Medical Laboratory Professionals are an integral part of patient care. They provide test results that reveal answers needed for a full picture of your health. They can see beyond black and white.
Learn how below
Medical laboratory professionals work endlessly to provide accurate and timely results vital to medical decisions about your health. These health care professionals use a variety of instruments and equipment to collect, prepare and analyze tissue and fluid samples.
Hover your cursor over each professional below to learn more about each profession.
Medical Laboratory Technologists (MLTs) use a variety of complex instruments to analyze tissue samples, blood and other body fluids as a part of the diagnostic procedure. MLTs provide the results of these sophisticated tests to physicians, allowing them to make accurate diagnosis and if needed, appropriate treatment.
Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLAs) work under the supervision of a Medical Laboratory Technologist (MLT), performing the practical components of sample analysis. MLAs sort, prepare and sometimes process samples that will be tested and analyzed by a MLT. MLAs often collect samples, such as blood, and are the laboratory professional that likely interacts directly with patients.
Cytotechnologists are health professionals that analyze cellular changes that can determine the presence of specific diseases. Mostly through the use of slides under a microscope, cytotechnologists are able to detect pre-cancerous cells, different cancers and other cellular based infections. An abnormal finding would be sent to a pathologist for a final diagnosis.
Genetic Technologists use a variety of instruments to analyze and diagnose changes or abnormalities in chromosomes and DNA, which are unique to every individual. A genetic technologist's analysis of these cells can lead to a diagnosis of genetic diseases.
Your host Andrew Chapman illustrates the importance of the medical laboratory profession by giving you an inside look at the inner workings of a busy laboratory in both a hospital and private lab. We’ll go behind the laboratory doors at Toronto General Hospital at UHN and LifeLabs to speak with medical laboratory professionals who complete the health care picture.
Medical laboratory professionals work to provide critical information that helps guide medical decisions about your health. They sort, prepare and analyze samples from virtually every part of your body - from head to toe.
Discover how medical laboratory professionals are involved in your health. Click on the points to learn about some of the testing done on that body part.
There are over 440 million lab tests performed on a yearly basis in Canada. Medical laboratory professionals run these tests to provide critical information about your health. Get a deeper look at how tests are performed, why they are done and how medical laboratory professionals get results.
Our role in the health care system is rarely seen but our job is vital to patient care. National Medical Laboratory Week is our chance to let the public know what we do, who we are and that we are proud of our profession!