Description
Diagnose and monitor disease through laboratory medicine by directing and interpreting tests on blood and body fluids; manage clinical laboratory operations, quality, and compliance; develop and validate assays; and advise clinicians on test selection and results, including transfusion services.
- • Interpret complex clinical laboratory results and issue consultative reports.
- • Review cases by correlating laboratory data with clinical information.
- • Manage and direct clinical laboratory sections (chemistry, hematology, coagulation, urinalysis, microbiology, immunology, molecular diagnostics).
- • Oversee transfusion medicine services, including compatibility testing and transfusion reaction workups.
- • Develop, validate, and implement new assays and instruments to improve diagnosis and monitoring.
- • Ensure laboratory quality control, quality assurance, and proficiency testing performance.
- • Maintain regulatory compliance with CLIA, CAP, and other accrediting bodies.
- • Educate physicians, residents, fellows, and laboratory personnel in laboratory medicine.
- • Conduct clinical research and present scientific findings.
- • Provide on-call consultation for critical values and urgent test interpretation.
- • Advise clinicians on appropriate test selection, utilization, and reflex testing algorithms.
- • Analyze and interpret results from microbiology, serology, molecular, and other clinical tests (e.g., PCR, cultures, antigen/antibody assays).
- • Examine peripheral blood smears, body fluids, and other microscopic preparations for abnormalities.
- • Communicate significant laboratory findings to treating providers and multidisciplinary teams.
- • Plan and supervise the work of technologists, supervisors, and trainees in the clinical lab.
- • Oversee specimen collection, handling, and pre-analytical quality to prevent errors.
- • Implement and optimize laboratory information systems, decision rules, and result reporting.
- • Diagnose infectious diseases and immune disorders using serologic, molecular, and antigen detection methods.
- • Stay current by reviewing literature, participating in conferences, and engaging in professional organizations.
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Healthcare & Human Services
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026