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4T091 Career Guide

Air Force

4T091: Medical Laboratory Officer

Career transition guide for Air Force Medical Laboratory Officer (4T091)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 4T091 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Medical Laboratory Scientist

$68K
High matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

ASCP certificationState licensure (if required)

Clinical Laboratory Supervisor

$78K
High matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

ASCP certificationManagement experienceStrong communication skills

Research Assistant/Technologist

$55K
Good matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Specific research techniques (e.g., PCR, ELISA)Data analysis software proficiencyScientific writing skills

Quality Assurance Specialist

$65K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Knowledge of quality control standards (e.g., ISO 13485)Auditing experienceRegulatory compliance knowledge

Environmental Science and Protection Technician

$48K
Moderate matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

EPA certificationData collection and laboratory skills

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 4T091 training built — and where they transfer.

Procedural Compliance

Strictly adhering to established laboratory protocols and quality control procedures to ensure accurate and reliable test results in medical diagnostics.

Meticulously following standard operating procedures (SOPs) and regulatory guidelines in a highly regulated environment to maintain data integrity and product quality.

Situational Awareness

Maintaining a constant awareness of the status of equipment, supplies, personnel, and test results to anticipate and resolve potential issues in the medical laboratory.

Quickly assessing complex situations, identifying potential problems, and making informed decisions based on available information.

Resource Optimization

Managing and allocating laboratory resources, including equipment, supplies, and personnel, to maximize efficiency and minimize waste in medical testing and analysis.

Effectively managing resources, streamlining processes, and improving operational efficiency to achieve organizational goals.

After-Action Analysis

Evaluating the effectiveness of laboratory procedures, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing corrective actions to enhance the quality and efficiency of medical testing.

Analyzing past performance, identifying lessons learned, and implementing changes to improve future outcomes.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Quality Assurance Specialist

SOC 19-4041

You've been responsible for maintaining the quality and accuracy of medical laboratory testing. That experience makes you a great fit for ensuring quality standards are met in manufacturing, technology, or other industries. Your expertise in quality control will be invaluable in this role.

Regulatory Affairs Specialist

SOC 13-1041

You're familiar with navigating complex regulations and guidelines in the medical field. Your experience in composing local medical laboratory regulations and ensuring compliance makes you well-suited for a regulatory affairs role in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, or medical devices. You'll ensure products meet required standards and gain necessary approvals.

Health and Safety Manager

SOC 11-9111

You've been responsible for maintaining safe conditions in the laboratory. Your experience in managing safety protocols and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations makes you well-prepared to oversee safety programs in various industries, protecting workers and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Technical Trainer

SOC 25-9041

You have a strong background in medical laboratory procedures and have likely trained others in those procedures. You could leverage this expertise to become a technical trainer in the medical device or pharmaceutical industries, where you would educate professionals on the proper use of equipment and techniques.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Biomedical Sciences Corps (BSC) Officer Basic Course, Sheppard AFB, TX followed by Medical Laboratory Officer Course, Fort Sam Houston, TX

480 training hours12 weeksVaries; typically up to 15 semester hours in Clinical Laboratory Science

Topics Covered

  • Medical Laboratory Management
  • Clinical Chemistry
  • Hematology and Coagulation
  • Blood Bank and Transfusion Services
  • Microbiology and Serology
  • Urinalysis and Body Fluids
  • Laboratory Quality Control/Quality Assurance
  • Toxicology and Special Chemistry

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

American Medical Technologists (AMT) Medical Technologist (MT)70% covered

Need to ensure familiarity with current clinical laboratory regulations, quality control procedures, and potentially specific advanced techniques depending on the desired specialization.

American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS)75% covered

Requires review of specific subject areas covered on the MLS exam, potentially focusing on areas like molecular diagnostics or advanced immunology depending on career goals.

Recommended Next Certifications

ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA)Certified Healthcare Safety Professional (CHSP)Lean Six Sigma Green BeltHealthcare Information Security and Privacy Practitioner (HCISPP)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Automated Hematology Analyzers (e.g., Coulter counters)Sysmex XN-Series Automated Hematology Analyzers
Automated Chemistry Analyzers (e.g., Beckman Coulter AU series)Roche Cobas Chemistry Analyzers
Microbiology Identification Systems (e.g., VITEK)bioMérieux VITEK 2 Compact
Blood Bank Analyzers (e.g., Ortho Vision)Grifols Erytra Eflexis
Urinalysis Analyzers (e.g., Siemens CLINITEK)Siemens CLINITEK Atlas Automated Urine Analyzer
Electron Microscopy (e.g., JEOL JEM series)Thermo Fisher Scientific Talos TEM
LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System)Cerner Millennium, Epic Beaker

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