Latest medical innovations are transforming and creating increased demand for new workers in Canada to work as medical lab technologists, affirm educators.
Earlier, medical laboratory technicians (MLTs) had been working within the confines of five disciplines only including hematology, chemistry, diagnostic imaging, medical radiologic technology and hematology. However, the latest medical breakthroughs have resulted in creating a well-integrated field.
Sonja Chamberlin, academic chair for Clinical Support Services, School of Health and Public Safety, SAIT Polytechnic, Calgary, says that now it’s blending lines between various medical specialties.
Traditionally, one could see huge machines doing different set of things but now, majority of such equipment is small and mobile, said head of diagnostic imaging at SAIT, Marcia Docherty. Docherty added that most of the equipment is now hybrid.
The eligibility for becoming a medical laboratory technologist is a four-year degree or a three-year diploma program in their chosen fields. Medical technicians, on the other hand, get lower levels of training ranging from a six week duration course along with medical training at the workplace leading up to a diploma.
Medical technicians are not regulated in Canada while MLTs are regulated throughout Canada. More and more insurance companies are seeing a demand for mobile lab technicians.
Program director at Robe Tech Institute in Ontario, Jeanelle Robles says there is an increasing visible trend for integration of rehabilitation, physiotherapy and lab technician training.
And the shortfall of people with medical technology skills is being felt in almost all provinces throughout Canada since the supply of people with such skills has not seen a rise ever since the global economic slowdown in Canada, states Allen Billy, dean of School of Health and Public Safety, SAIT, Calgary. So, there are increased number of jobs in Canada for MLTs.
The fact that there is a great demand for the MLT jobs in Canada is further proved by the example of a student who was offered a permanent job in Canada upon graduating two years later immediately after being accepted into a diploma program of diagnostic medical stenography, informs Billy.
The role of MLTs is vital in providing services of health-care in Canada since about 85 percent of the critical data concerning the health record of any patient comes from them, says Kathy Wilkie, who happens to be the executive director of the College of Medical Laboratory Technologists, Ontario.
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