Posts Tagged ‘health education schools’
Laboratory Technician Schools: Getting Started The Right Way
Medical lab technicians are responsible for the preparation of specimens such as blood, stool, and urine and conducting laboratory procedures for the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of many diseases. For those who wish to embark on this fast-growing career, enrollment in an accredited training program is the primary requirement. Training programs are usually available in vocational/technical schools, community colleges, and laboratory technician schools as well.
Laboratory technician schools are an excellent choice when it comes to receiving lab technician training and education. Although there are some who learn on-the-job, taking a two-year associate’s degree program is usually the most effective route in becoming a lab technician. You can expect to take up subjects such as chemistry, biological science, microbiology, mathematics and statistics. A four-year bachelor’s degree program is also available for aspiring lab technologists.
Laboratory technician schools offer programs which provide comprehensive trainings in laboratory work such as test procedures in blood banking, urinalysis, hematology, serology, microbiology, and clinical chemistry.
Training also gives emphasis on the microbiological, chemical, and cellular analysis of body fluids.
In contrast to medical lab technologists, lab technicians perform less sophisticated tasks and also take less time in training and education.
The training programs offered by laboratory technician schools must be verified for accreditation from reputable bodies such as the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Services (NAACLS), and Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Take note that a significant number of employers prefer hiring individuals who graduated from an accredited training program.
Besides accreditation, other important factors you may want to consider when looking for laboratory technician schools are their admission requirements, tuition fees, class size, overall reputation of the school, and their policy on clinical experience. For best results, it is recommended to personally visit the school to discuss important matters and queries you may have about their training programs. Some schools also have websites and it is a good idea to check them as well.
Certification, although not always required, can provide lab technician graduates with a significant career advantage. You can receive certification by earning a certain level of working experience and passing a certification exam from authorized bodies such as the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). Laboratory technician schools can help prepare you for the tasks and challenges that await you as a full-time medical lab technician.