# Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists

> Perform complex medical laboratory tests for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. May train or supervise staff.

- **SOC code:** 29-2011.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-2011-00
- **Also known as:** Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS), Clinical Laboratory Technologist, Medical Lab Technologist (Medical Laboratory Technologist), Medical Technologist (MT), Clinical Chemist, Histologist Technologist, Lab Tech (Laboratory Technologist), MLS (Medical Laboratory Scientist)
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Analyze samples of biological material for chemical content or reaction.
- Analyze laboratory findings to check the accuracy of the results.
- Conduct chemical analysis of body fluids, including blood, urine, or spinal fluid, to determine presence of normal or abnormal components.
- Enter data from analysis of medical tests or clinical results into computer for storage.
- Collect and study blood samples to determine the number of cells, their morphology, or their blood group, blood type, or compatibility for transfusion purposes, using microscopic techniques.
- Set up, clean, and maintain laboratory equipment.
- Operate, calibrate, or maintain equipment used in quantitative or qualitative analysis, such as spectrophotometers, calorimeters, flame photometers, or computer-controlled analyzers.
- Establish or monitor quality assurance programs or activities to ensure the accuracy of laboratory results.
- Supervise, train, or direct lab assistants, medical and clinical laboratory technicians or technologists, or other medical laboratory workers engaged in laboratory testing.
- Select and prepare specimens and media for cell cultures, using aseptic technique and knowledge of medium components and cell requirements.
- Obtain, cut, stain, and mount biological material on slides for microscopic study and diagnosis, following standard laboratory procedures.
- Cultivate, isolate, or assist in identifying microbial organisms or perform various tests on these microorganisms.

**Emerging tasks** (O*NET):
- Conduct blood typing and antibody screening.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Inductive Reasoning _(ability)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- Chemistry _(knowledge)_
- Customer and Personal Service _(knowledge)_
- Written Comprehension _(ability)_
- Problem Sensitivity _(ability)_
- Information Ordering _(ability)_
- Computers and Electronics _(knowledge)_
- English Language _(knowledge)_
- Science _(essential_skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(essential_skill)_
- Oral Comprehension _(ability)_

**Skills in demand:**
- Inductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Chemistry _(Specialized Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(Common Skill)_
- Biology _(Specialized Skill)_
- Mathematics _(Common Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Time Management _(Common Skill)_
- Speech Recognition _(Specialized Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- eClinicalWorks EHR software _(hot technology)_
- MEDITECH software _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Project _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Word _(hot technology)_
- Commercial plate reader software
- Database software
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- Email software
- FileMaker Pro

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 46th percentile (Moderate) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 56th percentile (Moderate) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 38th percentile (Moderate) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 78th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** no — task structure, not who actually works remote.

## How people actually use AI here

Anthropic Economic Index — measured AI conversations mapped to this occupation's tasks:

- **Automation vs augmentation:** — automation, 43% augmentation (usage-weighted).
- **Autonomy median:** 3.5 (higher = AI acts more independently).
- **Dominant collaboration mode:** learning.

**Tasks most handed to AI here:**
- Provide technical information about test results to physicians, family members, or researchers. _(0.6% of measured AI use; learning)_
- Develop, standardize, evaluate, or modify procedures, techniques, or tests used in the analysis of specimens or in medical laboratory experiments. _(0.3% of measured AI use)_

**Example prompts (honest phrasings of the tasks above — starting points, not endorsed instructions):**
- Help me provide technical information about test results to physicians, family members, or researchers.
- Help me develop, standardize, evaluate, or modify procedures, techniques, or tests used in the analysis of specimens or in medical laboratory experiments.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **Anthropic Economic Index** (v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27)) — Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/economic-index
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-2011-00_