Five Disciplines

There are five disciplines in medical laboratory science that are required for CSMLS general certification:

Clinical microbiology requires culturing and identifying micro-organisms that cause disease. It progresses from identifying organisms to methods of treating and controlling infection. Determining the antibiotic of choice in a urinary tract infection is an example of this discipline.
Histotechnology facilitates the examination of surgically removed body tissues by preparing these tissues for microscope examination by a pathologist.
Transfusion science involves testing donor blood to determine its suitability for use in transfusion, determining blood groups, performing pre-transfusion testing, and investigating related medical disorders. Picture as an example the blood group incompatibilities that sometimes occur between a mother and newborn baby.
Clinical biochemistry is the chemical analysis of blood and other fluids. A diabetic's glucose level, a lipid profile in a hypertensive patient, or drug levels in treated patients characterize this field.
In hematology one studies blood cells and their formation in health and disease and investigates coagulation factors and disorders. Technologists can aid in the diagnosis of a teenager with iron deficiency anemia, a toddler with acute leukemia, and a coagulation disorder such as classical hemophilia.