2. Job Description
As a Medical Technologist, or Med Tech, there are
many things they do on a daily basis in a laboratories
at a hospital. Med Techs are responsible for testing
blood that is sent in before a transfusion or after it has
been donated before it goes into the blood bank.
Their job is to stay in the lab and test blood for
anything harmful. In some cases a Medical
Technologist will even test urine samples for any
drugs.
3. Education Required
It is actually very simple to become a Specialist in
Blood Bank Technology(SBB). All you really need is
certification from the American Society for Clinical
Pathology Board of Certification. Also you should
have at least a bachelor's degree or an associate's
degree in medical technology.
4. Money, Money, Money!
The average salary for a medical technologist...
● Bench Techs: $50,000
● Supervisor: $60,000
● Manager: $70,000
5. Past Jobs
Here is the number of jobs as a Medical Technologist
in 2010:
● 93,970 jobs in the United States
6. Job Outlook
All over the nation, the percentage of job opportunites
as a medical technologist is average. In Louisiana
especially the job opportuinites is above average
than other states.
7. My Environment
Most Blood Bank Specialist work many facilities like
private hospital blood banks, transfusion services,
community blood centers, or university-affiliated blood
centers. All of these medical technologist work in a
laboratory.
8. What Do I Have to Do?
To become a SBB you need certification and a
bachelor's in Medical Technology. Also a SBB must
be able to complete certain tasks like collecting and
processing blood. We must be able to preform routine
and specialized blood tests. Also we have to be able
to figure out a patient's blood type by molecular
testing. Our job is to support the doctor and their
patients in case of an emergency, transfusion,
surgery, and so on. The blood must be tested to be
sure it is compatible and safe(no diseases).
9. Similar Occupation
There are several jobs similar to a medical
technologist. Such as:
● Neurodiagnostic Technologist
● Cytotechnologist
● Forensic Science Technicians
● Chemical Technicians
● And more....
10. Career Cluster
As a Medical Technologist (specialist in blood bank
technology), my career could be in two career
clusters.
● Health Science (biotechnology research and
development)
● Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics
(laboratory and testing services)
11. Work Schedule
A Specialist in Blood Bank Technology work normal
business hours. However, it is likely to work
weekends and be on call for an emergency like a
natural disaster or serious accidents that require a
fast demand of blood. Usually a medical technologist
work forty or more hours a week.
12. Why???
I have always been interested in health science. It
amazes me how a tiny platelet can save a life. That's
what I really want to do. I want to make an impact on
this earth and help people. I could have been a nurse
or a doctor but in reality they would not be able to do
their job if it was not for the blood specialist doing the
little important work. We're their support system and
they need us. I could not picture a better job than
helping save lives everyday.
