learn More About Careers in the Medical Laboratory

Whether you are interested in becoming a pathologist or a medical laboratory scientist, ASCP has resources to help you understand the career, educational requirements, scholarship, salaries and job opportunities available to you.

What Is a Pathologist?

A pathologist is a physician with a MD or DO medical degree who leads the examination of the tissue and organ samples and coordinates or communicates with the primary care physician to ultimately determine a diagnosis, or in some cases, cause of death.

Research has shown that at least 70% of all medical decisions rely on some sort of laboratory data. As a pathologist, you will play an important role in overseeing the processing and analysis of laboratory samples.

There are many types of pathologists, including:

Anatomic
Forensic
Clinical
Surgical
Veterinary

Resources

Career information for aspiring pathologists include:

What Is a Laboratory Professional?

Laboratory personnel examine and analyze body fluids, and cells. They look for bacteria, parasites, and other microorganisms; analyze the chemical contents of fluids; match blood for transfusions; and test for drug levels in the blood that show how a patient is responding to treatment.

Technologists also prepare specimens for examination, count cells, and look for abnormal cells in blood and body fluids. They use microscopes, cell counters, and other high-tech laboratory equipment. They also use automated equipment and computerized instruments to test specimens. After testing and examining a specimen, they analyze and relay the results to physicians.

There are many types of laboratory professionals, including:

Medical Laboratory Scientists
Medical Laboratory Technicians
Cytotechnologists
Histotechnologists
Phlebotomists
Molecular Biologists
Pathologists' Assistants
Clinical Chemists
Technologist in Cytogenetics

Resources

Information about careers in laboratory medicine include:

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Careers In the Medical Laboratory

Learn More About Careers in the Medical Laboratory