What are the Different Medical Technologist Jobs?

Within the field of medicine, there are several specific areas that employ medical technologists to survey, test, and utilize medical technology, systems, and specimens. Medical technologist jobs often are found in medical centers, labs, or hospitals. Depending upon education and experience, a medical technologist also may work in a supervisory role and may be responsible for training and evaluating others on their abilities to perform technologist job functions and follow procedures.

The most common type of medical technologist job is the lab technologist. This individual may work in a lab that performs research or in a medical facility that tests and checks samples. In many cases, a medical lab technologist will test and evaluate human samples, such as tissue or blood. Many lab technologists will draw samples from patients, while others focus mainly on testing specimens and preparing reports. A person working in one of these medical technologist jobs may be required to oversee a lab and help with the development and implementation of policies and procedures.

Some medical technologists jobs may have very specifically defined job parameters. This often is the case for technologists who work in genetics labs or other types of research facilities. While some technologists sample and report on a wide variety of human samples, phlebotomists focus solely on blood samples, for example. Additionally, histotechnologists are generally responsible for assembling tissue specimens. Cytotechnologists, on the other hand, focus on testing and evaluating cells.

Another kind of medical technologist job is in the medical imaging field. An imaging technologist is responsible for a wide range of duties, from utilizing diagnostic medical machinery to performing scans on the human body to analyzing the subsequent reports. For example, a technician who focuses on administering and evaluating x-rays is a medical technologist. A nuclear medical technologist also works in this field and gives radioactive material to patients to ingest before testing. This type of medical technologist will then use medical imaging to observe and report on the functions of organs that can be viewed more easily against the radioactive materials.

Depending upon which type of medical facility for which she works, the job duties of a medical technologist can vary greatly. Any person working in one of the medical technologist jobs, however, will be responsible for following organizational procedures as well as governmental regulations that direct the appropriate handling of samples. Additionally, anyone working in one of the medical technologist jobs will be required to utilize and maintain medical equipment appropriately. Whether she is a general technologist or involved in a more focused field, she will be required to exercise independent judgment and utilize medical technology expertise as well.