SCHOOL OF SCIENCE
Medical Technology Option:
A Career in the Medical Laboratory
Modem medicine would be impossible without
the tests performed in clinical laboratories. Medical teams of
pathologists, specialists, technologists, and technicians work
together to determine the presence, extent, or absence of disease
and provide data needed to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment.
Laboratory procedures require an array of complex precision
instruments and a variety of automated and electronic
equipment. 
The current affiliation is with Saint Vincent Health Center in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Critical to high-quality health care is the assurance that individuals performing laboratory tests have the skills to carry out their responsibilities. Medical laboratory technologists must be accurate, reliable, have an interest in science, and recognize their responsibilities for human lives. Laboratory personnel of demonstrated competence are of prime importance to health care professions.
What is a Medical Technologist?
Medical technologists are responsible for the accurate performance of laboratory work by health-care providers. They must conduct a full range of laboratory tests, from the most routine to the most complex, with little or no supervision, and operate computers, precision instruments, and other complex equipment. Medical technologists may also work as supervisors, educators, or researchers.
What's Involved?
The four-year biology major at Penn State Behrend, has a variety of options. The medical technology option prepares students for careers in clinical laboratories. Following a rigorous science program in the first six semesters, students spend approximately twelve months at an affiliated hospital* during their senior year to complete the clinical phase of their baccalaureate studies.
A fixed number of spaces are available on a competitive basis of grade-point average and hospital approval. The B.S. degree in biology is awarded upon successful completion of the clinical study. Graduates are also eligible to take the national examination for certification and registry as medical technologists.
Career Paths
The demand for people trained in medical laboratory technology is expected to remain high. However, job availability is not uniform across the country. The following are examples of jobs that can be filled by a trained medical technologist:
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technician in a hospital clinical lab
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technician in a clinical reference lab
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technician in a doctor's office
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research technician
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technical specialist for medical products
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sales of medical products
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histotechnologist
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installation of clinical equipment
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computer analyst for a clinical lab
Option Requirements