Lab Technician Course After 12th: Eligibility Criteria, Fees, Top Colleges

Lab Technicians are professionals responsible for performing laboratory tests, testing and analysing the samples, and diagnosis and treatment of various diseases and illnesses. Some of the major topics covered include biochemistry, microbiology, and pathology. Lab Technicians courses are also known as MLT to Clinical Laboratory Science. MLTs are professionals responsible for conducting various medical tests on blood, urine, and other bodily fluids.

Doctors can carry out medical treatment based on an accurate diagnosis of the disease. Based on these test results, the doctor suggests treatment or performs surgeries as required by the patient. Therefore, the role of Medical Lab Technicians or MLTs is extremely crucial. Doctors need their investigation and analysis to process with treating the patient.

Medical Laboratory Technicians should not only have comprehensive knowledge of medicine and health sciences, but they also need to be well-versed and stay constantly updated on the latest technologies and instruments. To apply for the desired course, students must meet the eligibility requirements of the course and follow the admission procedure.

What is Medical Laboratory Technology/Science?

MLT full form is Medical Laboratory Technology an allied healthcare branch that deals with clinical laboratory investigations for the diagnosis of various diseases. It analyses blood and other bodily fluids samples, and tissues for the presence of foreign bodies and abnormalities.

Nearly 85 per cent of all medical decisions are based on the outcomes of these clinical investigation reports as no treatment is possible without the proper and accurate diagnosis. There are various medical lab technician classes that students may take up, we shall discuss them further in the article.

Various Disciplines of Medical Laboratory Technology Courses

In the modern era of medical sciences, medical laboratories keep upgrading the existing diagnostic techniques and adopting hi-tech technologies. With the involvement of special investigations and sophisticated computerised equipment, various disciplines of laboratories are growing day by day. Listed below are some of the popular disciplines in the Medical Laboratory Technology course.

• Pathology
• Pharmacology
• Microbiology
• Forensic Medicine
• Human Anatomy & Physiology
• Clinical Biochemistry
• Molecular Medicine
• Blood Bank & Immunohaematology

A lab technician course after the 12th is likely to familiarise students with all these different aspects of Medical Lab Science. Keep reading to know more about (Medical Lab Technician) MLT course details after the 12th.

Who is a Medical Lab Technician?

A medical lab technician is a healthcare professional who performs chemical, haematological, immunologic, microscopic, and microbiological diagnostic analyses on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, synovial fluid, as well as other specimens.

Medical Laboratory Scientists and medical lab technicians work in clinical laboratories at hospitals, reference laboratories, biotechnology laboratories, and non-clinical industrial labs.- Model curriculum handbook Medical Laboratory Science, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Allied Health Section).

What are Various Lab Technician Courses?

Lab Technician courses are popular choices for high school graduates. Having a 10+2 or similar diploma is a must to apply for these lab technician courses. Below, we have provided medical laboratory technologist courses at diploma and undergraduate levels.

1. Diploma in Medical Lab Technology (DMLT)

DMLT course after the 12th is a two-year long programme including six months of the internship period. The diploma in medical laboratory technology framework is as same as the BMLT course with the same objectives and common lab technician subjects are Human Anatomy and Physiology, Clinical Microbiology, and Haematology.

In India, more than 300 colleges offer DMLT courses. More details on a diploma in medical lab technician courses such as top colleges along with lab technician course fees are provided in the table below.

2. Bachelor’s in Medical Lab Technology (BMLT)

BMLT's full form is a Bachelor's in Medical Lab Technology, it is a three-year degree programme, along with six-month internship period towards the end. BMLT course aims to help the students acquire all the necessary and crucial skills required to practise as professional lab technicians. For instance, performing a full range of clinical laboratory tests, making specimen-oriented decisions, and developing and evaluating test systems.

Also Read: BSc Medical Laboratory Technology Course

This is one of the most sought-after medical laboratory technician courses after 12th to pursue. The BSc MLT course details syllabus covers several important subjects namely Human Anatomy and Physiology, Clinical Microbiology, Haematology, Blood Banking, Bacteriology, Histopathology and Cytopathology, Medical Mycology, and Virology among many others.

Below we have provided the data on BMLT courses in government colleges as well as private colleges, along with lab technician course fees.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Medical Lab Technician

The roles and responsibilities of a Medical Lab Technician after completing a Laboratory Technician course after 12th would be the following-

• Collection of specimens like blood, urine, stool, sputum, semen, tissues, and body fluids for various biochemical, microbiological, pathological, blood banking, and haematological investigations.
• Accurate diagnosis for proper treatment
• Early disease detection- they make cultures of body fluid and tissue samples to determine the presence of bacteria, viruses, fungi
• Perform investigations for differential diagnosis
• Control the development of contagious diseases
• Perform complex protein and nucleic acid testing on human cell samples
• Collect, type, and crossmatch blood; prepare its components for transfusions
• Participate in National eradication programs like Polio, HIV
• Medical disaster management
• Maintenance of records and preparation of statistics
• Manufacturing vaccines and antisera like DPT, meningitis, anti-snake venom, Testing and certifying medicines.

Also Read: Careers Beyond MBBS For PCB Students

Employment Areas After Laboratory Technician Classes

After completing the medical laboratory technician courses after 12th, some of the work environments available for the graduates are listed below.

• Central and State government hospitals/ health institutions
• Private hospitals/ clinics/ health institutions
• Research institutions like CSIR, ICMR, ICAR, BARC
• Autonomous and other bodies like AIIMS, PGI Chandigarh, and Red Cross Blood Bank.
• Clinical/Diagnostic and research laboratories

Jobs Profile After Completing Laboratory Technician Course

At the entry level after completing lab technician classes he or she can work as a Medical Laboratory Technologist, whereas other job profiles post a few years of experience (increasing order of rank) include-

• Technical Officer/ Senior Technical Officer (MLS)/ Chief Technical Officer (MLS)
• Medical Laboratory Scientist/ Deputy Technical Manager/ Technical Manager/Clinical Laboratory Demonstrator
• Assistant Professor/ Associate Professor/ Additional Professor/ Lecturer
• Deputy Quality Manager/ Quality Manager
• Director Laboratory Services/ HOD

Lab Technician Salary Range

An entry-level professional can earn a salary between Rs. 25000-35000 per month which goes up to Rs. 1.5 - Rs. 2.5 lakhs per month with an increase in experience and rank, after having done an MLT course after the 12th. Below, we have provided the medical laboratory technician classes related to job roles.

Source: Payscale

Medical Laboratory Technology has played a very significant role in the advancement of medical sciences in the past few decades and shall continue to add value to this industry and the health of the country at large. Lab Technician course qualification helps the candidate to get a job in both private and public organisations.

Also Read: Online Medical Laboratory Technology Courses & Certifications

Many medical lab technician certifications are provided online by various providers to boost your skills. A continued and rigorous research, the scope of medical laboratory science is very rewarding both in India and overseas.

For those who are interested, we hope you build a great career for yourself as a medical laboratory technologist and contribute to the field of medical sciences. A medical lab tech course can be a promising career only if it matches the interests and goals of aspirants.