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Medical laboratory specialist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. Stacy Walz Ph.D,
Jennifer Larimore Ph.D.
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical medical laboratory specialist skills. We ranked the top skills for medical laboratory specialists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 14.9% of medical laboratory specialist resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a medical laboratory specialist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 medical laboratory specialist skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use patients:
  • Developed and maintained Access database for Hemophilia Center patients.
  • Checked patients in for laboratory procedures.

2. Urinalysis

Urinalysis can be defined as a urine test that helps examine the physical and chemical properties of urine. A test of this nature is mostly conducted to help aid in various medical diagnoses. The examination is carried out through test strips and as well through microscopes. Factors such as odor, color, transparency, and even volume play a key role in forming a diagnosis.

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use urinalysis:
  • Processed specimens in the areas of chemistry, toxicology, hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, serology, and microbiology.
  • Conducted testing using different methodologies across Chemistry, Urinalysis, Hematology, Microbiology, Blood Bank, and serology.

3. Body Fluids

Body fluid can be described as any fluid produced by a living organism e.g. human body. In the human body, the fluid can be classified into two major types according to their location: the intracellular fluid and the extracellular fluid. The extracellular fluid is located outside the cell(s) while the intracellular fluid is located within the cell(s).

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use body fluids:
  • Conducted tests on the tissue, blood, and body fluids.
  • Determined normal and abnormal components of body fluids by conducting chemical analyses using microscopic techniques and procedures as ordered by physicians.

4. Hematology

Hematology is the name of that branch of medicine that deals with all the matters pertaining to blood. The branch also deals with the treatment of blood-related diseases, predicting the outcome of developing diseases, the prevention of all such diseases, and their treatment.

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use hematology:
  • Gained experience in Chemistry, Hematology and Serology sections of the laboratory.
  • Head of Hematology and Medical Technologist.

5. Blood Specimens

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use blood specimens:
  • Dispensed and dispatched blood specimens to various departments manually by categorizing according to test requirements.
  • Collected venous and capillary blood specimens.

6. Capillary Puncture

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use capillary puncture:
  • Performed venipuncture and capillary puncture on diverse population following principles and policies of safe practice.
  • Obtained patients specimen via venipuncture or capillary puncture on newborn up to geriatric populations.

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7. Blood Products

Blood products refer to the therapeutic substances that can be obtained from human blood. This includes blood plasma, blood platelets, and red blood cells as well as "whole blood." These components are used for several medical purposes, such as blood transfusions and assisting those with blood diseases.

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use blood products:
  • Cross match Blood products with patient samples to ensure compatibility for transfusion, using both tube and gel methods.
  • Performed shipping and receiving of blood products.

8. Serology

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use serology:
  • Process shipping and receiving of HIV and various other serology specimens for confirmation results.
  • Contributed substantially to successful department JCAHO accreditation Experience in Chemistry, Blood Bank, Hematology, Coagulation and Microbiology and Serology.

9. Clinical Chemistry

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use clinical chemistry:
  • Operated and calibrated an assortment of laboratory/testing equipment in all areas and performed various clinical chemistry, microscopic and bacteriologic tests.
  • Performed all phases of specimen analysis for MSKCC's clinical chemistry laboratory, including calibrations and quality control.

10. Clinical Laboratory Procedures

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use clinical laboratory procedures:
  • Performed advanced clinical laboratory procedures and blood donor center operations including quality assurance documentation.

11. Microbiology

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use microbiology:
  • Prepared and performed media culture for analysis & testing for microbiology with proper inoculation and testing methods.
  • Develop and authored current laboratory manual for Medical Microbiology and Immunology Laboratory.

12. Phlebotomy

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use phlebotomy:
  • Performed Phlebotomy procedures for collection of donor blood samples for laboratory testing.
  • Worked in anatomical pathology, transfusion services/blood donor center, STAT labs, forensic toxicology drug testing, and phlebotomy.

13. ASCP

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use ascp:
  • Earned 68 K (Medical Laboratory Specialist) Military Occupational Specialty Earned ASCP Certification through the Army's MLT Program.
  • Experienced and ASCP certified Medical Technologist with a specialization in Molecular Diagnostics and a thorough working knowledge of CLIA Laboratory practices.

14. Blood Bank

A blood bank is a place where blood is gathered, stored, and preserved for later use for blood transfusion. A blood bank is also referred to a department of a hospital where blood and plasma are stored after testing it. It is also responsible for separating blood components like platelets, red blood cells and plasma from that blood and returning the remaining components to the donor.

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use blood bank:
  • Received intensive theoretical and practical training in all clinical procedures including Blood Bank and donor processing.
  • Administered and maintained blood bank information systems.

15. Proficiency Testing

Here's how medical laboratory specialists use proficiency testing:
  • Run and report proficiency testing from CAP and CDC.
  • Create reports and submit information correctly and in a timely manner sustaining 100% proficiency testing.
top-skills

What skills help Medical Laboratory Specialists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on medical laboratory specialist resumes?

Dr. Stacy Walz Ph.DDr. Stacy Walz Ph.D LinkedIn profile

Department Chair, Assistant Dean for Special Projects, College of Nursing & Health Professions, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Resiliency, quick-to-learn, team player, excellent communication skills, experience with molecular testing methods, attention to detail, initiative.

What soft skills should all medical laboratory specialists possess?

Jennifer Larimore Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Agnes Scott College

Teamwork, leadership, working with a diverse team.

What hard/technical skills are most important for medical laboratory specialists?

Jennifer Larimore Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Agnes Scott College

Ability to run PCRs, ability to run gel electrophoresis, statistical analysis

What medical laboratory specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Janice Conway-Klaassen Ph.D.Janice Conway-Klaassen Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor & Director, Medical Laboratory Sciences Program, Mildred King Rohwer Chair in Medical Technology, University of Minnesota

We don't recommend a gap year at all, even with the pandemic. Graduates need to take the national certification exam as soon as possible after graduation, as exam research shows a significant drop in certification exam passing rates after six months. If a student cannot take full-time employment, we recommend taking a part-time or per diem position (sometimes called casual or on-call) to keep active with their practice, knowledge, and skills.

What type of skills will young medical laboratory specialists need?

Keith Belcher Ph.D.

Professor, Medical Laboratory Science Director, Medical Laboratory Science Program, Georgia Southern University-Armstrong Campus

Technology in the field of medical laboratory science is undergoing rapid change, so the knowledge, skills, and abilities of a medical laboratory scientist are constantly evolving; the most rapid change is occurring in the field of molecular diagnostics. To keep up with those changes in our program, we are constantly updating our curriculum and introducing the use of more molecular technology to our students. Students are currently trained in the classical areas of microbiology, immunology, immunohematology, hematology, and analysis of urine and body fluids. As testing protocols for each of these classic areas change, we attempt to keep up with those changes. It is like trying to hit a continuously moving target. We try to provide our students with the necessary skills and abilities to be able to adapt to this constantly changing field.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about medical laboratory specialist

List of medical laboratory specialist skills to add to your resume

Medical laboratory specialist skills

The most important skills for a medical laboratory specialist resume and required skills for a medical laboratory specialist to have include:

  • Patients
  • Urinalysis
  • Body Fluids
  • Hematology
  • Blood Specimens
  • Capillary Puncture
  • Blood Products
  • Serology
  • Clinical Chemistry
  • Clinical Laboratory Procedures
  • Microbiology
  • Phlebotomy
  • ASCP
  • Blood Bank
  • Proficiency Testing
  • FDA
  • Laboratory Instruments
  • Test Results
  • Patient Samples
  • Medical Laboratory Equipment
  • MLT
  • Blood Samples
  • Immunology
  • QC
  • Lab Results
  • Hospital Policies
  • Electrophoresis
  • Chemical Analysis
  • DNA
  • Stat
  • Blood Pressure
  • Iris
  • Blood Donors
  • Blood Counts
  • Tissue Samples
  • HIV
  • Microorganisms
  • Routine Laboratory Tests
  • EKG
  • Specimen Handling
  • CHCS
  • EMR
  • Quality Control Procedures
  • Blood Components
  • Experimental Procedures
  • Drug Screens
  • Blood Cultures

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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