Clinical Laboratory Science - Prospects for the Future

Cutting Edge of Technology

Over 3,000 laboratory tests are currently available for diagnostic use. With the completion of the Human Genome Project, introduction of new medical technologies will cause this number to more than double. Genomic laboratory testing allows identification and quantification of:

infectious disease agents, e.g. bacterial, viral, or parasitic
cancer cells
inherited diseases
human cells, e.g., for organ transplantation, criminology, paternity testing, and forensic medicine.

Who performs this testing?

Clinical Laboratory Scientists

The LLU CLS program currently provides 20 percent of California's clinical laboratory scientist graduates. What opportunities will these graduates have for employment and career advancement?

Employment:

By the year 2012,
clinical laboratory scientist positions
will increase by 19%
with an
estimated 135,000 new jobs.

Career advancement:

30% of Loma Linda University CLS graduates enter
medical or dental school.
Another 20% obtain advanced degrees
in related fields.

These positions may be found in:

Medical Opportunities

Hospital laboratories

Hospital laboratories are found in small 30-bed hospitals up to large medical centers with over 1000 beds. Employment opportunities exist in rural, suburban, and metropolitan areas.

Transfusion services

Transfusion services perform collection, processing, and testing of the nation's blood supply, as well as maintain donor information for bone marrow and organ transplantation.

Reference laboratories

Reference laboratories provide laboratory services to medical clinics. Large regional reference labs are becoming major employers. These labs perform the more sophisticated, unusual, and esoteric laboratory tests. These are the Lab's Lab.

Molecular diagnostic services

Molecular diagnostic services utilize genetic testing and molecular biology methods for diagnosis.

Molecular biotechnology companies

Molecular biotechnology companies use molecular biology methods to produce pharmaceutical and laboratory compounds.

In Vitro Fertilization laboratories

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) laboratories work with fertility clinics in monitoring hormone production as well as IVF procedures.

Veterinary clinics

Veterinary medicine uses the same technologies and laboratory services as clinical medicine.

Research Opportunities

Research laboratories

Research laboratories push the frontiers of new development in medicine, nutrition, genomics, biochemical, and cellular biology.

Entrepreneurial Opportunities

Diagnostic product manufacturing and manufacturing companies

These companies develop, manufacture, and market products for:

scientific & medical applications
laboratory supplies, reagents, and instrumentation
cellular culturing and harvesting
biochemical and chemical compounds
pharmaceutical use

Positions include:

Product development
Technical specialists and advisors
Quality management specialists
Marketing/sales

Consultation services

Physician office laboratories
Quality control management
Regulatory agency compliance

Teaching Opportunities

Public health applications

Epidemiology
Microbiology/virology
Environmental health
CDC - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
NIH - National Institutes of Health

Forensic applications

Criminology and crime labs
Drug testing/toxicology
Anatomic pathology

Information management & computer applications

Medical laboratories are becoming the medical information integration centers for patient care.
Computer and information management skills are in high demand, as systems are developed and maintained for entire hospital, medical center, scientific, and medical manufacturing institutions.

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