A Cool Job You Didn’t Know Existed: Laboratory Technician
By Lydia McAllister on Friday, September 25, 2020
Growing up with asthma, Bralin Scott found himself in the emergency room a lot. “Every time I would leave feeling better, I internalized the importance of interventions used by the many different health care professionals that improved my health, and I wanted to have that similar impact on the people in my community,” Bralin says.
After earning his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi, Bralin embarked on a career as a laboratory technician. Lab techs work in lab settings and help conduct tests, work with pieces of lab equipment and record results and data. Bralin works at UAMS as a Special Procedure Technician for Anatomical Pathology, which is the branch of medicine that studies the effect of disease on organs. He assists with autopsy examinations, flash freezing and the cutting of surgical specimens during intraoperative procedures.
Bralin wishes people knew how important even the smallest details are when it comes to his job. “Even though the lab is a behind-the-scenes aspect of the hospital, it’s a very complex and demanding area to work in.” And this complexity might just explain why the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the demand for lab technologists and technicians will grow 11% by 2028 (much faster than the average for all occupations).
WHAT YOU MUST KNOW
First thing you do when you get to work...
“Check to see if anyone brought doughnuts and troubleshoot any issues from the previous day.”
WOW moment...
“Having the opportunity to assist on an autopsy. It was like bringing an anatomy textbook to life.”
I love...
“Having a positive impact on people's health — and wearing scrubs, they're so comfortable.”
Something surprising...
“How fast-paced processing lab specimens is."
Education Required
2 years
After high school, it only takes about 2 years to become a certified medical laboratory technician.
$44,100
Average Lab Tech Salary in Arkansas
Source: bls.gov
