To become a laboratory professional requires intelligence, a commitment to working hard in school, a desire to help humankind and a love of science, especially biology. The following is a checklist used in helping to determine whether one is suited to become a medical technologist (answerable by yes or no).
YES NO LIST
1. It is important to me to have a career that involves helping others.
2. To my friends, family and teachers, I am known to be a person of honesty and integrity.
3. I have good manual dexterity and can translate thinking skills into doing skills.
4. I like a certain amount of order or structure in the things I do.
5. I am able to plan and carry out work with little supervision.
6. It is important to me to have a sense of accomplishment (achievement) for the work I do.
7. In a work situation, I prefer to be busy and use my time well.
8. I enjoy problem solving.
9. I am capable of working effectively in stressful situations.
10. I am able to prioritize and carry out tasks when given several of them to do at the same time.
11. I have good communication skills
12. I enjoy using various instruments (such as microscopes) as well as computers.
13. I like to know why things happen and what causes certain biologic conditions to occur.
14. I enjoy learning new ways of doing things.
15. I wish to play a significant role in finding the causes of disease and in helping people to improve their lives.
16. I like and do well in science courses, especially biology.
17. I know the work in Medical Technology involves testing blood and other biological substances for their cellular, chemical or biological components.
18. I understand that with a degree in Medical Technology, I can work in laboratories in hospitals, clinics, research, veterinary medicine, industry and a number of other areas.
19. I know that in Medical Technology, I will use the latest scientific discoveries in my work.
20. Following high school, I am willing to spend 4-5 years (depending on the program chosen) to prepare for a profession in Medical Technology.
21. Following high school, I would enjoy studying science and other courses needed to prepare for a profession in Medical Technology.
22. In college, I understand that in order to enter a professional program in Medical Technology, I will need to demonstrate my academic abilities by earning good grades.
23. I understand that a degree in Medical Technology can be the basis for graduate work in laboratory science as well as in the biological and physical sciences, medicine, dentistry, law, education and administration if an advanced degree is desired.
24. I know that in some settings, laboratory personnel work with patients with infectious diseases, but that precautions for safety are well established.
25. I like medically related activities, but not 100% direct patient contact.
26. I understand that Medical Technology is a profession based on the team concept in which health care providers work together to achieve positive outcomes.
27. I understand that the starting salaries for medical technologists are usually comparable to those of other allied health professionals.
28. I recognize that in this profession, I may have to work evening, night or weekend shifts depending on the work setting I choose.
29. I am willing to treat all patients and their families equally and humanely, with respect and caring.
30. As a health care professional, I will be able to keep all patient or client information in the strictest confidence.
To score this assessment instrument, give 2 points for a yes response to items 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 16, 17 and 22. These items have been chosen by 40 laboratory educators as the 10 key statements for a potential student to become a successful medical technologist. Give 1 point to a yes response for each of the other 20 items. If the total score is 30 or more, a person is an excellent candidate for becoming a successful medical technologist. If the score is from 20-29, a person is a good candidate. If the score is 19 or less, a person should probably investigate other career options.
The checklist can also be grouped in 2 ways; knowledge of self (items 1-16) and knowledge of the field (items 17-30). Both are important in choosing a career, especially one in Medical Technology. The 30-item checklist above includes some of the personal characteristics that will enhance one’s chances of becoming a successful practitioner who enjoys his/her work.
A student of Medical Technology should believe that the course is enjoyable, interesting, rewarding and is a positive step to a future career. The student should understand learning as a changing the way we think and act, rather than simply as the acquisition of knowledge, and understand that the by-products of education (such as confidence, self-motivation and enthusiasm for new challenges) can be valuable personal qualities that can be applied to life and employment. He should also understand that learning is his own responsibility, and should recognize that results will and should depend on effort.
She/he should appreciate that the lecturers' job is to teach students how to think and act like professionals and not just provide information and appreciate the need for hierarchies of assessment criteria and the different approaches required for different marks. e.g. threshold level performance might be achieved through simple recall and demonstration of single step problem solving, while higher marks can only be gained by solving more complicated problems without being told how to do them first, and without necessarily being provided with all the information required in advance.
