Jeremy Kaplan
If you are a meticulous person who always loves analyzing the details of your homework or any kind of work you do, you might be perfect as a lab technician. If you enjoy routine and order in your life, this career path might be the right one for you. To be a lab tech, you also have to possess a high degree of patience and understand that it takes time and a lot of effort to get there.
If you are having trouble deciding whether you should give a medical lab tech career a try, we’ve selected several tips that might make you better assess your expectations.
Do you love science?
It goes without saying that one of the primary features of your character should involve you having a love for science. Being a lab tech can mean different things depending on the domain you are most interested in studying.
You can specialize in medicine, veterinary medicine, and a variety of other subfields. You could also study botany and experiment with plants or even create natural medication. However, many lab techs work in human disease research and have a strong background in physiology, chemistry, or biology. If none of these appeal to you in any way, a lab tech profession might not be the perfect one for you.
Are you detail-oriented?
Many people are generally low on patience, but lab techs are not. You have to appreciate thoroughness, as well as accuracy, and apart from the techniques you’re going to study, you will also have to possess the necessary ambition to learn how to operate various devices and machines.
Autoclaves, vacuum ovens, and a variety of other kinds of equipment might have to be used day in day out, so you ought to keep your expectations in this sense as realistic as possible. If you’ve never even heard about vacuum ovens before, check out this article from opticsandlab.com.
In addition to that, as a lab technician, you will have to be as precise as possible. Even the smallest detail can have a huge implication on the result of an analysis, for instance.
Do you have nothing against working behind the scenes?
If you are not one of those people who prefer being in the spotlight all of the time, being a lab tech might be the right career path for you. Even though your interaction with the patients might be virtually non-existent, your role in their treatment and their well-being will be very important.
Is this a stable career path?
Finally, one important reason to consider studying for becoming a lab tech is that it’s among the most stable careers in the United States and all over the world. According to the Rasmussen College, some Medical Lab Technician Associate’s degree programs can last just 21 months, which means you will be able to join the workforce as soon as possible.
Naturally, you can change jobs later on, but the fact is that human disease will never disappear entirely, so your service as a lab tech will always be required by humankind.
