Medical Laboratory Technician
Behind almost every diagnosis there is a sample someone processed — blood, tissue, microbiology — accurately and fast.
Save this career to see your personalized pathway in My Senda.
- Typical pay
- €20k–€34k
- Usual education
- FP Grado Superior (2 years)
- Outlook
- Steady hospital and private-lab demand; a two-year route into health.
A day in the life
Receiving and labelling samples, running analysers, quality controls, cultures and flagging urgent abnormal results.
Ways in
- Bachillerato or FP Grado Medio
- FP Grado Superior in Clinical and Biomedical Laboratory
- Work placement (FCT) in a hospital lab
- Hospital, private laboratory or research centre
What to study at 16
The subjects you choose for the final years of secondary school can shape which degrees, exams and careers are easiest to reach. This is about choosing courses, not choosing a school.
Spain
Bachillerato de Ciencias y Tecnología
Portugal
Ciências e Tecnologias
France
Bac général — spécialités
Germany
Oberstufe — Leistungskurse
Italy
Liceo scientifico
Netherlands
Profiel Natuur & Gezondheid
Skills that matter
Best courses to take
The study routes that lead most directly into this career.
BSc Biomedical Science
Laboratory diagnosis of disease: microbiology, haematology, biochemistry.
If you want the research and senior-scientist route.
Helpful school subjects: Biology, Chemistry
Clinical & Biomedical Laboratory (Grado Superior)
Two years processing the samples every diagnosis depends on, then straight into hospital or private labs.
The standard qualification for hospital labs.
Helpful school subjects: Haematology, Microbiology, Biochemistry analysis, Quality control, Work placement
Places that hire for this
AKH Wien – MedUni Wien
Training and entry-level roles across clinical, nursing and technical teams.
Amsterdam UMC
Training and entry-level roles across clinical, nursing and technical teams.
Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP)
Training and entry-level roles across clinical, nursing and technical teams.
Centrum Zdrowia Dziecka
Training and entry-level roles across clinical, nursing and technical teams.
Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Hires across clinical teams, from placements to permanent posts.
Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João
Training and entry-level roles across clinical, nursing and technical teams.
CHUV Lausanne
Training and entry-level roles across clinical, nursing and technical teams.
Clínica Universidad de Navarra
Hires across clinical teams, from placements to permanent posts.
Comunidad de Madrid
Hires across clinical teams, from placements to permanent posts.
Elsan
Hires across clinical teams, from placements to permanent posts.