Salary and demand of Medical Technologist.

We the Medical Technologist always had being place at the of the line. Always the favorit of the Hospital are the Nurses and the Doctors. But the reality is that we have more educations and skills than the nurse and we deserve better salary and benefits. The reality is that we are in extintion because not body take any more the MT carreer for the low salary, low benefits, low stimation for the administration and few future of our career. This is the moment that we have the oportunity to ask for better benefits. Do not bite the "clichet" That we are in tremendous crisis. The true is that the Hospital is making Trillion of dollars. This is the most rich industry in our country not even the mafia of the goverment can bite the white mafia.
If you do not give yourself the place that you deserve, no body will give to you.
You can give me your opinion to:
LazaroRGonzalez@msn.com

Ok this is all true but what will you do about it. I have suggested forming CLS unions to protect our rights and get the word out about the career.

I think is a VERY GOOD idea make a National Union of Medical Technologist but this is a hard work.
We have to have Legal Assesor, Promotions, Economic help, Contact the Political Representant and Senators, Governors, Be able to reach the most Medical Technologist as we can and do it.
I am ready to fight are you?
LazaroRGonzalez@msn.com

I any of the Medical Technologist who read this blog want to see the hole article request to me to LazaroRGonzalez@msn.com
the two of the start:
They What is like to be an MT. By Lázaro R González BS.
The Advance Magazine Feb. 12, 2007 Vol 19 No 4 Pag 14
We are in the middle of transcendental changes like terrorism, the increasing prices of gas, the increase in the cost of medical, home and auto insurance, the increases of taxes just to mention a few. We are also facing industrial and government corruption and immorality, including the health care industry. The increasing cost of living is tremendous, the economists sustain that the annual inflation is about 5% but the reality is that if you take into consideration the increment for the cost of basic products you use everyday the inflation is between 7 to 9%. If you as a Medical Technologist receive a 2 or 3% raise per year, sometimes not even that, then we is seeing that we are facing an annual average decrease in our salary of about 5%.
I have heard managers claim that the lab the way the Laboratory is like a hole where the hospital money goes, meaning that the laboratory reports loses for the hospital. I truly believe this is nothing but a psychological game to diminish the great role that we as medical technologists play in returning health to the patients. In reality the laboratory in any hospital produces about 20 to 25% of the hospital revenue. In many places we are not even considered as professionals even thou we have to obtain a four year degree from an accredited University of college, we also need to obtain and be affiliated to some estate or national certification such as ASCP, AMT, NCA, etc. We are required to take 21 hours of contact education every two years, do competency testing every three months, pay to renew our Estate Licensure. We are also required to at

Lazaro R Gonzalez in Miami, Florida said: We the Medical Technologist always had being place at the of the line. Always the favorit of the Hospital are the Nurses and the Doctors. But the reality is that we have more educations and skills than the nurse and we deserve better salary and benefits. The reality is that we are in extintion because not body take any more the MT carreer for the low salary, low benefits, low stimation for the administration and few future of our career. This is the moment that we have the oportunity to ask for better benefits. Do not bite the "clichet" That we are in tremendous crisis. The true is that the Hospital is making Trillion of dollars. This is the most rich industry in our country not even the mafia of the goverment can bite the white mafia.
If you do not give yourself the place that you deserve, no body will give to you.
You can give me your opinion to:
LazaroRGonzalez@msn.com

I agree with your comment. I've only been a medical technologist for 3 years, and I have already experienced the degradation and lack of respect from other healthcare professionals. I work in a hospital, and like you stated, nurses receive much more respect and recognition. Medical technologists have the same 4 year dregree as an RN, but we get paid much less. Even the shift differentials from hospitals are more for RNs than they are for MTs. I think the income of RNs and MTs should be at least equivalent (since they both have 4 year degrees in the same field).

CLS48 in California said: Ok this is all true but what will you do about it. I have suggested forming CLS unions to protect our rights and get the word out about the career.

That's the problem...We, as MTs, don't have a union. I think organizing a union would be a great idea.

I'm working as a medical technologist in Quebec, Canada for 10 years and we experience the lack of respect and recognition as well. Luckely, we have a union when you work for the health system, so your salary is legislated.

Respect is not given with a position or degree it's earned.

Simple Me go work at walmart and earn your respect there.

This may be a little deep for you but your problems are created by you. It took me about 10 years in the lab to figure things out and earn the respect I couldn't see in the first place. Read a little Zen and quit blaming others. By the way I know a person that works at Walmart that I respect a great deal. I would still respect them without it but they do have a masters.

Simple Me in Los Angeles, California said: Respect is not given with a position or degree it's earned.

I read several of your comments. I want to answer to you directly.
1) When a man is hiden under a ficticius name is less than a roach.
My name is Profesor Lazaro R Gonzalez and my e-mail is LazaroRGonzalez@msn.com
Will you dare to place your real name and e-mail?
2) What I do is not a problem fighting for no only my own respect but also for the respect of all my coworker.
When some body do not give to me or my coworker, respect I request by the law and if they do not respect me by the law they have to respect me as a MAN.
You loock to my very sofly The law give you your rights but only few person obeid the law, them you have to do your part.
The medicals Technologist is the heart of the hospital with out us the hospital have to close and they have to recognize this and paid for our work. Will you like to explained to me why the nurses earn about $ 40/hours and the MTs about $27/hour the most fortunate. We have more studies then their we are more prepare, we work more, have more responsability over the patients.
I respect the workers at walmar but also all the workers wherever they work because they are not parasites smoking marihuana or other drugs, mantain their family and live in decency.
My thear MT's fight (All together not as only one person) for your rights because if you don't the administration of the hospital do not give to you.
Good look and God bless all of you.

You're a professor?
Why, just because of education alone, would you think the lab should be paid as well as nurses? They had to come up with something for the 3 year degree and those courses seemed the most technical.

this report is a disgrace for us with BS. DEGREE MT... PLS READ: hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-good_pay_without_a_4_year_degree-889

Thanks for the laugh. I can just see inflated ego's popping all over the place.

"Clinical laboratory technologist
Science nuts who regularly watch "CSI" might want to consider this line of work. Clinical lab techs examine tissue and body fluids under a microscope and test them for diseases. This field is expected to grow as new diagnostic tests continue to be developed, says Shatkin. Entry into the field requires at least a two-year training course from either a technical college or hospital. $47,081."

Of course MLTs like Larry like the low salary, he is happy to have a job with a AS degree in health care. Mlts will say anything to keep their degree's relavent. Mlt's have virtually no student loans and less education, that is why the ASCP had to create a simple test for their category, it's not like nursing, if you are a AS RN or BS Rn they take the same license (nclexx) so they are equivilant in knowledge.

So that is why some on here like the low salaries (mlt) they are happy to have a job. That is why they will always be considered as cheap labor till their are standards entry level in the lab: BS MT (ASCP).
So larry aka spot and joker, keep saying the lab does not deserve to be equal in salary to other anciallry professions, bc we will always consider you as cheap labor bc of your comments.

Hey Ricky the transient, I can tell I'm getting to you.

Yes I am a Chemistry Profesor but I work in the Laboratory as Supervisor. Because be a profesor here is worse than be MT. believe me.
But I wrote this article "Why the MT abandon the ship" because I am sick and tire to see the abuse of the administration about the salary, the conditions in the work area and the way the adm. deal with the MT.
I am very happy because my article wrote on Advance Magazine for Medical Laboratory Profesionals. When I send the Article to the Chif editor He ask: Are you cracy? But I know that it will start a very dificult time for me inside the lab. Because I confront the Adm. of the Hospital with the TRUE They ending firing me but I am an exceptional worker and very good MT. I find a new job with more money a better conditions.
But if you are a "yes" person you will keep the job, but you are not be happy. If every body do the same we will be a nations of unhappy citizen. Some body have to suffer to get what you want to get.
I every body in the lab go aut the lab and simply sid down at the side walk of the street in front of the Hospital with your demand
they will solve the situation INMEDIATELY. Of course if you do this you have to put it clear that if the fire any one. Your going to return to sit in the same place until they give back the job lost for retaliation.
I am very happy for the answer of all of you include the ones that not agree with me.
Profesor Lazaro R Gonzalez Mino
LazaroRGonzalez@msn.com

Thanks Lazaro for standing up for MTs rights. It will be people like you that will bring standards to the lab for MTs.

There are standards and I understand why the professor works in the lab.

The state legislators and the Pathologists get together and set standards. Then everyone starts griping about the decisions because it doesn't make them feel special. With all this back stabbing and griping it's no wonder the job is the way it is. Each little money making organization wants their huge piece of the pie and that's it. They're not trying to promote you they're trying to make more money for them.

LazaroRGonzalez in Miami, Florida said: I read several of your comments. I want to answer to you directly.
1) When a man is hiden under a ficticius name is less than a roach.
My name is Profesor Lazaro R Gonzalez and my e-mail is LazaroRGonzalez@msn.com
Will you dare to place your real name and e-mail?
2) What I do is not a problem fighting for no only my own respect but also for the respect of all my coworker.
When some body do not give to me or my coworker, respect I request by the law and if they do not respect me by the law they have to respect me as a MAN.
You loock to my very sofly The law give you your rights but only few person obeid the law, them you have to do your part.
The medicals Technologist is the heart of the hospital with out us the hospital have to close and they have to recognize this and paid for our work. Will you like to explained to me why the nurses earn about $ 40/hours and the MTs about $27/hour the most fortunate. We have more studies then their we are more prepare, we work more, have more responsability over the patients.
I respect the workers at walmar but also all the workers wherever they work because they are not parasites smoking marihuana or other drugs, mantain their family and live in decency.
My thear MT's fight (All together not as only one person) for your rights because if you don't the administration of the hospital do not give to you.
Good look and God bless all of you.

Why would a comment of respect is earned and not given cause any dissent? This is certainly a world of freebies. Doctors and Nurses have to go face to face and tell a family member good news and sometimes very bad news. I get to, thankfully, hide behind a wall. I let them have the respect of patients and administrators and I'll take the twenty percent less pay. If I wanted the hospitals respect I would leave the safety of the inner sanctum and go meet and help the outside world. At our hospital the phlebotomists get awar

At our hospital the phlebotomists get awards all the time and get to go on the big stage. Whoopee thank God I don't stick any longer like in the old days. They are visible and they are rewarded.

Simple Me in Los Angeles, California said: Nurses have to go face to face and tell a family member good news and sometimes very bad news. I get to, thankfully, hide behind a wall. I let them have the respect of patients and administrators and I'll take the twenty percent less pay.

If you are a CLS and you are indeed from Los Angeles, CA like your name says, than you don't have a 20% decrease in pay. Your pay should be about the same as nurses and we are the highest paid CLSs in the country, so there's no reason for you to make that statement. However, if you are a technician then I can understand why you'd say that because technicians here get paid as much as phlebotomists.

I thought all the MT ASCP's just sat back and verified the MLT's results, took all the credit and drank lattes. Maybe nurses make more than MT's after all.

Larry in Richardson, Texas said: I thought all the MT ASCP's just sat back and verified the MLT's results, took all the credit and drank lattes. Maybe nurses make more than MT's after all.

Larry, that's pretty much all we do and our range of pay is $30 to $46 depending on experience. However, they don't let us drink lattes in the lab, that's done on break. I usually enjoy reading a magazine. Nurses start at $30 and make all the way to $50 with specialization and so forth.

So no, nurses really don't get more than us where I'm at.

I think California is the state who pay better to the MT but out side of there no body pass from $30/hour and this is the top of the banana and fron there you will not received more salary increase. They give to you a bonus and this bonus is optinal. If you sneze at the lab you will lost your bonuses.
I am to old but I recomend to all you if you want respect you have to fight for it and if you want money ... The lab is not the place because is the sicker part of the hospital.
The Laboratorians have to make a Union or other Organization to represent them. I fell sorry for the Lab people who is resignate to they fate. Good loock.

Larry in Richardson, Texas said: I thought all the MT ASCP's just sat back and verified the MLT's results, took all the credit and drank lattes. Maybe nurses make more than MT's after all.

MT have to perform alot of all, and drinking and eating are not allow in LAB >___<

The MT jobs are really dignity based work but we MT's are not treated as important part of medical feild as given 2 a Doctor & Nurses.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

I have my masters degree in biochemistry from india and 3 years work experience as a MLT from my place.I got my MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIST certification from AMT IN FEB.Will this be enough to get a job in U.S or do i need anything else?

Yes that should be enough, but you should check with your license board. Good Luck.

kavithasaravanan in Kennesaw, Georgia said: I HAVE A QUESTION.

I have my masters degree in biochemistry from india and 3 years work experience as a MLT from my place.I got my MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIST certification from AMT IN FEB.Will this be enough to get a job in U.S or do i need anything else?

I'm about to start the MT program in august. After reading all these i am really worried. Is it really that bad? I have an AA degree and tranfering to the program i thought was a great move. Now i don't know what to do.

Well every thing depending of what you want. I the United States te science never paid unless you are Bombrown or Einstain. If you want to be respect and apreciate $$$$ to be a MT is not the answer. The carrer who give $atisfaction are the carrer relacionate to the money Finacing, Acountan, etc. If you want to do something amusing the arts is the answer but you have to have talent to be an actor, designer, producer, painter, sculptor, etc.
If you want bought by politician is the field.
We live in the same city if you want more information e-mail me.
Profesor LazaroRGonzalez@msn.com

Thank you Dr.kulkarni.License is not required in the state of georgia.

I was wondering if Medical Technologists are offered overtime like in most nursing specialties & how much usually? I'd be willing to work at least 12 to 20 hrs overtime. And if not, do any of you guys take on a second job (part time or full time if crazy enough lol), I'm thinking it would be easy to since most hospitals offer all 3 shifts and there are a ton of jobs out there. You shouldn't just look at these kinda websites like indeed or monster, just about every hospital in major cities have openings for med technologists. And it seems that yes the pay is kinda lousy, but it's def worth it if you got your degree at a state university with out having so much student loan debt. You guys shouldn't compare this to nursing, try comparing it to staff biologists or industrial chemists jobs. The pay is about the same or less than for entry level medical technologists.

okay, here's the deal. Med Techs do not get paid as well as RNs for two reasons:

one: there is no patient contact per se so therefore the job is less demanding in that respect. We get the "luxury" of not having to deal with cranky, sick, smelly people so that definitely has an impact on pay.

two: as long as MLTs are allowed to work side by side with MTs, our salaries will be lower. There has to be a point where hospitals will only accept highly skilled, well-trained MTs whose degrees come from a Medical Laboratory Science program offering a BS. Hospitals are willing to let anyone work in the lab as long as they have a few "real" techs to oversee the hacks. Anyone with any type of science degree can go and work as a tech in a hospital and if they are willing to train you in three areas of the clinical lab you can now sit for the certification exam. So if have management that will vouch that you are trained in certain areas, and you can study for the exam, well now you can sit for the specialist exam and voila- you are now paid the same as someone who studied what amounts to pre-med for four years and has the theory behind her. Herein is our biggest obstacle. I see it all the time. We have to stop letting anyone and everyone into our profession. Get the specialized education like I did!

Oh yeah, a union would be helpful too. as well as national licensure. In Mass, you don't have to be licensed to be a analyze patient samples in a clincal lab but if you want to be a hairdresser, the state requries you to be liseced.

that's my take.

oh one more thing- we have to start demanding higher salaries. I was recently offered a job for $25.00 an hour and turned it down. Luckily I am not completely desperate. That's chump change for my skills and talent as far as I'm concerned. I get compensated into the mid thirties with 11 years experience. If we all drew a line in the sand then employers would have no choice. Which leads me back to my second point in the above post. As long as underskilled and undereducated people are allowed to pose as MTs, we won't have much recourse.

We absolutely need a UNION to bring us all together; we can't fight as individuals and we shouldn't be fighting and denigrating each other. We are all in this mess together. The hospital I used to work in had a union vote and it was voted down by a slim margin; what a disappointment! we were bought out and ripped apart and re-offered jobs at low-balled wages. Between that and mergers, I'm shocked I'm still a Med Tech. My current hospital is unhealthy...too much $$$ for nurses and bigwigs; and they have the balls to come to us and say "what can the LAB do to cut back??" HUH? the lab MAKES MONEY, you IDIOTS! Why don't you just kill the goose who's laying your golden eggs? I'm sick of it but I'm too old to leave the field and start something new. All I can do is hang on till I've paid off bills and then go per diem and work when I damn well please.

This field has NO VOICE, it is run by the PATHOLOGIST, that will NEVER ADVOCIATE for the lab. I have been trying to get the hell out ever since I graduated from my MT program.

I just need a good PCAT score, then I am going into pharmacy, were the pharmacist control the profession, not the MD's, hence the 50/hour salary.

This will forever be a STEPPING STONE, all the bright minds leaving this profession for profession not run by MD's, pharmacy, physical therapy.

I don't have a problem with RN's making more than me. They have to work with patients, which is something I simply can not do. It's not that I don't like people, but that I can't distance myself from their pain and fear. It gnaws at me to the point where I just want to go sob for a few hours in a dark closet. I know this because I did a lot of clinical contact volunteering when I thought I wanted to be an M.D. I'm glad I took the time to do it and learned before I committed to the expense of the MCAT, applications fees, and had I been accepted, the staggering cost of tuition.

I don't have a problem with the current rate of pay for MT's in my state--it's about 10% higher than what I made in academic research as a technician. I'm happy with a decent rate of pay for doing something I like to do a lot (be at the bench). I like machines, I like data entry, I like wet bench work, I like molecular work...I can't even tell you, now that I'm in a CLS program, which specialty I like best.

Hi I am doing a career project in school on being a medical technologist..? You are one correct? I was wondering,if you have any time could I interview you about your career? I would have to do this within a week. Please email me:amandaquinn20@yahoo.com with your decision thank you sincerely, Amanda Quinn

lisa in Las Vegas, Nevada said: I don't have a problem with RN's making more than me. They have to work with patients, which is something I simply can not do. It's not that I don't like people, but that I can't distance myself from their pain and fear.

I make the same amount as a staff RN which is not specialized. I don't agree with the above argument. CLSs should make more because we have a higher education and more knowledge. Without our results, doctors and nurses would be irrelevant to patients. RNs just have a larger lobby and many are unionized so that's why their pay is higher.

CLS48 in California said: I make the same amount as a staff RN which is not specialized. I don't agree with the above argument. CLSs should make more because we have a higher education and more knowledge. Without our results, doctors and nurses would be irrelevant to patients. RNs just have a larger lobby and many are unionized so that's why their pay is higher.

u are the only poster i pretty much listen to. you offer fair insights, and place facts over more opinionated thoughts. you also possess a vast knowledge of the profession. i think you are capable of starting a www.clsforum.com or something similar!

and your right - Did Nurses have to take Biochemistry with medical students!

Thanks. I actually thought about starting a CLS forum, but I'd have to have my own server and it costs alot of money.

CLS48 in California said: Thanks. I actually thought about starting a CLS forum, but I'd have to have my own server and it costs alot of money.

lol true, and with varied cls salaries, there won't be much donations from users! but really, i didn't know u needed to purchase a server.

by the way, how much do technicans generally make around the bay area? i am from new york, and plan to move around there with my fiance soon. i plan to be cls, but if not accepted i might just finish with a technican degree.

ifwishwerehorses in Centereach, New York said:
by the way, how much do technicans generally make around the bay area? i am from new york, and plan to move around there with my fiance soon. i plan to be cls, but if not accepted i might just finish with a technican degree.

Well the thing is, in CA there really is no MLT in existence yet. The state barely started it a few years ago but hospitals and reference labs don't have any MLTs yet. There are just CLSs and then there are lab techs (not the same as an MLT, just with a high school degree or even a bachelors but not certified ASCP) or lab assistants and phlebotomists. CLSs in the bay area start at $36 an hr and are probably the highest paid in the country. I would think lab assistants probably hit max $19 an hour, and maybe in the low $20s with alot of experience. You have to also remember the cost of living in the bay area is pretty high.

The lab assistants cannot release results, only CLSs. In hospitals, they don't really use lab assistants in the technical areas. They only draw blood as phlebotomists.

In this state, it's not worth it to be an MLT. They will lump you with the "lab techs" or lab assistants and won't let you release results. This is probably why CLS pay is high relative to other states. If you plan to move here, you are better off getting your CLS. I don't see the MLT becoming prominent here any time soon.

This field is not regulated at all. Here is Texas it varies hospital to hospital. One hospital I worked at in Austin, MLT's could not work by themselves, there had to be one MT working at all times.

A couple of hours down the road in Dallas, MLT can work by themselves.

The only thing have seen is that MLT cannot be a department supervisor or lab director.

But this state has no regulation at all hence the 20-25/hour salary of MT with 5-10 year experience, if you ask for more they think your crazy.

I'm currently an ASCP Certified MLT. I recently got back from Iraq in late August. I have roughly less than a year of experience under my belt before I deployed for 2 deployments back to back. I moved to Houston to go to school--working towards my BSMT-- and thinking I would easily find a job as a lab tech... Well, 2 months passed, several resumes submitted and only one interview... and no job. I have been living on my savings from my deployment and I have a few more months left before I go broke. It really is sucking...

Tommy Nguyen in Houston, Texas said: I'm currently an ASCP Certified MLT. I recently got back from Iraq in late August. I have roughly less than a year of experience under my belt before I deployed for 2 deployments back to back. I moved to Houston to go to school--working towards my BSMT-- and thinking I would easily find a job as a lab tech... Well, 2 months passed, several resumes submitted and only one interview... and no job. I have been living on my savings from my deployment and I have a few more months left before I go broke. It really is sucking...

You may have to relocate.