Medical Laboratory Technologists and Pathologists' Assistants (NOC 3211)

What They Do Pathologists' assistants perform some or all of the following duties: Prepare for autopsies by obtaining patients' medical records and arranging for radiographic examinations Assist with or perform autopsies and surgical specimen examinations under pathologists' supervision Dissect, examine, weigh and photograph organs and specimens, collect tissue specimens for chemical analysis and record findings May prepare bodies for release to funeral homes following completion of autopsies May train junior resident pathologists and train and supervise morgue attendants May perform the duties of a medical laboratory technologist in some hospitals. Conduct chemical analyses of blood, urine, and cerebro-spinal and other body fluids Study blood cells and other tissues to determine their relation to various physiological and pathological conditions Prepare tissue sections for microscopic examinations using techniques to demonstrate special cellular tissue elements or other characteristics Establish procedures for the analysis of specimens and for medical laboratory experiments Perform blood group, type and compatibility tests for transfusion purposes May supervise and train other medical laboratory technical staff, students and helpers May perform the duties of a pathologist's assistant in some hospitals. Medical laboratory technologists may specialize in areas such as clinical chemistry, clinical microbiology, hematology, histotechnology, immunohematology and cytotechnology.

Where They Find Work —    Top Occupational Areas Health care and social assistance 87% Educational services 4% People in this group work in medical laboratories in hospitals, private clinics, research institutions, and universities. The unionization rate (59%) is close to the average (32%) for all occupations. The highest concentrations (per 10,000 people) of Medical Laboratory Technologists and Pathologists' Assistants are found in Manitoba and Nova Scotia while the lowest concentrations are in Quebec and Prince Edward Island.

Related Occupation(s) Technical Occupations in Physical Sciences (NOC 221) Medical Laboratory Technicians (NOC 3212) Medical Technologists and Technicians (Except Dental) (NOC 321)

Something to Think About To enhance your professional knowledge and broaden your opportunities, consider: Continually updating your knowledge Improving interpersonal skills Setting standards and guidelines for safety/operations

Use the "Where They Find Work" graph to target your worksearch. It may be easier to get into industries with the most people in this field. Want to work in an industry that hires fewer workers in this field? To be more marketable, check out whether you have the most up-to-date knowledge and technology skills for that industry. Check the provincial/territorial or local information (http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca) for opportunities in your area.

What You Need To work in this field, you must have a post-secondary qualification and you may need certification by the Canadian Society of Medical Laboratory Science. To be a medical laboratory technologist, you need either a bachelor of science or medical laboratory science degree or a two- to three-year college program in medical laboratory technology. You must also have a period of supervised training. To be a medical laboratory technologist, you must be registered by a provincial regulatory body in New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. To be a pathologists' assistant, you must have either a bachelor of science degree or training and experience as a registered nurse, registered nursing assistant or medical laboratory technologist. You must also have specialized, on-the-job training. Most recent entrants have an undergraduate university degree.

Required/Related    Educational Programs* This will let you explore the program(s) of study that lead to this (these) occupation(s). Medical Laboratory Technologies (C550) Agriculture - Other (U613) Biology (U620) Psychology (U870) Sociology (U880) *  These educational programs are listed in the order in which they are most likely to supply graduates to this occupation.

Useful Experience/Skills Multidisciplinary teamwork Business procedures Interpersonal skills		Useful High School Subjects Chemistry Biology Math Physics English
Depending on your background, this Education, Training, and Experience info will help you to: Choose your high school courses Plan your post-secondary program Choose relevant volunteer work Decide what new skills to learn Read job ads, professional journals, and newspapers for what the industry needs and employers want. Talk to employers and employees to find out the exceptional skills and knowledge that will help you land a job.

Current Conditions Your work prospects are rated GOOD because: Employement grew at an above-average rate. Hourly wages ($24.17) are above the average ($18.07), and the rate of wage growth is close to the average. The unemployment rate (2%) is below the 2004 average (7%).

Work Prospects Current   Good   2009   Good

Outlook to 2009 Your work prospects will continue to be GOOD because: The employment growth rate will likely be above average because of ongoing trends--a growing and aging population that requires more health services, new technologies that improve the ability to diagnose disease, increased government funding for health care, and Canadians with health care insurance that covers more services. Although the retirement rate will likely be average, the number of retiring workers should contribute to job openings. The number of job seekers will likely match the number of job openings.

Preparing for the Competition You'll need to ensure that your skills keep pace with the rapidly changing medical technologies. You'll open up new opportunities by gaining skills in DNA testing.

If you are beginning your career investigation, national outlooks will give you a good overview of trends. Ready to explore an occupation in more detail? Check provincial/territorial or local outlooks (http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca).

What you can expect to make (Average Hourly Earnings ($/hour))
Age Group This Occupation All Occupations 20-24 $15.10 $11.74 25-54 $24.90 $19.76 55+   $19.59 Overall Average for Ages (20+) This Occupation All Occupations $24.17 $18.07		Hourly wages ($24.17) are above the national average ($18.07). These earnings are close to the average for occupations in the health sector and above average for all technical, professional, and skilled occupations. These wages grew at an average rate from 2002 to 2004.
Your salary can be affected by your background, the company's size and benefits, and the region and setting (urban or rural). Check out salaries in your own region by seeking info from: Employees/unions/associations Employers/human resource people Training institutions and placement services Company websites Professional/trade journals

Below the average
The unemployment rate (2%) is below the 2004 average (7%). This rate is below the average for technical, professional, and skilled occupations. A low unemployment rate often means less competition for the jobs available. But you still need to have the required training and experience. A high unemployment rate doesn't necessarily mean you'll have great difficulty getting hired. But it can mean a fluctuating demand for workers, and you may experience bouts of unemployment.		Year This Occupation All Occupations 1991 2% 10% 1992 2% 11% 1993 1% 11% 1994 3% 10% 1995 3% 10% 1996 4% 10% 1997 3% 9% 1998 0% 8% 1999 2% 8% 2000 0% 7% 2001 1% 7% 2002 1% 8% 2003 3% 8% 2004 2% 7%

% of part-time work is about the same as average
This Occupation All Occupations Full-time 85% 81% Part-time 15% 19%		There were 19,600 workers employed in these occupations in 2004, an increase of 11% since 1997. The percentage of part-time workers is 15% compared to the 2004 average (19%) and has stayed about the same since 1997.
When full-time work is difficult to find, look at alternatives such as contract work, consulting, shared positions, and telework.

Average
The percentage of self-employed workers (2%) is close to the 2004 average (15%)		This Occupation All Occupations Self-Employed 2% 15%
Does this occupation have an above-average rate of self-employment? Consider being your own boss if you can't find work with an employer.

Age Group This Occupation All Occupations 20-24 7% 10% 25-54 84% 72% 55+ 9% 12%		The retirement rate to 2009 will likely be average influenced by a similar-to-average age of workers (40).
Look at the youngest group. A low percentage means fewer openings for brand-new workers. A high percentage means more openings for brand-new workers. Look at the oldest age group. A high percentage means positions could open up from retirements. This could be significant for both mid-career changers and brand-new workers.

Above average
The percentage of women (84%) is above the 2004 average of 48% and has dropped since 1997.		This Occupation All Occupations Percent Women 84% 48%

This page last modified on: 2007-03-31