Careers in the Medical Laboratory

Whether you are interested in becoming a pathologist or a laboratory professional, ASCP has resources to help you understand the career, education and certification requirements, scholarship, salaries, and job opportunities available to you.

What is a Pathologist?

A pathologist is a physician with a medical degree who leads laboratory tests on body tissues and organ samples to determine disease and other diagnoses. Pathologists play a vital role in overseeing the processing and analysis of laboratory samples and providing critical information for patient care.

Anatomic Pathologists

Physicians who provide the definitive diagnosis of disease using a microscope, special stains, immunohistochemistry and other techniques.

Clinical Pathologists

A physician who provides the definitive diagnosis of disease and specializes in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, immunology, microbiology and molecular biology. Provides advanced medical consultation with clinicians and interdisciplinary teams, laboratory oversight, regulatory compliance and medical education as well as performs new test development, research and ensures quality in all testing.

What is a Laboratory Professional?

Laboratory professionals examine and analyze body fluids and cells. They may also prepare specimens for examination, test specimens, and analyze results. Laboratory professionals include:

Medical Laboratory Scientists

Conduct a full range of routine and complex laboratory tests in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, immunology, microbiology molecular biology and/or urinalysis to provide information necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

Cytologists

Provide advanced diagnostic services and physician support by integrating morphologic interpretations with companion technologies.

Histotechnologists

Prepare and perform routine and complex histologic techniques (i.e., enzyme histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence) on tissue samples for microscopic examination by a pathologist to diagnose disease.

Histotechnicians

Prepare and process tissue samples for microscopic examination by a pathologist.

Pathologists' Assistants

Provide anatomic pathology services under the direction and supervision of a pathologist to perform gross examination and dissection of surgical pathology specimens and performance of postmortem examinations.

Medical Laboratory Technicians

Collect and process specimens to perform routine tests in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, immunology, microbiology and/or urinalysis.

Phlebotomists

Work face-to-face with patients to draw blood samples and process samples for analysis.

Medical Laboratory Assistants

Perform clerical tasks, process samples and provide support for clinical testing.