There is no limit to the opportunities in the Army — so there's no limit to what you can learn and achieve. The Army strengthens you, and your future, with expert training in one of over 150 different jobs for Soldiers on Active Duty and over 120 in the Army Reserve.

 

From working with computers to assisting physicians to fixing helicopters, there's an Army job right for you — providing the experience that will give you an edge over those in the civilian world. The Army also offers you money for college and the chance to interview with America's top corporations.

 

Medical Laboratory Specialist

 

Without medical laboratories, the clinical tests required to detect and identify patient diseases couldn't be performed. Without medical laboratory technicians, there wouldn't be anyone to perform them. As integral members of the medical laboratory technician team, Medical Laboratory Specialists conduct tests on the tissue, blood and body fluids of patients.

 

Some of your duties as a Medical Laboratory Specialist may include:

• Performing clinical laboratory and blood-banking procedures.
• Using lab equipment to analyze specimens of tissue, blood and body fluids
• Performing elementary clinical laboratory and blood-banking procedures.
• Using lab equipment to analyze specimens of tissue, blood and body fluids
• Examining blood and bone marrow under microscopes
• Testing specimens for bacteria or viruses
• Drawing blood from patients
• Assisting in the collection of specimens at autopsies (medical examinations of the dead)
• Recording and filing results of laboratory tests

 

Training

Job training for a Medical Laboratory Specialist consists of nine weeks of Basic Training, where you'll learn basic Soldiering skills, and 52 weeks of Advanced Individual Training, including practice in testing specimens. Part of this time is spent in the classroom and part in the field. Some of the skills you learn are:

 

• Medical laboratory procedures
• Study of human parasites and diseases
• Laboratory administration and record keeping

 

Helpful Skills

 

Helpful attributes include:

• An interest in biology, chemistry and algebra
• An interest in scientific and technical work
• An ability to follow detailed procedures precisely

 

Advanced Responsibilities

Advanced level Medical Laboratory Specialists supervise and train other Soldiers within the same discipline. As an advanced level Medical Laboratory Specialist, you may be involved in Performing elementary blood banking and clinical laboratory procedures in hematology, immunohematology, biochemistry, serology, bacteriology, parasitology and urinalysis.

 

Related Civilian Jobs

The skills you learn, as a Medical Laboratory Specialist will help prepare you for a future with privately owned laboratories, hospitals, clinics or research institutions.

 

The certifications available to you after continued study and experience are: Medical Laboratory Technician, Cytotechnologist and Clinical Laboratory Technician. Certain restrictions apply, and specific educational criteria must be met before you can qualify for certification.

 

Contact information can be found to the right of this posting or click the apply now button to submit your resume.