According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, clinical laboratory technologists are usually required to have a bachelor's degree in medical technology or life science. In some cases, lab technologists are required to have only an associate's degree or a certificate. Students should make sure the programs they choose are accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). Students should also check the license requirements of the state they reside in; some states require lab technologists to be licensed, which means they may need to take a statewide exam. Some employers also prefer lab technologists to be certified by organizations such as: the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), the American Association of Bioanalysts (AAB) or the American Medical Technologists (AMT).
Lab technologist certification is required in some states and is often preferred. Certifying with well-known laboratory technologist and medical organizations, such as AAB, AMT or ASCP often means you will need to prepare for and pass an exam that covers lab technologist procedures and general knowledge. You can apply to take the exam at your school or you can apply through an organization's official website, located in the "Resources" section of this article. Some trade schools, hospitals and the military offer certificate programs that can be used as an alternative to a bachelor's or associate's degree.
Many technical institutes and trade schools offer laboratory technologist associate's degrees. The benefits of these programs are that they can be completed quickly, they are less expensive to complete than a bachelor's degree and they can be used to get a foot in the door. Though a hospital may be looking for a lab technologist with bachelor's degree, it may consider an applicant who has an associate's degree and on-the job training. Many laboratory technology associate's degree programs require students to complete an externship before they graduate, which qualifies as on-the-job training and gives students relevant references.
A bachelor's degree is often the educational requirement to become a lab technologist. Prospective lab technologists can study medical technology or life science at an accredited school to qualify. Bachelor degree programs are preferred because they include lectures about lab technologist theory, hands-on experience and training with lab equipment and may also require students to complete an internship, which is longer than and encompasses more on-the-job training than an externship. A bachelor's degree can often help a lab technologist advance in her career toward a supervisory position. Any higher education, such as a master's degree or a doctorate, speeds advancement towards a laboratory director position.