People of the lab / careers
A diagnosis does not appear from a machine alone. Trained people collect, prepare, test, check and interpret the clues. This series is a thank-you to the laboratory workforce, and a guide for anyone wondering where they might fit.
ASCP's 2024 U.S. vacancy survey found that laboratory vacancies had eased from 2022 but remained above pre-pandemic levels. Retirements rose in 10 of 17 departments surveyed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 22,600 openings each year for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians from 2024 to 2034, mostly as people leave or retire. That figure is projected openings, not a count of unfilled jobs or a measure of today's shortage.
There is no single fix. Training places, clinical placements, retention, recognition and fair working conditions all matter. The first step is seeing the work, and the people doing it.
Sources: ASCP 2024 Vacancy Survey summary and BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
The series
Clinical laboratory scientists work across several of these benches; the later cards describe specialties, not eight mutually exclusive job titles. Titles and qualifications vary by location and employer. Each section has its own link you can share with someone curious about that work.
Runs and checks tests across disciplines, recognizes results that need a second look, and helps get reliable information to the care team. The same broad profession may be called medical laboratory scientist (MLS); local licensing and naming differ.
Why it matters: test quality and clinical decisions depend on trained judgment behind the instrument.
Examines cells from screening and diagnostic specimens, flags changes that may call for a pathologist's review, and uses a practiced eye alongside newer tools.
Why it matters: subtle cellular clues can change what happens next for a patient.
Prepares tissue for microscopic examination, from careful processing and sectioning to staining. A good slide lets the pathologist read the tissue rather than fight the preparation.
Why it matters: the diagnosis begins long before anyone looks through the microscope.
Works with validated methods to detect genetic or microbial targets and checks whether a result is technically trustworthy. The work connects sample handling, controls, interpretation and quality.
Why it matters: precise testing can guide diagnosis and treatment, but only when the process is sound.
Types blood, screens for antibodies, checks compatibility, and helps select the right blood product under time pressure. Our first newsletter follows a blood donation after the chair; this is part of the team that helps make that gift safe for a recipient.
Why it matters: compatibility and careful release are essential when every minute counts.
Measures substances in blood and other body fluids, monitors instrument performance, and investigates results that do not fit. These numbers help clinicians track organ function and treatment.
Why it matters: a number is useful only when the team knows it can be trusted.
Counts and studies blood cells, reviews unusual patterns, and connects automated results to what a specimen shows under the microscope.
Why it matters: blood-cell patterns can be an early clue to infection, anemia or a blood disorder.
Investigates organisms in patient samples with cultures and other methods, checks findings carefully, and gives clinicians evidence to guide care.
Why it matters: knowing what is causing an infection can change the next decision.
Start with the roles that hold your interest, then look at training and certification requirements where you live. These are introductions, not a job listing or a substitute for local licensing guidance. ASCP's career guide covers laboratory scientist, cytology, histology and other paths; its career center lists opportunities separately.
Role descriptions informed by ASCP's careers guide and MLS profile. CDC also publishes laboratory workforce training resources.