How exactly can i become a Medical Technologist

Hello guys, Here is my situation:

I am 24 years old, i have a B.S in Biology and a M.S in medical Microbiology both from LIU-Brooklyn campus. What do i need to do right now to be a MT?

www.nym.org/Education%20for%20Professionals/Allied%20Health%20Education/CMS8/School%20of%20Medical%20Technology.asp?strCategory=C021

The above link will give you information on a medical technology program in you neck of the woods.

The School is affiliated with five colleges and universities: St. Francis College, Long Island University, St. John's University, Paul Smith's College, and the College of Staten Island of the City University of New York.

Good Luck

Dimitriy in Brooklyn, New York said: Hello guys, Here is my situation:

I am 24 years old, i have a B.S in Biology and a M.S in medical Microbiology both from LIU-Brooklyn campus. What do i need to do right now to be a MT?

I am a Medical Technologist, 35+years experience currently working in a New Jersey Hospital. I have good advice for you since you are young please please please!!! go back to school and try to get into a physcians' assistance program. the pay is a lot better or go into nursing its a lot better than an MT. believe me!!! If you insist on staying on as a Med. Tech. then please specialize in Blood Bank the salary is better. the work is hard but you will be more marketable in this field. I wish you luck

debbie in Elmwood Park, New Jersey said: I am a Medical Technologist, 35+years experience currently working in a New Jersey Hospital. I have good advice for you since you are young please please please!!! go back to school and try to get into a physcians' assistance program. the pay is a lot better or go into nursing its a lot better than an MT. believe me!!! If you insist on staying on as a Med. Tech. then please specialize in Blood Bank the salary is better. the work is hard but you will be more marketable in this field. I wish you luck

Well I would like to address some things. If you don't like patient contact, MT is better than PA or RN. I would advise you not to go to PA, because you might as well be a physician and get paid alot more for doing the same thing. While RNs do get paid more, they have to wipe people's behinds up and do a lot of extra physical work which is why there is such a shortage and no one wants to do it.

As for specializing in blood bank, blood bank is a piece of cake. All you do is type,screen, and cross over and over again. Take a drop of anti-sera and a drop of blood, spin, shake the tube, and look for agglutination. Most antibody screens are negative and the only interesting work is when the screens are positive and when you have to identify the antibody. Plus it's tedious in that it's so easy and monotonous to do yet one mistake can mess up a life and make you lose your license. Thus, I'd argue it's one of the worst departments to work in.

Finally, the pay is the same for a blood bank CLS vs a hematology CLS vs a micro CLS vs a chemistry CLS. Experience is generally the only way to increase your pay.

Why is it that every field like biology, chemistry, microbiology wants to get into MT? Didn't you think of that before you graduated? I am BSMT <ASCP> but i cant just go into pharmacy by taking a intership. If i wanted to get into pharmacy i would finish my pre-reqs and start in the professional phase? Why do you all think b/c you have a degree in a science field you can get to be a MT/CLS? If you have the pre-reqs you can apply for the professional phase and take all the required courses and do ur rotations at the for a year. That is how you become a MT/CLS. The MLT/CLT programs should be closed down b/c its lowering the wages of the MT/CLS. Here in PA most LPN cannot work in MOST hospital anymore and they are just hiring RN. Should be the same way for MT/CLS. If you want to stop the shortage of MT and stop getting overseas MT, you have to increase the pay. You increase they pay there will be no shortage. Pharmacy does not have a shortage b/c it pays well coming out of school no matter what setting your in. If pharmacy did not pay well they would have a shortage as well. Think about it, we have to regulate the profession. Have pride in the profession. If we let any major come in with just a intership and they are ready to take the ASCP/NCA why would anyone get into the field? There has to be one certification or liscence, so that is the only way you can work in the field. Most allied health field have this. Like RN have the NCLEX and Pharmacist have the NAPLEX. MT/CLS has a voluntary certification and there are many to choose from ASCP/NCA/AMT??? that is ridiculous! WE NEED ONE CERTIFICATION OR ONE LICENCE THAT IS GOOD FOR ALL 50 STATES. ONLY MT/CLS WITH A CERTIFICATION CAN WORK IN THE FIELD. IF THEY INCREASE THE PAY, THERE WILL BE NO SHORTAGE, AND THE BRIGHTEST KIDS WILL BE INTERESTED IN THE PROFESSION AND NOT GET INTO PHARMACY OR PHYSICAL THERAPY B/C IT PAYS BETTER!

Hello Debbie from New Jersey,
Please further expanciate on your advice to Dimitry. I am in a similar condition as him and I am pondering on which way to go. I have a bachelors and I am trying to gain acceptance into an internship program.
thanks
Ozioma.

I am being thinking about being a Medical technologist, but I don't know...I am 25 years old and I had never go to College. I am kind worry that I will make a mistake and that will cost me my job that's why I am really worried. A lit bit help will be great. thank you. :) ;) I really want to do something with my life. I have been through a lot hard things in my life. Also, I am a really shy person, super shy. :(

Sol in Broomfield, Colorado said: I am being thinking about being a Medical technologist, but I don't know...I am 25 years old and I had never go to College. I am kind worry that I will make a mistake and that will cost me my job that's why I am really worried. A lit bit help will be great. thank you. :) ;) I really want to do something with my life. I have been through a lot hard things in my life. Also, I am a really shy person, super shy. :(

What kind of gpa did you have in high school ?

Do you have good credit/a low level of debt ? Are you in good standing with yuor creditors ?

Those are the kinds of questions you need to ask yourself.

Do you like science ?

etc etc.

Being a tech is very stressful. If you are shy you might be run over by others.

If you want to try this you would want to try to get your BS MT (ASCP)as opposed to being anything else.
Although I feel you should consider pharmacy school if your grades are good enough and you can get financial aid.

Good luck

Hello, I want to get a bachelors in medical technology. Does it matter to employers which school you graduate from and your grades? Or do they just look for certification and experience? I want to work in a career that involves animals. Ive seen a medical technologist position open at a lab in San Diego zoo. Is that the norm or is that rare? Does anyone know if they get paid less? What other careers involve animals as a medical technologist other than working in a veterinary diagnostic lab? Do colleges really help you find a job after you graduate? Also, does anyone actually enjoy this job, any fun involved, or is it just a steady, tolerable job? Do you have to have really good manual dexterity in your hands? I definitely don't, will that be a problem? Is there a lot of sitting or standing in this job? How closely do you work with other people in the lab? Can you move up to a management position? What position makes the most money? What do you wear to work?

Does anyone know if I would have to start over to go from an associate RN to become a medical technologist. I am burned out from long shifts, no breaks, demanding patients who can get nurses fired in a minute. I just cant take the patient care and administration lack of support anymore. I am seriously looking into a job change and medical technologist is the first thing that comes to mind. Pharmacist is the next thing that comes to mind...but I was not good at chemistry! Any ideas would be appreciated. BTW..im in my 40's so alot more schooling doesn't really appeal to me.

Shablee in SLC, Utah said: Does anyone know if I would have to start over to go from an associate RN to become a medical technologist. I am burned out from long shifts, no breaks, demanding patients who can get nurses fired in a minute. I just cant take the patient care and administration lack of support anymore. I am seriously looking into a job change and medical technologist is the first thing that comes to mind. Pharmacist is the next thing that comes to mind...but I was not good at chemistry! Any ideas would be appreciated. BTW..im in my 40's so alot more schooling doesn't really appeal to me.

I would not recommend it since I hear the same horrible things from my retail pharmacist friends. I worked hospital but it's almost as bad but a lot lower pay than retail. Have you read the other pharmacist forum? It's not greener on the pharmacy side too.

Carrie in Park Hills, Missouri said: Hello, I want to get a bachelors in medical technology. Does it matter to employers which school you graduate from and your grades? Or do they just look for certification and experience? I want to work in a career that involves animals. Ive seen a medical technologist position open at a lab in San Diego zoo. Is that the norm or is that rare? Does anyone know if they get paid less? What other careers involve animals as a medical technologist other than working in a veterinary diagnostic lab? Do colleges really help you find a job after you graduate? Also, does anyone actually enjoy this job, any fun involved, or is it just a steady, tolerable job? Do you have to have really good manual dexterity in your hands? I definitely don't, will that be a problem? Is there a lot of sitting or standing in this job? How closely do you work with other people in the lab? Can you move up to a management position? What position makes the most money? What do you wear to work?

Hey. Did you ever get your questions answered? And are u still interested in doing the MT?

Jo in Salinas, California said: Hey. Did you ever get your questions answered? And are u still interested in doing the MT?

I want those questions answered.. please :)

Also, I am in 2nd yr BN nursing and I'm having difficulties in the faculty already.. mostly because of working with patients and clients since I'm very shy and an introvert. Would MT be the best for me too?? :|

Joni in Winnipeg, Manitoba said: I want those questions answered.. please :)

Also, I am in 2nd yr BN nursing and I'm having difficulties in the faculty already.. mostly because of working with patients and clients since I'm very shy and an introvert. Would MT be the best for me too?? :|

don't know about all those questions up there... but I know that I wanted to be an MT, not any more. I did alot of research on being an MT, alot. fortunately I changed my mind before taking any classes for it, except bio which I didnt like because of all the memorising. anyways, I realised I'm not an inside desk or in this cas "lab" person which is what being an MT is. plus all you do is take piss, blood, saliva, and all sorts of bodily fluids and analyse them. the only way I can imagine ever getting into this job would be if I was seriously introverted, like if any human contact would kill me. I thought I was introverted, and shy, and all that stuff, but it really doesn't matter much, you deal with it. if ur a little shy, so what. you'll be fine. again, I'm talking in general. I don't know how much socialising there is in an MT job.

I was wondering is this field saturated? I have been researching all other medical fields like radiology, nursing, respiratory therapy, surgical technology, physical therapy assistant, medical coding and they're all saturated. Every year there are more and more students going to school to enter these programs and there's a lot of graduates without jobs. Is it the same thing with medical technology? How hard is it to get a full time job after you graduate? Will employers want atleast two years of experience? In the other health care professions they all want atleast two years of experience and a lot of graduates haven't gotten a job since they graduated. It is very important to me that I can get a job soon after I graduate from school.

you aren't going to get any answers fromthis site. I never got any. the only people that can answer your questions are those that hire MTs, look up job openings and see what their requirements are. call the places up, answers aren't going to come to you, usually. I try to alk to people that work in the field I want to study. real helpful.

I have a BA in psych, but I see a certificate program around where I live and I can take the license exam afterwards. You guys think I can get a job with that? Or would I have to go back to school to get that bachelor's in MT? Thanks.

I've just found this ongoing post and thought I would put in my two cents. First - a BS in MT is not easy. So for the nurse thinking of just switching over and not being really into school - probably not a good idea. As for job opportunities - yes there are many. We are facing a massive staff shortage. Many of the MTs in the workforce are at or nearing retirement age. Unfortunately many of the schools that once offered MT programs no longer do. Plus (and I hate sounding like my parents) young people in America today are pretty dumb when it comes to science. They want easier degrees like English, teaching, social work, and even biology. Biology is a stepping stone degree. In the real world it does diddly. Most young people see the course load for a MT degree and opt for something easier. Which is why we are getting a lot of people with BS degrees in alternate sciences who intern and take the exam. While I am happy that we are finding new employees, I think we are getting a poorer quality of tech. They have virtually no medical experience or background knowledge of laboratory medicine. Most of what they learn is only what they experience or encounter in their internship. That is usually significantly more limited than what you learn in the courses. Many employers do have a preference for hiring those with MT/CLS degrees. They are guaranteed that new hires have had the background education as generalists in all areas.

A medical technologist advised that I not go into this field, because technology will eventually take over many jobs. How do you feel about this?

Liberty G. said: I've just found this ongoing post and thought I would put in my two cents. First - a BS in MT is not easy. So for the nurse thinking of just switching over and not being really into school - probably not a good idea. As for job opportunities - yes there are many. We are facing a massive staff shortage. Many of the MTs in the workforce are at or nearing retirement age. Unfortunately many of the schools that once offered MT programs no longer do. Plus (and I hate sounding like my parents) young people in America today are pretty dumb when it comes to science. They want easier degrees like English, teaching, social work, and even biology. Biology is a stepping stone degree. In the real world it does diddly. Most young people see the course load for a MT degree and opt for something easier. Which is why we are getting a lot of people with BS degrees in alternate sciences who intern and take the exam. While I am happy that we are finding new employees, I think we are getting a poorer quality of tech. They have virtually no medical experience or background knowledge of laboratory medicine. Most of what they learn is only what they experience or encounter in their internship. That is usually significantly more limited than what you learn in the courses. Many employers do have a preference for hiring those with MT/CLS degrees. They are guaranteed that new hires have had the background education as generalists in all areas.

Well said!

I think that comment is kind of ridiculous. Its like saying that since we have automatic blood pressure machines and digital thermometers that nurses aids will not be as needed. A tech cannot be replaced. There will always be manual testing to be done. Yes, machines can give us numbers and results but humans must always be there to screen those results, look into suspicious or problem results. Blood gases, microscopics, osmolalities, ketones and many more take more than a machine or even a button pushing idiot to run, interpret and report. Microbiology is one of those departments where it is nearly impossible to replace people with machines, even more so than chemistry or hematology. While there are automated blood bank analyzers, the majority of the work is and must be done by lab techs. It is interesting work and pays fairly well.

Shablee in SLC, Utah said: Does anyone know if I would have to start over to go from an associate RN to become a medical technologist. I am burned out from long shifts, no breaks, demanding patients who can get nurses fired in a minute. I just cant take the patient care and administration lack of support anymore. I am seriously looking into a job change and medical technologist is the first thing that comes to mind. Pharmacist is the next thing that comes to mind...but I was not good at chemistry! Any ideas would be appreciated. BTW..im in my 40's so alot more schooling doesn't really appeal to me.

If you are not good at chemistry how do you expect to become a Medical Technologist??? You need Chem 1 and 2, Organic Chem 1 and 2 as pre req to enter a Medical Laboratory Science program. Is so funny to me to read some of the post in here. Get your information first before you post. A degree in Medical Lab Science is very similar to a Pre med route.

I have masters in Biomedical Sciences from NJ. Also I have worked in pharmaceutical research and development. I have a lot of molecular and cellular experience. I am interested in Medical Technologist program. I have already applied in the one year internship program. Please people already working in this field suggest me about moving into MT as well as growing in this career. Is Entry level MT pay scale between 50K and 60K in NJ...?