Medical Laboratory Technicians and Pathologists Assistants

Medical laboratory technicians conduct routine medical laboratory tests and set up, clean and maintain medical laboratory equipment. They are employed in medical laboratories in hospitals, clinics, research facilities, post-secondary educational institutions and government research laboratories. Pathologists' assistants assist at autopsies and examinations of surgical specimens or perform autopsies under a pathologist's supervision. They are usually employed in hospitals and universities.

Main Duties

Medical laboratory technicians

• Collect, sort and prepare blood, tissue and other samples from patients
• Log and validate patient samples and prepare them for testing
• Set up medical laboratory equipment

Pathologists' assistants

• Prepare for autopsies by obtaining patients' medical records and arranging for radiographic examinations
• Discard specimens according to established safety procedures
• Clean and maintain instruments, equipment and supplies

10-year Job Openings

There are 155 job openings forecasted between 2023-2032. 

Average Annual Salary

$47,200

Employment Requirements

• Medical laboratory technicians/assistants require completion of a college certificate program in medical laboratory science.
• Certification by the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science is usually required by employers for medical laboratory technicians/assistants.
• Combined laboratory and X-ray technicians require completion of a combined laboratory X-ray technology program.
• Pathologists' assistants require some post-secondary courses or a university degree in life sciences and Specialized on-the-job training.