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Medical Laboratory Assistant

Do you want to become a Medical Laboratory Assistant? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:

Job Description - Print Page

Most medical laboratory assistants work in hospital pathology laboratories, which are concerned with analysing samples of body tissue and fluids taken from patients. Their work helps doctors and biomedical scientists to diagnose and treat patients. They undertake a whole range of practical tasks, including:

• making up chemical solutions
• sterilising equipment
• labelling and sorting tissue samples
• separating blood serum and plasma
• loading samples onto machines and operating machines
• maintaining stocks of consumable items
• inputting patient data into computer systems
• keeping and filing records.

Some laboratory assistants specialise in one laboratory area. Others work in a range of different specialist areas.

Medical laboratory assistants usually work 37 hours a week, from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. There can be some evening or weekend work. Part-time work is possible.

Work takes place in a hospital laboratory or in an outpatients' clinic. Sometimes assistants work directly with patients on the wards. The work can involve standing or sitting for long periods, and bending and carrying heavy batches of samples.

Salaries in the National Health Service (NHS) range from £9,929 a year for a trainee, to around £18,925 a year for the most experienced medical laboratory assistants in some areas of the UK. Medical laboratory assistants should be:

• interested in science and like practical work
• accurate and responsible, as patients' lives can depend on their work
• able to work well as part of a team.

Most medical laboratory assistants work in NHS hospitals. Others work for private hospitals, private companies or organisations such as the Health Protection Agency and the National Blood Authority.

There are no formal entry requirements. However, most hospitals want applicants to have at least four GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3), or equivalent qualifications. There is no upper age limit for entry. Entrants are trained by experienced senior colleagues.

Medical laboratory assistants may be able to take on more responsibility. Some may train as a phlebotomist, cardiographer or cervical cytology screener. With further qualifications, a medical laboratory assistant can progress to become a medical technical officer or a biomedical scientist.

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