medical technology?

[dr.lk]

please can anyone tell how medical technology is related to medicine. means can a doctor work as medical technologist? if any doctor has a great interest in medical technolgy how he can join this med tech. line?

[ckent]

I believe that what you are refering to is the medical technology degree, which can be a bachelor's of science, masters or phD in medical research and technology. Generally these people are trained to run labs, whether they be clinical based or research based. People that work in the clinical sector might run CBCs or lipid profiles or work as general lab technicians, people with these degrees also sometimes work in research, either basic science or clinical. They are generally not the principal investigator (except phDs of course), but play a supportive role in either as the study coordinator or lab manager. Physicians generally are not called medical technologists (I think this term refers to lab technicians), some can work in the medical technology field doing research, work for pharmeaceutical companies, or work as pathologists doing a lot of lab work along side the lab technicians. Hope this helps.

[CVPA]

Ckent is pretty much on the money.

I was a Medical Technologist for 8-years prior to attending PA school. Medical Technology refers to the profession for technical people who run the clinical laboratory instrumentation in hospitals or reference laboratories.

There are two levels in the profession. The first is a Medical Laboratory Technician (Associate in Science) and the second is a Medical Technologist (Bachelors of Science). These people learn about Clinical Hematology, Chemistry, Coagulation, Microbiology, Serology, and Immunohematology (Blood Banking). There really is no research end to this profession. Pathologists often are the Medical Directors of the laboratory and supervise the laboratory overall. They do some interpretations as well as read and interpret all of the histology slides.

Hope this helps.

[soonic]

CPVA so means whicg course is considered as medical technologist( bachelors of science)?

[CVPA]

If I understand your question correctly, the answer is that to become a Medical Technologist, you must attend a university for four years and obtain a Bachelors of Science in Medical Technology.

[zeik]

medical technologist that want to be ASCP
certified must have a BS in either med.
technology or micro./chemistry and have
one year internship in an approved Lab
which is usually in a hospital,then pass
a Board Exam given by ASCP...most labs
prefer ASCP techs because of the quality
education preceding certification...now
there are other routes for certification,but
most have about the same qualifications
necessary to sit for thei exams...
they are NCA,AMT,AAB...
MLT,med. technicians need at least Associates degree for the above...check the websites for these organizations for particulars....

[potuhusky]

so anyone else a medical technologist? i have my b.s. in med tech and i'll be starting med school this fall. for those who are already in medical school, do you find your training to be a big or slight advantage? or maybe not an advantage at all? are you used as an asset in the class and rotations or do people (both faculty and students) just think you're a know-it-all?

Potuhusky, MT (ASCP)

[Tranquility]

I just started a medical technology program..I'm in my second semester. But I'm in a two year program..so at the end..I will only be an MLT with an ASCP certification...

Actually...reading this thread was great for me...b/c I've been thinking that I don't want to be a med tech because its more technical than clinical....
But I really have no idea where to go from here....
I don't know if I should finish this two year, then make a decision...or get the four year than make one....
Med school???? Is that an option??? ::sigh::: I don't know!!!

[potuhusky]

definately finish the program. the only difference between a MT and a MLT is the extra two years a MT spend learning more medical/biophysical background. both programs offer a lot of clinical exposure. it provided me my biggest claim to clinical experience during my application process.

[LovelyRita]

Originally posted by potuhusky
so anyone else a medical technologist? i have my b.s. in med tech and i'll be starting med school this fall. for those who are already in medical school, do you find your training to be a big or slight advantage? or maybe not an advantage at all? are you used as an asset in the class and rotations or do people (both faculty and students) just think you're a know-it-all?

Potuhusky, MT (ASCP)

I got my MT (ASCP) in 1995. Worked in transfusion medicine/apheresis for 6 1/2 years. Started med school in 2002.

Microbiology is very easy for me, compared to classmates, and anything else that has to do with labs or lab tests. Since I worked as an apheresis specialist, the immunologic diseases (TTP, myasthenia, guillain barre) and also sickle cell anemia come more easily understood. I also collected stem cells for bone marrow transplant. My friends are all amazed when I start talking about E. Coli 0157:H7.

The first 2 years have not been any easier for me than for my classmates, because the lab stuff is in the background. I suspect that when I start clinicals this fall, I might feel a little more comfortable working in the clinics or hospital just because I've been there.

AND, funny, but I used to teach med students a little bit about apheresis. Sometimes there would be a student rotating through Pathology that would hang around our department. So, remembering how they were or were not effective as students stands out in my head--and I'll be sure to use that to my advantage in the coming years.

Otherwise, I'm in the same boat as everyone else. And I try to keep my mouth shut unless asked for an opinion about something lab oriented. My pathology professor is less than enthusiastic about my background.

Good to meet ya.
M.

[Tranquility]

Thanx for your help DrMary and potuhusky.

I'm just really stuck on where to go for here...and well...how long will it take? I don't know if I really want to go through the whole Medical School thing..or if I just wanna do PA...I feel almost as if I am wasting my time in the MLT program...b/c I don't know how much advantage it is going to give me if I do not want to be a med tech at all..u know?
**sigh** soooo many decisions!!

[LovelyRita]

Tranquility I pm'd you.