Medical Laboratory Technology, A.A.S.

Melissa White, Program Coordinator
104 Advanced Technology Center, Fairmont/(304) 367-4790
Melissa.White@pierpont.edu

Program Purpose

The Medical Laboratory Technology program provides education and training for students to become Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLTs). MLTs perform a variety of laboratory tests in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, immunology, microbiology and urinalysis.

The two-year Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) Program is nationally accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). In addition to offering a general studies and a laboratory based general science curriculum, the program is also designed to provide students with 41 credit hours of required MLT clinical lecture and laboratory courses, which are integrated with a hospital or clinic based practicum experience. A current list of clinical agencies affiliated with the program can be obtained from the MLT Clinical Education Coordinator. Please note that students must pass a criminal background clearance, meet health requirements and essential functions, and provide their own transportation to assigned clinical sites.

Accrediting Agency

National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
5600 N. River Road, Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018-5119
(847) 939-3597
www.naacls.org

Program Specific Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the MLT program, the applicant must:

• Be enrolled and meet the general admission requirements of Pierpont Community & Technology College
• Students must be able to meet the essential functions of the program and classes, with or without accommodations
• Have successfully completed courses in Biology, Chemistry and Algebra in high school or college
• Have a high school GPA and, if applicable, a college GPA of 2.0 or better
• Students must meet or exceed WVHEPC Series 21 minimum test scores for English and Math to be eligible for admission to this program. Students who meet or exceed WVHEPC Series 21 minimum test scores are eligible for admission into traditional 3-credit/3-contact hour Math and English courses.
• Meet the prerequisites for CHM 1101 , PR: meet or exceed WVHEPC Series 21 minimum test scores for Math
• Submit an application for admission designating Associate degree, Medical Laboratory Technology as a major field of study; official ACT or SAT scores; High School Equivalency Exam or high school transcripts; and any college transcripts to the Registrar’s Office by January 31 to be considered for the following academic year. Applications will only be considered after the deadline if space remains available.

An impartial scoring system based on the required academic coursework is employed to rank the MLT applicants. Applicants who are not admitted to the program must reapply if they wish to be considered for acceptance the following academic year.

To remain in and graduate from the MLT program, a student must earn a “C” grade or above in every required class in the MLT curriculum and maintain an overall cumulative GPA of 2.0. Any classes accepted as substitutes for curricular classes also require a grade of “C” or above. Failure to meet any of these requirements will result in dismissal from the program. Students who have been dismissed may reapply to the program and their credentials will be reevaluated.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the A.A.S. degree in Medical Laboratory Technology, graduates will be able to do the following:

• Demonstrate knowledge of and competence in performing test methodologies and assume responsibility to safely perform modern clinical laboratory tasks expected of an entry level MLT/CLT
• Differentiate between normal and abnormal laboratory test results and correlate laboratory findings to common disease processes and assay variability
• Communicate verbally and nonverbally with the patient, physicians, health care delivery personnel and peers in an effective, appropriate, and capable manner
• Demonstrate professional behavior that reflects appropriate responsibility and professional standards that are legal, confidential, ethical and safe

Opportunities

Graduates of the MLT program are eligible and encouraged to take a national certification exam; becoming a nationally certified MLT will greatly enhance a graduate’s marketability. MLT program graduates may work in a variety of settings. They are employed by hospitals, clinics, physician office laboratories, reference laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, research laboratories, veterinary laboratories, public health facilities, and business and industry. The A.A.S. degree in Medical Laboratory Technology is quite versatile. Graduates of the program may choose to continue their education and earn a Baccalaureate degree in Allied Health Administration, Biology, or even Business. Some graduates choose to become a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS), which requires a Baccalaureate degree in medical laboratory science; or MLT certification, plus a Baccalaureate degree in a physical or biological science, and two years of full time acceptable clinical laboratory experience.

Granting of the degree is not contingent upon passing an external certification or licensure examination. Passing an external exam is not required for graduation from the MLT program.

Graduates may also continue in higher education earning a Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science, Allied Health, Education or related field. Some graduates even pursue medical school or doctoral studies.