If you’ve ever had a blood or urine sample test, a biopsy, or a strep throat or COVID swab, you’ve been in the care of a medical laboratory professional.
These highly trained experts analyze blood, body fluids, tissues, and other samples to reveal vital information about your health – information that’s essential to receiving an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
Through precise testing, lab professionals help patients and other health-care providers make a determination about what’s wrong, and how to move forward. They’re skilled at spotting patterns and detecting abnormalities that guide care decisions and improve patient outcomes.
From newborn screenings to cancer diagnoses, and from virus detection to genetic testing, medical laboratory professionals play a critical role in nearly every stage of care – delivering timely results, supporting diagnoses, and informing patient treatment plans.
MAHCP is proud to represent more than 1,600 medical laboratory professionals who are focused on helping Manitobans every day, and we are grateful for their specialized work. This week, we wish them all a happy #LabWeek!
MEMBER PROFILE
From Bench to Bedside: The Vital Role of Medical Laboratory Professionals to Patient Care
Read below to learn more about the different tests medical lab professionals perform.
Medical Laboratory Technologists (MLTs) analyze tissue samples, blood, and other body fluids. They provide results to physicians for a diagnosis and potential treatment plan. There are three MLT designations: General, Clinical Genetics, and Diagnostic Cytology.
General MLTs specialize in several areas:
Clinical Chemistry
- Tests blood and body fluid to detect chemicals, hormones, and/or drugs.
- Common Test: Glucose and Hemoglobin A1c to detect diabetes
Clinical Microbiology
- Tests blood, body fluid, and/or tissue samples to detect bacteria, fungi, viruses, and/or parasites.
- Common Test: Nasal swab to detect COVID-19
Hematology
- Detects diseases/disorders of the blood.
- Common Test: Hemoglobin to detect anemia
Transfusion Science
- Conducts blood typing and compatibility tests.
- Common Test: Cross-matching for blood transfusions
Histology
- Prepares samples of body tissue to detect disease.
- Common Test: Biopsy of a breast lump
Clinical Genetics MLTs:
- Specialize in DNA and chromosomal analysis to detect diseases or abnormalities.
- Common Test: Cheek swab or saliva test to detect genetic predisposition to certain cancers, like breast or stomach cancer
Diagnostic Cytology MLTs
- Specialize in microscopic cellular analysis to detect pre-cancerous cells, cancerous cells, and other cellular-based diseases.
- Common Test: Pap test specimen analysis to detect cervical cancer
Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLAs)
- Often collect samples directly from patients. They sort, prepare, and sometimes process samples which are analyzed by a Medical Laboratory Technologist.
- Common Practice: Blood collection