It's a behind the scenes career in the healthcare field-- medical scientists or clinical technicians use technology to provide the answers doctors need to properly diagnose patients.
"There is a lot of work that's done in the middle to prep your samples to analyze your samples and get the results doctors rely on to properly diagnose patients." Keith Hoerth,Vice President of Kaleida Health Laboratories said.
Hoeth adds that 70% of health care decisions are based on lab results. Hoeth says there is a national shortage of laboratory scientists national wide.
"This is a really good opportunity for high school students right now that like science, like to help people, and like technology," Hoeth said. "When they go to college to get into a program like this and you will be able to get a high paying job right out of college."
Scientists say they love their job because it is different everyday and they know they are helping people. There are many different areas to be apart of-- from testing bacteria, to testing blood, to processing tissues-- scientists read and analyze many different test results.
University at Buffalo offers a four-year Bachelor's degree in medical technology. After graduation, scientists can make upwards of $70,000.
Erie Community College also offers a two-year associates degree where a person can become a Clinical Laboratory Technician and make $50,000 a year.
