What does a medical laboratory assistant do? A medical laboratory assistant (MLA) collects and prepares blood, tissue, and other samples, labels and logs specimens, and readies them for testing by a medical laboratory technologist. In Alberta’s 2023 wage survey, medical laboratory assistants earn an average of $27.68 an hour, about $47,617 a year. Most start after a short certificate.
Updated July 2026.
If you have strong attention to detail and like working with people and process, a medical laboratory assistant career in Calgary is worth a close look. MLAs are the people who make sure a sample is collected properly, labelled correctly, and ready for accurate testing. Here is what the job involves.
Work environment
Medical laboratory assistants work as part of a larger healthcare team with technologists, physicians, and other staff. You can find work in a range of settings:
- Hospitals
- Physicians’ offices and health clinics
- Medical diagnostic laboratories
- Research and pharmaceutical laboratories
- Biotechnology companies
The environment is clean, well-lit, and sanitized. When handling specimens or equipment you wear protective clothing such as a lab coat, mask, goggles, and gloves. Depending on the site, some positions include evening, weekend, or on-call shifts.
Job duties
This work rewards people who are detail-oriented, analytical, and patient with the public, including children and seniors. You follow strict patient-confidentiality rules at all times. Duties vary by workplace, but often include:
- Collecting patients’ blood and other body fluids for testing
- Labelling, sorting, and logging specimens
- Preparing slides and specimens for examination
- Preparing lab equipment and mixing solutions and culture media
- Entering and analyzing data on lab systems
- Keeping equipment clean and stock levels maintained
- Disposing of hazardous waste safely
Employment outlook and salary in Alberta
Per ALIS (2023 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey), medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations earn an average of $27.68 an hour, about $47,617 a year, with most between $23.50 and $31.26 an hour. Demand is steady: ALIS reports recruitment challenges and a notable vacancy rate for the occupation, driven in part by an aging population and retiring workers. Pay varies with your setting, experience, and any specialization.
Getting the right training
Your MLA career starts with an accredited program in Calgary. The Medical Laboratory Assistant Certificate at ABES College runs 19 weeks and includes a supervised practicum, so you build real specimen-handling and lab skills before you graduate. For a wider view of the field, read our guide to becoming a medical laboratory assistant in Alberta.
Start your medical laboratory assistant career at ABES College
ABES College offers a Medical Laboratory Assistant Certificate in Calgary that prepares you for hospitals, diagnostic labs, and clinics. Talk to our admissions team about start dates and funding.
