Share your experiences about your career

Hello MLTs!

I'm looking into the AS program for Medical Labortory Technician at the community college. It's a 2 year program after I complete a year of Bio & Chem prerequisites.

I have been interested in the field for some time but do not know anyone personally who works as an MLT. Can anyone please tell me how they like their career/ day to day job?

If I do well and enjoy the college labs is it a good indicator that this is the right field for me?

How difficult was it for you to get hired after graduation? Are you going to continue on to get a BS and become a Medical Technologist?

Any other advice? Thanks and any information would be appreciated!!

Right now, the whole field is in flux.New techs desperately needed but hiring freezes in effect for a lot of places. If I were you, I'd get the MLT and a job then go back to school ASAP (hopefully on your employer's dime) for your MT. As an MLT , you'll be expected to do just about the exact same work as an MT BUT you'll be paid $2-$5 LESS an hour. Hours for a new hire are often 2nd and 3rd shift and weekends; it's the "last one hired" mentality unless you prove yourself to be absolutely indespensable for a day opening. Go for your MLT, BUT find a niche or dept that you love and make it clear that you LOVE that dept. A supervisor will note your sincere enthusiasm and be flattered that you favor her dept. Supervisors will bend over backward to hire the "sparkplug" student and they will put out the word to others in the lab that they want YOU for the next opening.

new techs are desperatly needed, as medtech74 stated you most likely will be hired for an off shift first, which then puts you in the running for a day shift when it opens up, hospital techs always work weekends and holidays from every other up to every fourth depending on the size of the hospital.Also most small hospitals dont specialize you have to be a generalist(work all the depts. heme, chem, bloodbank, etc.) if your looking to advance in the field you will need an mt degree in order to become a supervisor, but as an mlt you will get much needed experience as you will be doing the same work as an mt and you can go back to school on the hospitals tuition program.