Laboratory Careers
Education and Professional Development
Our staff includes skilled professionals that act as consultants and teachers in our laboratory, in our system and for our customers. Our partnerships with regional colleges and universities create opportunities for clinical training internships for many degree and certificate programs including clinical laboratory scientist, clinical laboratory technician, histology technician, medical secretary and phlebotomy. On-the-job training is provided for some positions to individuals with prior medical or related education.
Staff Benefits
- Comprehensive orientation
- Continuing education
- Mentoring
- Tuition reimbursement
- Growth opportunities
Laboratory Careers
Laboratory career opportunities exist in hospital, clinic and private laboratories, as well as research, public health, sales and marketing, consulting, health administration and education. Lab Careers Information (PDF)
The following careers may be available within CentraCare Laboratory Services:
- Phlebotomist
Collects blood samples from the patient for specific laboratory testing. To do this, the phlebotomy technician must create an atmosphere of trust and confidence with patients while drawing blood specimens in a skillful, safe and reliable manner. A high school diploma is the minimum requirement. Grade from a phlebotomy or phlebotomy-related program is preferred.
- Laboratory Assistant
Collects blood samples from the patient and provides additional support in the laboratory. Responsibilities include: specimen handling/processing, performing low complexity testing, culture set-up, data entry, diagnostic coding, patient registration, and other customer service duties. A high school diploma is the minimum requirement. Previous experience, education or training is preferred.
- Medical Secretary
(Diploma/Associate Degree)
Works closely with the pathologists to transcribe pathology reports to assure accurate and detailed diagnostic information. Other responsibilities include administrative assistant functions, checking billing accuracy and the distribution of laboratory and pathology reports.
- Clinical Laboratory Technician
(Associate Degree)
Performs clinical laboratory procedures in chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunohematology, immunology and other areas of the clinical laboratory. The data is used by a physician to determine the presence and extent of disease and to monitor the patient’s treatment.
- Histology Technician/Technologist
(Associate/Baccalaureate Degree)
Prepares very thin sections of body tissues for microscopic examination. The technician cuts the tissues, mounts them on slides and stains them with special dyes to make the cell details visible under the microscope. The slides help the pathologist and surgeon determine if disease is present and if it has spread — helping direct the best course of treatment for the patient.
- Clinical Laboratory Scientist
(Baccalaureate Degree)
Performs laboratory tests on blood and other body fluids to help determine the cause of diseases. Because the tests are vital to medical treatment, the clinical laboratory scientist not only must know how to perform these tests with scientific precision and accuracy, but must be well-educated in the scientific principles. They must monitor quality to maintain high performance and also may supervise personnel, conduct research and develop new tests and methodologies.
- Cytotechnologist
(Baccalaureate Degree)
Examines human cell samples under the microscope to detect early signs of cancer and other diseases. With expert eyes, the cytotechnologist looks for the smallest abnormalities in color, shape and size that can be clues to the presence of disease. The cytotechnologist issues the final report on specimens that contain normal cells. When abnormal cells are present, the cytotechnologist works with a pathologist to determine a final diagnosis.
- Pathologist
(Medical Doctorate)
A medical doctor who examines tissues and is responsible for the accuracy of laboratory tests. Pathologists interpret the results of these examinations and tests — information that is important for the patient’s diagnosis and recovery. The pathologist and the patient’s other doctors consult on which tests to order, test results and appropriate treatments.
