Career Opportunities:

The majority of Clinical Laboratory Scientists (CLS) are employed in a hospital or reference laboratory.  In this setting they provide information to the physician that is used int he care, diagnosis, and treatment of patients.  A CLS may work in all areas of the laboratory or specialize and work in only one area such as chemistry, microbiology, transfusion medicine, hematology, immunology, flow cytometry, HLA or molecular diagnostics.

There is a critical shortage of CLS throughout the national.  As a CLS, employment can be found in small rural communities as well as large metropolitan areas.

Advancement Opportunities:

Opportunities can be found in the clinical laboratory setting in administration of technical areas, laboratory information systems.  Due to the knowledge base and technical skills of a CLS, members of this profession are highly recruited by industry.  Other areas of employment include :

• forensic labs
• hospital information systems
• medical research laboratories,
• pharmaceutical laboratories
• laboratory sales,
• technical representative,
• marketing
• laboratory education. 

Some of these opportunities will require an advanced degree.

The scope of education of the CLS provides an excellent foundation for medical school, dental school, veterinary school or graduate school.