We surveyed 3,231 medical laboratory technicians to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical medical laboratory technician. Here are the results.
How much intelligence is required as a medical laboratory technician?
Low
High
Working as a medical laboratory technician typically requires higher levels of intelligence when compared with the average career. This means that medical laboratory technicians are required to actively learn new things related to their discipline and solve complex problems.
Can I learn to become a medical laboratory technician?
Intrinsic Talent
Acquired Talent
A career as a medical laboratory technician typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.
Is it easy to get a job as a medical laboratory technician?
Easy
Hard
It’s typically difficult to find a job as a medical laboratory technician. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for medical laboratory technicians.
Do medical laboratory technicians work full-time or part-time?
76% of medical laboratory technicians work in full-time roles while 24% work part-time.
Is being a medical laboratory technician stressful?
Low
High
Medical laboratory technicians tend not to find their jobs stressful, which likely contributes positively to career satisfaction.
Is being organized important as a medical laboratory technician?
Low
High
Some level of organization is generally required to be a medical laboratory technician.
How competitive is the workplace for medical laboratory technicians?
Low
High
Competition at work is not common for medical laboratory technicians.
Does being a medical laboratory technician require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?
Low
High
Time pressure tends not to be a major contributor of stress for medical laboratory technicians.
Are medical laboratory technicians allowed to express themselves creatively?
Low
High
Medical laboratory technicians rarely get a chance to express themselves creatively.
Do medical laboratory technicians have control over the direction of their work?
Low
High
Medical laboratory technicians tend to have a set and inflexible work schedule that they are unable to deviate from too much.
Is being a medical laboratory technician physically demanding?
Low
High
Work as a medical laboratory technicians is not the most physically demanding of careers, falling in the bottom half of all careers.
Are medical laboratory technicians exposed to a wide variety of work?
Low
High
Medical laboratory technicians tend to have a monotonous work routine, with little variety in their day-to-day tasks.
Does being a medical laboratory technician require attention to detail?
Low
High
Attention to detail is a vital skill for medical laboratory technicians, as small mistakes can make or break one's ability to succeed in the career.
Does being a good medical laboratory technician require compassion and empathy?
Low
High
The ability to be compassion and empathetic isn't considered fundamental to success as a medical laboratory technician.