Medical laboratory scientist

A medical laboratory scientist (MLS), also traditionally referred to as a medical technologist (MT), clinical laboratory scientist (CLS), or biomedical scientist (BMS), is a healthcare professional who performs chemical, hematological, immunologic, histopathological, cytopathological, microscopic, and bacteriological diagnostic analyses on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and synovial fluid, as well as other specimens. Medical laboratory scientists work in clinical laboratories at hospitals, reference labs, biotechnology labs and non-clinical industrial labs. A medical laboratory scientist (MLS), also traditionally referred to as a medical technologist (MT), clinical laboratory scientist (CLS), or biomedical scientist (BMS), is a healthcare professional who performs chemical, hematological, immunologic, histopathological, cytopathological, microscopic, and bacteriological diagnostic analyses on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and synovial fluid, as well as other specimens. Medical laboratory scientists work in clinical laboratories at hospitals, reference labs, biotechnology labs and non-clinical industrial labs. Medical laboratory scientists work in all areas of the clinical laboratory, including blood banking, chemistry, hematology, immunology, histology and microbiology . They perform a full range of laboratory tests – from simple prenatal blood tests to more complex tests to uncover diseases such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and cancer. They are also responsible for confirming the accuracy of test results, and reporting laboratory findings to pathologists and other physicians. The information that a medical laboratory scientist gives to the doctor influences the medical treatment a patient will receive. Medical laboratory scientists operate complex electronic equipment, computers, and precision instruments costing millions of dollars. Medical Laboratory Scientists analyze human fluid samples using techniques available to the clinical laboratory, such as manual white blood cell differentials/counts, bone marrow counts, analysis via microscopy, and advanced analytical equipment. Medical laboratory scientists assist doctors and nurses in choosing the correct lab tests and ensure proper collection methods. Medical laboratory scientists receive the patient specimens, analyze the specimens and report results. A pathologist may confirm a diagnostic result, but often the medical laboratory scientist is responsible for interpreting and communicating critical patient results to the physician.