Medical Laboratory Technologists
Job description
These individuals perform medical laboratory tests, experiments, and analyses. They carry out analyses and examinations in the field of medical biology on the human body or specimens. They ensure the technical validity of the results for diagnostic purposes or therapeutic follow-up. They are self-employed or work in:
- Certain areas of a hospital (microbiology, haematology, biochemistry, etc.).
- Research
- Teaching
- The private sector
- The pharmaceutical and food industries.
Environment
- Hazardous chemical
- Biological agents
- Odours
Main tasks
- Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory equipment.
- Perform chemical analysis of body fluids (blood, urine, etc.).
- Determine blood groups and types and compatibility for transfusions.
- Study tissues under the microscope to identify key characteristics and determine their relationship to physiological and pathological disorders.
- Establish methods for sample analysis and laboratory experiments.
- Interpret and validate biomedical analysis results.
- Supervise and train, as required, technical staff, trainees and laboratory assistants.
- Assist pathologists in autopsies as required.
- Update existing techniques or develop new techniques.
Advancement and mobility
- These individuals work mainly in one of the following sectors: blood banking, biochemistry, molecular biology, cytogenetics, cytology, haematology haemostasis, immunology, serology, microbiology, anatomical pathology, parasitology, or sampling.
- Experience leads to senior positions.
Hourly wage
The hourly wage is calculated by averaging wages from 2019 to 2021.- Minimum
- $23.15
- Median
- $30.22
- Maximum
- $36.00
Job prospects for 2022-2026
sr.comparaison-region.titre
Les 2 champs de sélection ci-dessous vous permettent de comparer 2 régions. Les données des régions seront automatiquement mises à jour à la sélection. Par défaut, la province de Québec est sélectionnée pour la première région.
Job prospects for 2022-2026
Job prospects
All of Québec
Very good
All of Québec
Non available
Total jobs for 2021
All of Québec
4,500
All of Québec
na
Gender distribution
All of Québec
Not available.
- 82.1% Female
- 17.9% Male
Not available.
- 82.1% Female
- 17.9% Male
Job types
All of Québec
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2015
All of Québec
$56,000
All of Québec
Other characteristics
All of Québec
- Non traditional for men
- None
All of Québec
- Non traditional for men
- None
Sectors of activity
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 621, 622, 62394% of jobs
-
NAICS 5416, 54172% of jobs
-
NAICS 611% of jobs
-
NAICS 911% of jobs
-
NAICS 44, 451% of jobs
-
Others1% of jobs
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 621, 622, 62394% of jobs
-
NAICS 5416, 54172% of jobs
-
NAICS 611% of jobs
-
NAICS 911% of jobs
-
NAICS 44, 451% of jobs
-
Others1% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
Most training programs are offered in French only.
College
DCS in biomedical Laboratory Technology 
Code : 140C0
Placement rate: 87%
9.8% of graduates pursue further studies
Also required
- Membership in the Ordre professionnel des technologistes médicaux du Québec (OPTMQ [Quebec Order of Professional Medical Technologists]).
Sometimes required
- Practical training under supervision may be required.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Data collection
- Critical thought
- Reading comprehension
- Information processing
- Result evaluation
- Active learning
- Oral expression
- Science
- Written expression
- Time management
- Judgment and decision-making
- Monitoring operations
Abilities
- Near vision
- Digital dexterity
- Hand-arm stability
- Information organization
- Awareness of issues
- Written comprehension
- Processing flexibility
- Oral comprehension
- Verbal skills
- Deductive reasoning
- Perception speed
- Selective attention
- Classification
- Manual dexterity
- Colour perception and distinction
- Control accuracy
- Inductive reasoning
- Speech clarity
- Written expression
- Speech recognition
Knowledge and attributes
- Critical thinking
- Autonomy
- Capacity to work in a team
- Rigour
- Attention to detail
- Capacity to be discrete
- Capacity for synthesis
- Respect others
- Knowledge of biology
- Knowledge of medicine or dentistry
Interests
- Work manually
- Conduct tests and trials, control processes
- Teach or educate
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Investigative
- People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
- Conventional
- People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
Official name of the NOC 3211
Medical laboratory technologists
Job titles
- Medical Technologists
- Medical technologists supervisor
- Medical laboratory technologist - anatomical pathology
- Registered technologist - medical
- Medical technologist - medical laboratory
- Tissue technologist - medical laboratory
- Medical laboratory technical supervisor
- Medical laboratory supervisor
- Autopsy technologist - medical laboratory
- Blood bank technologist
- Clinical laboratory technologist
- Anatomical pathology technologist - anatomical pathology
- Combined laboratory and x-ray technologist
- Biochemistry technologist - medical laboratory
- Cytogenetics technologist - medical laboratory
- Cytology technologist
- Hematology technologist - medical laboratory
- Histopathology technologist
- Histology technologist
- Immunohematology technologist
- Immunology technologist - medical laboratory
- Clinical immunology technologist
- Microbiology technologist - medical laboratory
- Electron microscopy technologist - medical laboratory
- Serology technologist
- Charge technologist - medical laboratory
- In-charge technologist - autopsy services
- Advanced registered technologist - medical laboratory
Skill type
Health
Last update: March 27, 2023
