Kaitaia College
Medical Laboratory Scientist Kaipūtaiao Taiwhanga Rongoā
Medical laboratory scientists carry out laboratory tests on blood, tissues and other samples taken from patients.
Medical laboratory scientists need to be registered with the Medical Sciences Council of New Zealand and have a current Annual Practising Certificate.
- Medical Sciences Council of New Zealand website - information on medical laboratory scientist registration
- Medical Sciences Council of New Zealand website - information on Annual Practising Certificates
Medical laboratory scientists may do some or all of the following:
- test and study blood, tissue and fluid samples
- prepare samples for pathologists
- evaluate test results and communicate these to doctors
- test, set up, use and maintain laboratory equipment
- maintain laboratory quality assurance and safety standards
- supervise and teach other staff such as medical laboratory technicians
- develop new methods and equipment for laboratory testing.
Useful Experience
Useful experience for medical laboratory scientists includes:
- work in a medical laboratory
- any scientific work
- any health industry work.
Personal Qualities
Medical laboratory scientists need to be:
- methodical and accurate
- careful and safety-conscious
- enquiring and adaptable
- good at problem solving
- responsible and reliable
- good at communicating.
Useful Experience
Useful experience for medical laboratory scientists includes:
- work in a medical laboratory
- any scientific work
- any health industry work.
Subject Recommendations
A tertiary entrance qualification is needed to enter tertiary training. Useful subjects include biology, chemistry, maths and physics.
Medical Laboratory Scientists can earn around $47K per year per year.
Chances of getting a job as a Medical Laboratory Scientist are good due to a shortage of people interested in this type of work.
Medical laboratory scientists may progress into managerial or supervisory roles in a laboratory. With further postgraduate study, they may do research into particular disciplines and scientific methods, or become university lecturers. They may also move into other areas such as teaching, animal health, the food industry, or working for commercial science companies.
Medical laboratory scientists usually specialise in two or more of the following disciplines:
- Clinical Biochemist
- Clinical biochemists analyse samples of blood, urine, faeces and tissue for diseases such as diabetes and renal failure.
- Clinical Immunologist
- Clinical immunologists study the body's immune system to test for diseases such as allergies and HIV infection.
- Cytogeneticist
- Cytogeneticists investigate genetic disease and how chromosomes are affected by disease.
- Haematologist
- Haematologists analyse blood samples for diseases such as anaemia and cancer.
- Histologist
- Histologists prepare tissue samples for investigation by a pathologist.
- Medical Cytologist
- Medical cytologists test cell samples for cancer.
- Medical Microbiologist
- Medical microbiologists detect, cultivate and test bacteria and fungi.
- Transfusion Scientist
- Transfusion scientists prepare blood and blood products for transfusion.
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