Who We Serve
Medical laboratory professionals are one of the largest groups of health care professionals in Canada. These dedicated professionals often go unnoticed because they are rarely seen by patients.
However, every day our members play a vital role in Canada’s health care system. With physicians depending on lab results to make critical medical decisions, the system simply could not function without them.
Every day medical laboratory professionals are working behind closed doors to bring patients the highest quality of care. Although many people never realize it, the health care system couldn’t function without them. This is our time.
CSMLS members are dedicated health professionals that play a vital role in patient care in Canada. They focus on your results, so you can focus on what’s important.
Medical Laboratory Technologists (MLTs) are an important part of the health care professional team. Using a variety of complex instruments, they analyze tissue samples, blood and other body fluids as a part of the diagnostic procedure. MLTs provide the results of these sophisticated tests to physicians, allowing them to make accurate diagnosis and if needed, appropriate treatment.
MLTs specialize in several areas:
Conducts tests on blood and body fluid to detect chemicals, hormones and/or drugs.
Common Test: Blood Glucose (blood sugar) to diagnose and monitor diabetes.
Conducts tests on blood, body fluid and/or tissue samples to detect bacteria, fungi, viruses, and/or parasites.
Common Test: Throat swab to detect strep throat.
Conducts tests to measure blood cells and to detect diseases/disorders of the blood.
Common Test: Hemoglobin Test to detect anemia.
Conducts blood typing and blood compatibility tests.
Common Test: Cross-matching for blood transfusions.
Prepares samples of body tissue for tests to detect disease.
Common Test: Biopsy of a breast lump.
Conducts tests on cells taken from the body to detect cancer.
Common Test: Pap test to detect cervical cancer.
Other speciality areas include immunology, electron microscopy, virology, parasitology and flow cytometry.
Cytotechnologists are health professionals that analyze cellular changes that can determine the presence of specific diseases. Mostly through the use of slides under a microscope, cytotechnologists are able to detect pre-cancerous cells, different cancers and other cellular based infections. An abnormal finding would be sent to a pathologist for a final diagnosis.
Genetic Technologists use a variety of instruments to analyze and diagnose changes or abnormalities in chromosomes and DNA, which are unique to every individual. A genetic technologist’s analysis of these cells can lead to a diagnosis of genetic diseases.
Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLAs) work under the supervision of a Medical Laboratory Technologist (MLT), performing the practical components of sample analysis. MLAs sort, prepare and sometimes process samples that will be tested and analyzed by a MLT. MLAs often collect samples, such as blood, and are often are the laboratory professional that interacts directly with patients.
There are thousands of different tests that are performed in speciality areas of the medical laboratory sciences.
Where our members worked in 2010
Code of Professional Conduct
Medical laboratory professionals are dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of the public. The welfare of the patient and respect for the dignity of the individual shall be paramount at all times.
Our members adhere to the Code of Professional Conduct.