A profile of medical laboratory technologists

Abstract EN

Objective: To analyze the profile of medical laboratory technologists working in the major hospitals of the eastern province including personal data as well as career patterns.

Method: A specially designed questionnaire was constructed in order to obtain personal and laboratory data of medical laboratory technologists in the eastern province during the period from 2002 to 2003.

Three hundred questionnaires were distributed to five major hospitals in the Eastern Province, 215 were returned completed.

Result: Two hundred and fifteen technologists responded to the survey.

The mean age was 35.99± 8.6 years, 128 (59.5%) were female medical laboratory technologists, 135 (62.79%) were non-Saudi and 80 (37.2%) were Saudi.

The majority of respondents were from King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar 85 (39.5%).

The vast majority had a Bsc.

degree as their highest degree 194 (90%).

One hundred eighty-three (85.1%) were staff technologists, 24 (11.2 %) laboratory supervisors and six (2.8%) laboratory managers.

Conclusion: A descriptive analysis of medical laboratory technologists’ personal data showed a need for Saudi medical laboratory technologists.