Research and Laboratory Science

Laboratory and research scientists, technicians, and assistants conduct diagnostic tests in hospitals, clinics, biotech companies, and research institutions. In medical settings, test results are critical to patient care with an estimated 50% of decisions about diagnosis, treatment, hospital admission and discharge depend on these findings. As technology advances, new laboratory tests are continually being developed and refined. Demand for these careers is high, with educational requirements varying based on the specific role.

Scientists in these careers investigate living systems, from cells and microbes to ecosystems and human health. They design experiments, collect data, and use biology, chemistry, and statistics to answer real-world questions. These careers focus on the skills: asking scientific questions, designing investigations, collecting and analyzing data, and drawing evidence-based conclusions. Core biology and chemistry concepts (i.e. cells, enzymes, genetics, ecosystems, and experimental design) are used by working scientists.

This pathway directly mirrors how Ohio expects students to do science—asking questions, collecting data, analyzing results, and explaining biological phenomena in addition to showing how scientists study human structure and function at the cellular, tissue, and system levels.