Lab Techs Can Work In More Places Than Hospitals
When we talk about Laboratory Technologists and Technicians we tend to think of working in a hospital or Doctor's office where test results come back quickly just like they do in the movies and on TV.
There are countless lab companies and testing centers all over the country that simply need lab techs and workers to get all of their work done before they get overwhelmed. Basically, a laboratory testing company has multiple locations that can run tests quickly and efficiently for medical clinics and doctor's offices that cannot house a lab themselves. Many times we forget about this, but if you've ever been to the doctor they usually say, "We'll send off for the results and contact you as soon as they come back".
Now, if you want to work as a lab tech and you're not sure where to start you simply need to look in the yellow pages. Lots of testing companies are housed in simple office parks that aren't as visible as a hospital or large medical practice. However, a simple look in the yellow pages will yield a fairly long list of medical testing companies that have "offices" near you where they do all the testing.
Well, what if you want to interact with people and don't want to be cooped up in an office park all day long running tests? You ever seen the places that advertise "Any Lab Test"? Yeah, those places do tests right on site and require people who can take blood and samples for testing, perform the tests, manage all the equipment, and deliver results. This is the kind of "retail" or "full-service" testing facility that will give you a VERY active job that is not even a little bit sedentary. Plus, these are the kinds of jobs that allow you to move swiftly into management and might even allow for a transition into management of larger testing facilities or hospitals laboratories.
What do you do if you're not able to find a job? You know that there are the same kinds of testing companies and laboratories for Veterinary purposes, right? We've talked a lot about Veterinary medicine on MedicalJobs.org and it would be silly to NOT mention the opportunities that exist in Veterinary medicine. So, if you like animals and want to do some lab work...there might be a job for you in Veterinary testing too!
Now, this doesn't mean that you can get EXACTLY the right lab tech job for you, but you can start somewhere. The jobs are out there, and you can easily get into a good career path by just starting somewhere. Just don't forget that the hospital lab is NOT the only lab in town.
