How come more people dont major in labortory science. (med. lab tech)?

reason for this question is at my cc i inquired about all the healthcare programs. nursing, x ray tech, sonography...all having waiting lists between 1.5-2yrs long. But the clinical lab tech program literally has no waiting list. Im actually starting in Fall 08. I was interesting in x ray tech and lab tech and basically decided on the lab tech because I could get into the program faster. Anyways how come this health care career isnt as popular as the rest. It really seems interesting--working in a medical lab !! Anyone know why????

cash is king right! I was guessing because it doesnt pay as much..

Few people know what a clinical laboratory scientist (medical technologist) does, let alone the requirements for the job. A Bachelor's in Science gets you in the door but you must specialize in medical technology to get hired. Payscales don't compare well to other professions that require a four year degree, probably due to our lack of visibility. Pay attention to what people learn from TV; who works in the lab and does all the testing? Your life may depend on their qualifications, so it might be a good idea for more people to find out that doctors and nurses don't "do" lab testing. And, about that person who collects the blood specimens: they're called phlebotomists who are not usually licensed or certified, and no degree is required. It's hard to be popular when you're invisible, which helps to explain why there's no waiting list. The payscale's is not great, but the diversity of things you can do makes the job more fulfilling. Money isn't everything as they say. And your knowledge base could one day propel you to world fame. No other profession allows you to obtain a general knowledge of diagnostic medicine, which means you can learn a lot about many more things based on your lab training and experience.

Probably because the pay for this is low

It's simple, many people don't know it exists, and most people who want to get into health care want to have patient contact. MLTs have no interaction with patients. Most people who are interested in medicine are more interested in the treatment and the face-to-face aspects, not the behind-the-scenes, diagnostic and scientific aspects.