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The Curious Bag
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Laboratory technicians are a part of the team of researchers who conduct scientific studies, clinical trials and medical testing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for a lab technician will increase by 14 percent by 2016.
Function
Technicians typically perform the basic tasks in the lab, such as running automated testing machines, cleaning equipment, and preparing tissue or other samples for examination under a microscope.
Types
Many laboratory technicians specialize in a specific area of scientific study, such as microbiology, chemistry or diagnostic pathology, which is the process of testing tissue samples for illnesses and disease.
Restrictions
Lab technicians typically do not analyze or collect the data for a diagnostic test or an experiment. This work is done by laboratory technologists, pathologists or doctors.
Education
Most employers require lab technicians to have a minimum of a two-year associate's degree in a scientific field, a certificate from a hospital or vocational-technical school, or military training as a lab technician. Occasionally, employers will hire technicians with only a high school diploma and then provide on-the-job training.
Compensation
In May 2008, the average annual salary for lab technicians was $37,150, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Source:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Laboratory Technicians Salary Information
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