About 1 laboratory worker in 5 worked part time. The usual requirement for an entry level position as a medical or clinical laboratory technologist is a bachelor's degree with a major in medical administration or research. Medical and clinical laboratory technicians generally have either an associate's degree from a community or junior college, or a certificate from a hospital, vocational or technical school, or from one of the Armed Forces. A few technicians learn on the job. The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences fully accredits 621 programs and approves 72 programs that provide education for medical and clinical laboratory technologists, cytotechnologists, histologic technicians, specialists in blood bank technology, and medical and clinical laboratory technicians.
Some states require laboratory personnel to be licensed or registered.
Information on licensure is available from state departments of health or boards of occupational licensing. Certification is a voluntary process by which a nongovernmental organization, such as a professional society or certifying agency, grants recognition to an individual whose professional competence meets prescribed standards. Widely accepted by employers in the health industry, certification is a prerequisite for most jobs and often is necessary for advancement. Agencies that certify medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians include the Board of Registry of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, the American Medical Technologists, the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science, and the Credentialing Commission of the International Society for Clinical Laboratory Technology. These agencies have different requirements for certification and different organizational sponsors.