Explore unit group
- Version:
- NOC 2016 Version 1.3
3212 – Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists' assistants
Medical laboratory technicians conduct routine medical laboratory tests and set up, clean and maintain medical laboratory equipment. They are employed in medical laboratories in hospitals, clinics, research facilities, post-secondary educational institutions and government research laboratories. Pathologists' assistants assist at autopsies and examinations of surgical specimens or perform autopsies under a pathologist's supervision. They are usually employed in hospitals and universities.
Profile
Index of titles Example job titles
- Biochemical technician - medical laboratory
- Biological technician - medical laboratory
- Blood bank technician
- Cancer research technician
- Clinical laboratory technician
- Combined laboratory and x-ray technician
- Community health technician - medical laboratory
- Cytology technician
- Epidemiology worker - medical laboratory
- Hematology technician - medical laboratory
- Histology technician
- Laboratory assistant - medical
- Laboratory technician - medical
- Medical laboratory aide
- Medical laboratory assistant
- Medical laboratory helper
- Medical laboratory technical assistant
- Medical laboratory technician
- Morgue attendant supervisor
- Pathology assistant
- Phlebotomist
- Phlebotomy aide
- Renal technician
- Technical assistant - medical laboratory
- Technical assistant - pathology
- Medical laboratory aide
- Medical laboratory assistant
- Medical laboratory technician
- Pathology assistant
- Phlebotomist
- Phlebotomy aide
Inclusions
- Blood bank technician
- Renal technician
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Medical laboratory technicians
- Collect, sort and prepare blood, tissue and other samples from patients
- Log and validate patient samples and prepare them for testing
- Set up medical laboratory equipment
- Conduct routine laboratory tests and sample analyses
- Perform quality assurance of testing techniques
- Clean and maintain medical laboratory and medical laboratory equipment.
Pathologists' assistants
- Prepare for autopsies by obtaining patients' medical records and arranging for radiographic examinations
- Prepare, assist with or perform autopsies and surgical specimen examinations under pathologists' supervision
- Dissect, examine, weigh, photograph and X-ray organs and specimens, collect tissue samples for chemical analysis and record findings
- Discard specimens according to established safety procedures
- Clean and maintain instruments, equipment and supplies
- Develop and maintain processes for laboratory quality control
- May prepare bodies for release to funeral homes following completion of autopsies
- May supervise and train junior resident pathologists and morgue attendants.
Employment requirements
- Medical laboratory technicians/assistants require completion of a college certificate program in medical laboratory science.
- Certification by the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science is usually required by employers for medical laboratory technicians/assistants.
- Combined laboratory and X-ray technicians require completion of a combined laboratory X-ray technology program.
- Pathologists' assistants require some post-secondary courses or a university degree in life sciences and specialized on-the-job training.
- Certification by the American Society for Clinical Pathology – Board of Certification or Pathologists’ Assistant Certification Examination is usually required by employers.
Additional information
Exclusions
- Biological technicians in non-medical laboratories (in 2221 Biological technologists and technicians)
- Chemical technicians in non-medical laboratories (in 2211 Chemical technologists and technicians)
- Medical laboratory technologists (3211)
Breakdown summary
- Broad occupational category
- 3 – Health occupations
- Skill level
- B – Occupations usually require college education or apprenticeship training.
- Major group
- 32 – Technical occupations in health
- Minor group
- 321 – Medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)
- Associated Career Handbook profiles
- 3212.1 – Medical laboratory technicians 3212.2 – Pathologists' assistants
- Version
- NOC 2016 Version 1.3