WHAT DOES A MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIST DO?

Published: Dec 02, 2025 - The Medical Technologist performs accurate and efficient testing while adhering to laboratory policies, maintaining equipment, using LIS systems, and ensuring result validity through stringent quality control procedures aligned with CAP, CLIA, and Joint Commission standards. This position exercises independent judgment in interpreting results, resolving instrument and procedural issues, developing or improving laboratory methods, and assisting with inspections, documentation, and ongoing quality program monitoring. The Technologist also trains and mentors staff and students, evaluates competency, provides technical guidance, and directs the work of technologists, technicians, and lab assistants.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Medical Technologist

1. Medical Technologist Functions

  • Laboratory Information Management: Accession received samples into the Laboratory Information Management System.
  • Laboratory Testing: Perform routine testing, quality control, calibration, maintenance, and proficiency testing in accordance with clinical laboratory procedures.
  • NGS Preparation: Utilize liquid handling equipment for NGS library preparation.
  • Laboratory Documentation: Maintain clinical laboratory documentation.
  • Quality Control Actions: Take corrective action when quality control results fall outside acceptable limits.
  • Supervisor Communication: Inform the General Supervisor and/or Technical Supervisor of any problems or issues affecting the reporting of test results.
  • Corrective Action Documentation: Document all corrective actions taken as indicated in established clinical laboratory procedures.
  • Procedure Review: Perform routine review of clinical laboratory procedures and update them on demand.
  • Inventory Management: Oversee the inventory and ordering of clinical laboratory supplies.
  • Issue Logging: Document any problems, issues, or relevant information in a Communication Log for awareness of other testing personnel.
  • Laboratory Support: Assist in other clinical laboratory duties.

2. Medical Technologist Job Description

  • Specimen Assessment: Determine the acceptability of specimens for testing according to established criteria.
  • Technical Procedures: Perform routine and complex technical procedures and functions in accordance with departmental Standard Operating Procedures.
  • Instrumentation Management: Monitor, operate, and troubleshoot instrumentation to ensure proper functionality.
  • Technical Decision-Making: Demonstrate the ability to make technical decisions regarding testing and problem-solving.
  • Reagent Preparation: Prepare, test, and evaluate new reagents or controls.
  • Result Reporting: Report accurate and timely test results to support quality patient care.
  • Preventive Maintenance: Perform and document preventive maintenance and quality control procedures.
  • Supply Management: Identify and replenish testing bench supplies.
  • Specimen Processing: Assist with specimen processing.
  • Workplace Safety: Maintain a safe work environment and wear appropriate personal protective equipment.

3. Medical Technologist Overview

  • Clinical Testing: Perform clinical laboratory testing on samples according to established laboratory procedures and verify or report test results as specified by the study protocol.
  • Result Prioritization: Ensure quality laboratory results and prioritize work to optimize timely result reporting.
  • Quality Practices: Accurately perform quality control, quality assurance, and proficiency testing.
  • Equipment Maintenance: Maintain complex laboratory equipment and correctly interpret assay validity as a CLIA-qualified clinical laboratory testing professional.
  • Performance Monitoring: Perform and record instrument and test preventive maintenance, calibration, reagent management, troubleshooting, and other procedures necessary to establish, maintain, or monitor test performance.
  • Laboratory Disinfection: Perform, monitor, and record disinfection and maintenance of general laboratory equipment and laboratory areas.
  • Technical Supervision: Technically monitor and supervise medical laboratory technicians and students, including participation in the laboratory competency assessment program.

4. Medical Technologist Details and Accountabilities

  • Specimen Viability: Maintain diagnostic viability of all specimens and ensure correct patient labeling of all materials.
  • Technology Evaluation: Evaluate, recommend, and implement new technology, testing, equipment, and policies to improve quality, efficiency, and revenue.
  • Equipment Performance: Maintain medical laboratory equipment performance by establishing quality standards, developing operational and troubleshooting procedures, ensuring staff compliance, certifying instrument performance, and arranging equipment replacement, service, and repair.
  • Analytic Monitoring: Monitor test analyses and specimen examinations to ensure acceptable levels of analytic performance are maintained.
  • Program Implementation: Implement new programs, tests, methods, instrumentation, and procedures by investigating alternatives, preparing proposals, performing parallel testing, and monitoring progress.
  • SOP Compliance: Follow all Standard Operating Procedures to ensure compliance with safety and quality standards.
  • Record Maintenance: Maintain record logs in a timely and efficient manner.
  • Workplace Safety: Maintain a clean and safe work environment.
  • Data Verification: Apply attention to detail to verify relevant data and process specimens according to established procedures.
  • Medical Terminology: Apply correct laboratory medical terminology and measurements accurately.

5. Medical Technologist Duties

  • Shift Communication: Communicate at shift change and follow through on pending orders or shipments from the previous shift.
  • Quality Control: Perform and document Quality Control, report significant deviations to the supervisor or manager, and document corrective actions.
  • Workflow Organization: Organize work to maximize productivity and efficiency.
  • Specimen Assessment: Determine specimen acceptability and priority, taking appropriate action accordingly.
  • Inventory Management: Maintain a minimum inventory of blood products and reagents to ensure adequate patient care and supply readiness for the oncoming shift.
  • Equipment Troubleshooting: Recognize equipment failures and take corrective action to ensure proper storage conditions of blood products and continuity of patient care.
  • Blood Typing: Perform blood typing with 100% accuracy and investigate and report any discrepancies with historical blood types.
  • Product Selection: Select the correct product from inventory, considering special patient needs such as autologous, directed, or CMV status.
  • Compatibility Resolution: Correctly identify incompatibilities and determine the need for further testing.
  • Patient Support: Handle patient care issues and special requests from medical staff or pathologists in the absence of the supervisor or manager.
  • Staff Training: Teach and train staff or students and assess staff competency.
  • Situational Judgment: Demonstrate the ability and willingness to assess situations and determine appropriate courses of action.
  • Charge Duties: Perform charge tech duties in the absence of the on-site supervisor or manager and adjust schedules or workstation assignments.
  • Issue Documentation: Communicate and document any unusual occurrences or deviations from routine operations in the Communication Log or report them to the supervisor or manager.

6. Medical Technologist Details

  • Specimen Verification: Verify identification of specimens with physicians’ orders, prepare specimens for testing, and handle all specimens safely and carefully.
  • Result Analysis: Analyze testing results and interpret abnormal or unusual findings.
  • Data Preparation: Research and prepare all pertinent patient data and refer test results to pathologists for evaluation and sign-out.
  • Equipment Calibration: Calibrate equipment, order supplies, and maintain inventory of relevant forms and materials.
  • Issue Resolution: Recognize test inconsistencies and take appropriate corrective actions while supporting laboratory co-workers in resolving similar issues.
  • Quality Control: Administer quality-control tests according to established procedures and maintain proper data records.
  • Employee Training: Assist with orienting and training employees on laboratory techniques and operations.
  • Policy Compliance: Adhere to University and unit-level policies and procedures and safeguard University assets.

7. Medical Technologist Responsibilities

  • Laboratory Analyses: Perform analyses in hematology, chemistry, urinalysis, coagulation, blood bank, and microbiology according to expected performance standards.
  • Specimen Collection: Perform venipuncture, finger stick, or heel stick on identified patients upon the physician’s request in a timely, accurate, and caring manner.
  • Record Maintenance: Maintain current documented records related to equipment maintenance and quality control.
  • Service Coordination: Meet laboratory service goals as scheduled or report issues to the lab director.
  • Compliance Monitoring: Promote adherence to the Company's Code of Business Conduct and the Corporate Compliance Agreement by monitoring employee performance and addressing compliance issues.

8. Medical Technologist Job Summary

  • Result Reporting: Report accurate results, evaluate results for clinical significance and validity, and recognize atypical or abnormal results requiring additional follow-up.
  • Quality Assurance: Ensure quality control is acceptable, instrumentation is functioning properly, and maintenance is within defined tolerance limits with complete documentation.
  • Error Management: Consciously work to minimize errors and take responsibility for correcting and documenting them on time.
  • SOP Compliance: Perform all laboratory functions according to standard operating procedures and guidelines established by regulatory agencies.
  • Regulatory Participation: Participate in proficiency testing and adherence to regulations and quality indicators.
  • Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot equipment and assay performance when results are questionable.
  • Staff Training: Teach, train, and mentor new employees, students, and other healthcare professionals according to standard operating procedures.
  • Blood Procurement: Procure blood from patients by venipuncture, fingerstick, or heelstick following age-specific guidelines to obtain blood samples for analysis.

9. Medical Technologist Accountabilities

  • Test Performance: Perform tests accurately, promptly, and efficiently while following laboratory policies and procedures and maintaining cost-effective levels of supplies and reagents.
  • System Utilization: Use computer systems such as LIS and network applications effectively and enter analysis results into the computer for storage and reporting.
  • Equipment Operation: Operate, calibrate, clean, and maintain equipment used in testing.
  • Safety Compliance: Follow all safety procedures.
  • Error Correction: Recognize and correct errors and document all corrective actions taken.
  • Independent Judgment: Work independently and exercise independent judgment under the general direction of the supervisor.
  • Result Interpretation: Understand expected values, disease states, physiological conditions, interfering substances, specimen quality issues, and interdependency of tests to interpret and confirm results and resolve problems.
  • Work Verification: Check and approve the work of other technologists, technicians, or lab assistants.
  • Quality Control: Utilize quality control criteria to ensure result validity before issuing reports.
  • Quality Procedures: Perform required quality procedures such as proficiency testing, temperature control, reagent control, equipment calibration, and function verification.
  • Reagent Management: Date and initial controls, calibrators, reagents, and test kits when opened, put into use, or reconstituted.

10. Medical Technologist Tasks

  • Quality Documentation: Complete appropriate quality control documentation and records necessary for CAP and Joint Commission accreditation and CLIA licensure.
  • Inspection Support: Assist laboratory management in preparation for inspections.
  • QC Monitoring: Help establish and monitor quality control programs, identify questionable data, and notify the supervisor immediately.
  • Problem Resolution: Proficiently resolve basic, intermediate, and complex instrument and procedural problems.
  • Staff Assistance: Assist MTs, technicians, and lab assistants with problem-solving.
  • Cause Analysis: Identify technical, procedural, and physiological causes of problems, evaluate alternatives, determine solutions, and implement them if called for.
  • Issue Escalation: Recognize problems and contact the equipment vendor and supervisor on time.
  • Procedure Development: Develop new procedures, evaluate and modify existing ones, collect and analyze data, and perform statistical analysis.
  • Employee Training: Train new employees by demonstrating bench techniques for both routine and complex procedures.
  • Competency Evaluation: Assist in evaluating and documenting staff competency.
  • Student Training: Train students during their formal clinical internships.
  • Work Direction: Direct the work of lab assistants and technicians, serve as a resource, and provide input to the supervisor and staff.

11. Medical Technologist Roles

  • Molecular Techniques: Perform genetic and molecular biology laboratory procedures using techniques such as PBMC, DNA, and RNA isolation, PCR, RT-PCR, Real-Time PCR, and other molecular methods, with a preferred knowledge of Illumina MiseqDx NGS and Luminex 200.
  • Equipment Operation: Operate equipment carefully and according to procedures, and maintain laboratory automation equipment per established operating protocols.
  • Equipment Maintenance: Perform equipment checks, performance testing, preventive maintenance, and quality control on assigned equipment following laboratory guidelines.
  • Performance Standards: Ensure all equipment and instruments meet established performance standards.
  • QC Documentation: Maintain documentation related to quality control.
  • QC Compliance: Ensure accuracy of all tests performed by adhering to the laboratory's Quality Control Standard Operating Procedures.
  • Assay Documentation: Maintain complete documentation for assay tracking and results for review and reporting.
  • Proficiency Testing: Participate in the Proficiency Testing Program and complete proficiency testing in assigned laboratory sections.
  • Test Request Review: Review all test requests thoroughly to identify and address errors, omissions, clarity issues, or potential problems.
  • Patient Verification: Verify patient identification at every procedural step to maintain complete accuracy.
  • Contamination Prevention: Follow unidirectional specimen handling flow to avoid contamination.
  • Discrepancy Reporting: Notify the supervisor of discrepancies and document all corrective actions taken.
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