Care Team

Who's Who in the Lab: A Look at Laboratory Professionals

There are a variety of positions within a clinical lab, and roles are “based on a career ladder of academic and technical components.” Although terminology has changed slightly over time and may vary from location to location, the main elements to a clinical laboratory team include the laboratory director, technical and general supervisors, medical technologists, and medical technicians. Below is a description of these and other positions as well as a table summarizing the training and roles associated with each.

Lab Director

The director of a clinical laboratory is usually a board-certified medical doctor or PhD scientist. They must meet the requirements of CLIA, and the College of American Pathologists (CAP) to be CAP-accredited. Many are pathologists, physicians who specialize in the science of identifying the nature and cause of disease and who are specially trained to interpret biopsy results, Pap smears, and other cytologic samples. If the laboratory director is not a pathologist, a consulting pathologist may be retained to conduct services that require their expertise, including interpreting test results. The director is responsible for managing overall operations within the lab, including maintaining the standards of agencies that inspect and accredit the lab and ensuring that all technical, clinical, and administrative functions of the lab are performed. 

Technical and General Supervisors

Clinical laboratories may also have technical or general supervisors, although the position title may be different in certain organizational structures. The lab director may serve the purpose of the technical supervisor as well. Usually, a technical supervisor is a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy (DO) with certification in anatomic and/or clinical pathology or other specialty, depending on the area she is responsible for, or have qualifications that meet the standards of board certification. The technical supervisor may also be a scientist with a PhD. S/he is responsible for the technical and scientific oversight of the lab.

A general supervisor may have the same qualifications as the technical supervisor, but an individual with a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in the sciences and appropriate experience may qualify as well. A general supervisor is responsible for oversight of the day-to-day lab operations as well as the personnel conducting the tests and reporting results. 

Medical Technologist (MT) or Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS)

Medical technologists (MTs) or clinical laboratory scientists (CLSs) play an important role in the clinical lab. They are responsible for performing routine as well as highly specialized tests to diagnose disease, troubleshooting (preventing and solving problems with results, specimens, or instruments), and communicating technical information, including test results, to the pathologist or treating physician. They may train other lab personnel, perform quality control checks, evaluate new instruments, and implement new test procedures. CLSs/MTs also may assume managerial roles, including supervising lab personnel.

Many CLSs/MTs specialize in one particular area, such as in clinical chemistry, immunology, molecular pathology, microbiology, or blood bank technologies. CLSs/MTs usually have a bachelor’s degree in medical technology or the life sciences that included three years of course work and one year of clinical experience. Most labs require that CLSs/MT5 be certified to demonstrate their competence to conduct their job functions.  LSs/MT5 are certified by organizations such as the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) Board of Registry, the American Medical Technologists (AMT), the National Credentialing Agency for Medical Laboratory Personnel (NCA), or the National Registry of Microbiologists (NRM).

Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) or Clinical Laboratory Technicion (CLT)

A medical laboratory technician (MLT) or a clinical laboratory technician (CLI) performs routine tests in all areas of the clinical lab. Usually, CLTs/MLTs have an associate degree and have completed an accredited CLT/MLT or certificate program. CLTs/MLTs will use microscopes as well as other laboratory equipment and techniques to perform tests. Like CLSs/MTs, they may specialize in certain areas of the lab, such as clinical chemistry, and may be certified by ASCP or NCA.

There may be other personnel within the lab as well, including several with very specific functions. These include:

Cytogeneticist: Cytogenetics is a subspecialty of medical genetics. Clinical cytogeneticists are usually MDs or PhDs who have been certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics. They perform and interpret cytogenetic analyses in order to diagnose chromosomal abnormalities and help manage genetic disorders. They are assisted by cytogenetic technologists, who usually have a bachelors degree in the sciences or medical technology and CLSp(CG) certification from an approved organization like NCA. Technologists prepare biological specimens for cell culture and microscopic analyses as part of cytogenetic studies. 

Cytotechnologist (CT) is a specialized laboratory technologist whose job it is to prepare and examine samples of cells under a microscope to look for signs of cancer or other diseases by recognizing changes in the cells, such as their color, size, or shape. They most frequently examine Pap smears for cervical cancer. They may assist in performing fine needle aspirations (using a needle to remove cells from a cyst) and examine fluid removed during the procedure for abnormal cells. They assist pathologists in making a diagnosis. Usually, CTs have a bachelor degree and have completed an accredited CT program.

Histotechnologist (HTL), also known as histologists, work in the pathology lab and are trained in the preparation of tissue samples used to diagnose disease. They help the pathologist to analyze small sections of body tissue that have been removed from a patient. The tissue sample undergoes special preparation before being examined under a microscope to look for evidence of disease, such as cancer. HTL5 perform more complex procedures than histologic technicians (HIs) (below) and may supervise their work. They usually have a bachelor degree and have completed an accredited HTL program. 

Histologic Technician (HT) performs routine specimen preparation from biopsies, a task that usually involves slicing thin pieces of human tissue and mounting them on glass slides for examination under the microscope by the pathologist. Usually, HTs have completed high school and an accredited histology program. 

Phlebotomist (PBT), also called phlebotomy technicians, work directly with you, the patient, to draw your blood for laboratory tests using venipuncture or skin puncture. Usually, PBTs have completed high school and have received phlebotomy training, either through a program or on the job experience. Some may be certified.

In addition, labs have people who manage the operations. While these professionals may not be performing tests on your samples, they are an important element in ensuring that the laboratory runs efficiently. Many labs are looking for laboratory professionals with Diplomates in Laboratory Management (DLM) certification, which is relatively recent (introduced in 1989) and that is slowly growing as the healthcare industry focuses increasingly more on cost containment. DLM certification demonstrates that the individual has more than just technical expertise but also an ability to effectively manage a clinical laboratory, such as in the areas of human resources, financial management, operations management, and marketing.