Question about a career in Medical Technology....

[jak of in]

My dd is interested in medical technology. Has anyone here worked in that field? What can you tell me about it?

 

Should my dd take Calculus and Physics in high school to go into this major in college? She is taking precalculus right now (her junior year).

 

Thanks!

 

jak

[MIch elle]

My dd is interested in medical technology. Has anyone here worked in that field? What can you tell me about it?

 

Should my dd take Calculus or Physics in high school to go into this major in college? She is taking precalculus right now (her junior year).

 

Thanks!

 

jak

 

I did not take calculus or physics in high school. Is it Medical Laboratory Science, aka Medical Technology or is it something different? I have my degree in MLS. Which program is she looking at? 2 or 4 yr degree?

Edited November 5, 2009 by MIch elle
typo

[jak of in]

She is looking at a 4 year degree and I believe it is Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology. The programs we've looked at so far have a 3+1 plan....3 years at the university, and 1 year (senior year) of clinical at a participating hospital.

 

Thanks,

 

jak

[MIch elle]

She is looking at a 4 year degree and I believe it is Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology. The programs we've looked at so far have a 3+1 plan....3 years at the university, and 1 year (senior year) of clinical at a participating hospital.

 

Thanks,

 

jak

 

I didn't take calculus in college either; I took physics for health professionals 1 & 2. Look at the programs she's interested in and find out what they study in those 3 years. It's mostly the basics that every science degree takes at first. It's in the later college years that it gets really hard - analytical chemistry, organic chem 1 & 2, human physiology - not calculus or physics. BUT this may vary depending on the college.

 

I loved the school part but I HATED the job (hospital/clinical)! I earned my degree from Northeastern University which is a 5 yr co-op university. By the time I graduated I worked in many different types of labs. Most of my career before I stayed home was in lab sales. MUCH more money and freedom than working in a hospital lab. My last sales job was selling products in the Boston area for Life Technologies.

 

I HIGHLY recommend that she volunteer at a hospital/lab before she decides to study for this career.

Edited November 5, 2009 by MIch elle
typo

[Twigs]

I agree with the previous poster about loving the course work and (without going into details) disliking the hospital job. Calculus and physics will not be wasted courses, but possibly not required either. Statistics may not be required, but will be extremely helpful.

 

One of the most important courses she could pursue now is Medical Terminology. Off hand I do not know any book titles or authors to recommend. Look for a Med. Term. book that goes thru the body systems. This will be invaluable when she takes Anatomy and Physiology. Most of the students will be learning the subject and and the vocabulary - knowing the vocabulary from the beginning will be a great advantage. When I had my 1st MLT course, I didn't even know that hepatitis involved the liver! Even if she does not enter a medical field, what she learns will apply to her life.

 

Another idea is to major in chemistry, bio-chemistry, or microbiology (NOT biology!) and then do the 1 year internship. This path may open up a few more career options.

 

Best wishes

[periwinkle]

with a 4-year degree. I did not take physics in high school, although I did need to take one semester of general physics in college (no problem). It is much more important to have a strong background in biology (and chemistry to a lesser extent).

 

It wouldn't be a bad idea to take calculus in high school. One semester of calculus was required from my college...check out the program in which she is interested.

 

The job was ok; I really wish I had pursued a degree in nursing instead, though-so much more flexibility and professional respect (as well as a better salary). If she works in a hospital, shift work and weekends are required. Where I was employed, the techs were backup to the phlebotomists, which I did not like. Medical laboratory science is now predominantly running large instrumentation (which is not the kind of cozy lab work I pictured before I went into the field!)

[jak of in]

This is what my dd is worried about..that she will not like the job! And won't like working in a hospital setting! It's so hard to decide when you're 17 what you want to do as a career!!

 

Here's the thing...she is interested in something in the medical/health-care field, but not necessarily working with people! She pretty reserved, so sales probably wouldn't be her thing. She's organized, detail-oriented and likes hands-on stuff. And she loves science.

 

Any other ideas about other health care careers?

 

Thanks for the responses so far!

 

jak

[rwalizer]

Hmm, how about something in the field of research? I was in the same boat. I wanted to work in a hospital, but I'm not a people person. I got the 2 year degree in laboratory science (MLT) and ended up working in the histology lab, which I loved. Another thing about histology: there is a great need for techs right now. BTW, it isn't necessarily research related, I was just throwing that out there because it is a field of hospital lab work that not many people outside of the lab have ever heard of. It's a very "hands on" specialty.

[Sara R]

Another idea is to look at your local vocational school/college. I just looked on the website of ours. They had a lot of programs, many related to medicine, and tuition is waived for high school students. (They still had to pay fees.) I think ours did list a medical technology program. If the price is right, this would be a way for her to either get the beginning training and see if she likes it, or give her the skills to get a better paying job to put herself through college.

 

This is what my dd is worried about..that she will not like the job! And won't like working in a hospital setting! It's so hard to decide when you're 17 what you want to do as a career!!

 

Here's the thing...she is interested in something in the medical/health-care field, but not necessarily working with people! She pretty reserved, so sales probably wouldn't be her thing. She's organized, detail-oriented and likes hands-on stuff. And she loves science.

 

Any other ideas about other health care careers?

 

Thanks for the responses so far!

 

jak

[jak of in]

MIch elle & Twigs,

 

You both said that you liked the course work, but did not like the job at all. Can I ask why you hated the job? Did it not fit your personality...was it working in a hospital...was it too boring? I'm really curious. My dd is definitely having some second thoughts about this career.

 

rwalizer,

 

You said that you did a 2 year program...would you recommend that? Can a person go on and get a bachelors degree if they decide they like the job?

 

I'm wondering if that might be a better idea...to start out with a 2 year program and work in the field for a while and then complete the degree...if she likes it.

 

Thanks, everyone, for your responses!

 

jak

[MIch elle]

MIch elle & Twigs,

 

You both said that you liked the course work, but did not like the job at all. Can I ask why you hated the job? Did it not fit your personality...was it working in a hospital...was it too boring? I'm really curious. My dd is definitely having some second thoughts about this career.

 

Thanks, everyone, for your responses!

 

jak

 

Yes, a 2 yr degree makes more sense for that job (hospital lab).

 

You do NOT need a B.S. to stick a sample (blood, urine, etc.) onto a machine and tear off the print out of the results. It's been a LONG time since I worked a hospital lab but that's what it was like in all except microbiology. I understand microbiology has also gone the way of large instrumentation too. Blood bank was the worst - BORING! Everyone hated working in the hospital lab and was looking for another job (all women). For a similar degree - nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, etc. you receive much higher salaries and more job flexibility.

 

Research (medical school, research center, hospitals, biotech, pharmacetical company, etc.) pays more but only after you've worked for some years in the lab. I learned early on that to get anywhere in research I needed a PhD, and I was tired of going to school and being BROKE. Research technician can be a nice job if you're not ambitious and don't want to direct your own research.

 

Do you have a large medical center near you? Look at the on-line ads posted on their website to see what kinds of jobs are available and then research the ones that look interesting to your dd. The year before I was about to graduate from college, I KNEW I didn't want to work in a hospital lab so I cut out EVERY ad in the Boston Sunday Globe that had anything to do with science (B.S. degree) to investigate my job options. Maybe you could do that, cut out ads in the Sunday paper & research those medical jobs.

[ccm]

 

Here's the thing...she is interested in something in the medical/health-care field, but not necessarily working with people! She pretty reserved, so sales probably wouldn't be her thing. She's organized, detail-oriented and likes hands-on stuff. And she loves science.

 

Any other ideas about other health care careers?

 

 

Your dd sounds a lot like me. I have been a dental hygienist for 33 years and I still love what I do, even the working with people part :). I work part-time (8-12 hours/week) and make $40/hour. Many dental hygiene programs are 2 years. I went on to receive my BS degree in education because if I didn't want to continue with clinical hygiene, I would be able to teach and/or move on to a higher level of education. I am considering going for my masters degree after my three oldest children are done with their graduate studies. (One down, two to go!)

Edited November 6, 2009 by ccm

[Mrs.MacGyver]

I got my MLT (the 2 year degree) through the Navy and worked in Navy labs for a few years. I worked in a large hospital and a large clinic setting. I really didn't like either one - sometimes you would get stuck doing Urinalysis for weeks...or Chemistry, which made me feel like I was some kind of mechanic wanna be. All I did was run a machine and fix it when it broke or my controls didn't come in.

 

When I got out of the Navy, the only entry level jobs I could find in my area were on the night shift which I hated...I was usually the only one there and I had to do all of the Phlebotomy for the ER and the entire hospital...it was a nightmare at both places I worked. However, I did love being alone :) But, really, I felt inexperienced and always scared that something would go wrong with a machine, and an emergency would come in...and there I would be all alone.

 

That being said....when a day shift job came along, I grabbed it. I liked it much better. Way less phlebotomy -way less stressful. Plus I LOVED microbiology. To me it gives you way more hands on work. I also agree with the prior poster about Histology. It is very interesting, and you get to work with the Pathologists (which is fun if you have one that likes to teach). If I had it to do over again, I might just go for a Masters in Micro. or something or go the research route. Basic lab work can get boring, but it really depends on the personality of the person.

 

Why doesn't she go through the 3 week (the times vary) phlebotomy class and try to get a part-time job in a lab? It is a good paying job for a young person (better than flipping burgers...), and then she can see if she enjoys the lab environment.

[Twigs]

1. No respect from doctors, nurses, patients. I had an MD call himself an ugly name (which I cannot repeat here) after he was so rude to me - even when I answered (patiently & correctly) all his questions & did extra work for him.

2. Little chance for advancement. A medium size hospital may have 4 clinical departments (hematology, clinical chemistry, blood banking, microbiology) with each department having 1 supervisor, 1 assistant supervisor, maybe 4-8 bench techs during day shift. Evenings and night shifts may or may not have a supervisor, with 4-8 bench techs. Then there will be a chief tech (the department head) and assistant. There is very little hope for advancement outside the lab in a hospital, even though an MT is well qualified for a position such as Infection Control.

3. You are still expected to meet turn-around-times (time from phlebotomy to result on patient's chart) even when the machine is broken. These are machines costing $100,000+ (very complex) and you get little to no troubleshooting/repair training (think trying to diagnose & fix your car never having even looked under the hood!). You are also called away from the lab to perform phlebotomy - so how can you run the instruments if you aren't even there? Evenings, nights, & weekends you may be responsible for 2-4 areas that would each be covered by 2 or more techs during the day. I've also had the experience of answering the phone call after call (no secretary or lab assistant) for 30 minutes or more - again, you can't run a machine while you are constantly on the phone.

4. Pay - I'm not comfortable discussing too much about pay, but I do NOT make anywhere near $40 an hour, even after 30 years experience.

5. Boring - the classes cover disease states, what tests are applicable for diagnosis, etc - that part is interesting. Once you start working in the lab, however, it's just 1 tube of blood after another. You don't know anything about the patients or their diseases, if they are getting better or not - very impersonal. The problem is that only doctors can diagnose disease & if the doctor wants help to choose the correct test, (s)he will consult the pathologist, not a lowly lab tech.

If your daughter is still interested in a lab career, I second the suggestion to get phlebotomy training to "get her feet wet" & see if she likes the hospital environment. Also, check out the histology and cytology fields.

[lllll]

Agreeing with what most of the others have said. I have a 4-year degree in Med. Tech. and am hoping I never actually have to use it.

 

I can fathom working in a small clinic type situation. I had a job in the micro lab and enjoyed that. But the pay was disappointing, that's for sure.

 

I originally chose Med. Tech. because I wanted to be able to get a job anywhere. Unfortunately, I didn't consider that I might actually have to support myself. :tongue_smilie: And as I've gotten older, I can see where working directly with patients would have probably been more rewarding, too.

[Chrystal]

Hmm, how about something in the field of research? I was in the same boat. I wanted to work in a hospital, but I'm not a people person. I got the 2 year degree in laboratory science (MLT) and ended up working in the histology lab, which I loved. Another thing about histology: there is a great need for techs right now. BTW, it isn't necessarily research related, I was just throwing that out there because it is a field of hospital lab work that not many people outside of the lab have ever heard of. It's a very "hands on" specialty.

 

:iagree:

[cricket1178]

I am an MLT and just have to say I agree with all the posts. I wish had gone into nursing instead.

 

Can your dd set up a workstudy type situation at a hospital near you? This may help her decide.

[rwalizer]

rwalizer,

 

You said that you did a 2 year program...would you recommend that? Can a person go on and get a bachelors degree if they decide they like the job?

 

I'm wondering if that might be a better idea...to start out with a 2 year program and work in the field for a while and then complete the degree...if she likes it.

 

Thanks, everyone, for your responses!

 

jak

[rwalizer]

Oops! I messed up posting my last reply. Anyway, I do recommend the two year program. I was able to take it through the community college and they had an arrangement with the local hospitals so we could do our clinicals. However, for me, the histology job kind of fell into my lap. I had finished my MLT training just as one of the histology techs was leaving. The pathologists liked me, so the chief tech said he was willing to give me on the job training in histology. After about a year, I took the board of registry exam an got my HT certification. Back then, there was no school for histology in my area, so I got lucky. But because histology techs are in such high demand, on of our big hospitals has started a school for it. You absolutely can go back to school and "upgrade" you AAS degree to a bachelor's. I worked with people who did it. Then you take another board of registry exam and go from being Medical Lab Technician to Medical Technologist or, in the case of histology, Histology Technologist (HTL). The pay is higher for technologists, as opposed to technicians, and there are more opportunities for supervisory positions, which I had no interest in. One big advantage to the histology lab is that they tend to have better hours. Some hospital have no nights, weekends, or holidays for histology staff. I do miss my histology job since I left 3 1/2 years ago to home school!

[rwalizer]

No respect from doctors, nurses, patients. I had an MD call himself an ugly name (which I cannot repeat here) after he was so rude to me - even when I answered (patiently & correctly) all his questions & did extra work for him. Little chance for advancement. A medium size hospital may have 4 clinical departments (hematology, clinical chemistry, blood banking, microbiology) with each department having 1 supervisor, 1 assistant supervisor, maybe 4-8 bench techs during day shift. Evenings and night shifts may or may not have a supervisor, with 4-8 bench techs. Then there will be a chief tech (the department head) and assistant. There is very little hope for advancement outside the lab in a hospital, even though an MT is well qualified for a position such as Infection Control.

 

You are still expected to meet turn-around-times (time from phlebotomy to result on patient's chart) even when the machine is broken. These are machines costing $100,000+ (very complex) and you get little to no troubleshooting/repair training (think trying to diagnose & fix your car never having even looked under the hood!). You are also called away from the lab to perform phlebotomy - so how can you run the instruments if you aren't even there? Evenings, nights, & weekends you may be responsible for 2-4 areas that would each be covered by 2 or more techs during the day. I've also had the experience of answering the phone call after call (no secretary or lab assistant) for 30 minutes or more - again, you can't run a machine while you are constantly on the phone.

Pay - I'm not comfortable discussing too much about pay, but I do NOT make anywhere near $40 an hour, even after 30 years experience.

Boring - the classes cover disease states, what tests are applicable for diagnosis, etc - that part is interesting. Once you start working in the lab, however, it's just 1 tube of blood after another. You don't know anything about the patients or their diseases, if they are getting better or not - very impersonal. The problem is that only doctors can diagnose disease & if the doctor wants help to choose the correct test, (s)he will consult the pathologist, not a lowly lab tech.]If your daughter is still interested in a lab career, I second the suggestion to get phlebotomy training to "get her feet wet" & see if she likes the hospital environment. Also, check out the histology and cytology fields.]

 

Yes! I experienced all of these things, except our physicians were great-very pleasant. We rarely had a doctor who was rude. Also, I didn't mind being removed from the patients because I have very little patience. My mom was a fantastic nurse, but I knew it wasn't for me.

[Twigs]

Some more ideas in the medical field.

 

Pharmacy - I understand that to be a phramcy tech in Texas you have to pass an exam. There may also be an age requirement. She could learn some of the job by working in a drugstore, and also start learning what is needed to pass an exam. That could also lead into Pharmacy.

 

Coding / Medical Records / Health Information / Medical Transcription - I don't know much about these fields, but they are "behind the scenes".

 

Best wishes

[Kristin in Hawaii]

I would suggest she not waste her time aiming for less. Nursing with an Associates degree -- finish in 2-3 years, make $70 K per year, plenty of jobs.... that's the way I chose -- but I like working with people.

 

Look into biochemistry -- genetics, nanotechnology, etcetera -- I think that will be a big, big business. Pharmacy techs I work around all seem pretty happy too.

 

 

Best of luck! Be ruthless in the choice -- it must have a solid future and good pay.... and room to grow and expand.

 

Kristin