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Useful experience for medical laboratory technicians includes:

• laboratory work
• work in the health sector
• work with computers and information systems.

Medical laboratory technicians may do some or all of the following:

• take blood and other samples such as fingernail scrapings
• label samples
• reassure and care for patients they are taking samples from
• prepare slides of blood and other body fluids, and perform tests on these samples
• match blood for transfusions
• test for bacteria that can cause disease in patients
• perform antibiotic sensitivity and allergy testing.

Opportunities best for experienced medical laboratory technicians

Chances of getting a job as a trainee medical laboratory technician are average due to high competition for entry-level roles.

However, chances are good for experienced medical laboratory technicians due to:

• less competition for those roles
• more job vacancies
• staff turnover created by experienced medical laboratory technicians moving into other roles or retiring.

Medical laboratory technician appears on Immigration New Zealand's Green List. This means the Government is actively encouraging skilled medical laboratory technicians from overseas to work in New Zealand.

Medical laboratory pre-analytical technician appears on Immigration New Zealand's Green List. This means the Government is actively encouraging skilled medical laboratory pre-analytical technicians from overseas to work in New Zealand.

According to the Census, 1,491 medical laboratory technicians worked in New Zealand in 2018.

Types of employers varied

Medical laboratory technicians work for:

• private laboratories
• hospitals
• the New Zealand Blood Service.

Medical Sciences Council of New Zealand

(04) 801 6250 - mls@medsci.co.nz - www.mscouncil.org.nz

New Zealand Institute of Medical Laboratory Science (NZIMLS)

(03) 313 4761 - sharon@nzimls.org.nz - www.nzimls.org.nz

Experienced medical laboratory technicians may progress into managerial positions.

With further training, they may become medical laboratory scientists.

• Medical laboratory scientist job information

Medical laboratory technicians may specialise in a number of roles, including:

Donor Technician

Donor technicians collect blood and plasma from blood donors.

Phlebotomy Technician

Phlebotomy technicians collect blood and samples from patients for laboratory testing or for blood banks.

Specimen Services Technician

Specimen services technicians take blood, urine and tissue from patients to test in a laboratory. They also perform tests and procedures on patients.

• Phlebotomist job information

Medical laboratory technicians need to be:

• accurate, with an eye for detail
• able to work alone or in a team
• good at record-keeping
• sensitive when dealing with patients.

Medical laboratory technicians should not be squeamish, as their work involves body samples.