Medical Laboratory Technology

Employment as a Medical Laboratory Technician

Many opportunities await those choosing careers in medicine and science. One of the most rewarding is medical laboratory technology. As members of the medical team, technicians work side by side with medical technologists and pathologists and have relatively less contact with patients. Medical laboratory technicians (MLTs) perform a great variety of scientific laboratory procedures, utilizing automated computerized instrumentation, all of which aid in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of disease.

In addition to employment in medical laboratories, graduates pursue positions in research, molecular biology, industry and veterinary laboratories, as well as medical supply and equipment sales. For additional descriptive information visit the following two national Web sites at www.ascls.org and www.ascp.org/bor. The MLT program can be completed in Wenatchee or through our regional partnerships. There is also an option available to students who have previously completed a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in the physical, chemical or biological sciences. Please use the navigation pane on the left for additional information.

The program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS- http://www.naacls.org/) 5600 N. River Rd. Suite 720 Rosemont, IL 60018-5119, 1-847-939-3597.

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During the second year, courses MLT 213, 223, 233 and their associated laboratory courses (MLT 214, 224 and 234) are taught by the use of interactive TV classrooms, laboratory or audiovisual materials. (Moses Lake area students must spend additional quarters on the Wenatchee campus. Please contact the instructor, Pam Wilson-McNamara, for further details.)

All students must maintain a GPA of 2.0 (“C” or better) in all specified program courses.

As a result of completing the MLT program, students obtain a background in general college courses and the sciences, and they develop the important technical skills required for medical laboratory employment. After graduation students are encouraged to take one of the national certification examinations, which is required by most medical laboratory employers (ASCP/BOR or NCA exams).

ESSENTIAL  FUNCTIONS

ASSOCIATE OF TECHNICAL SCIENCE (ATS) DEGREE

The Degree in Medical Technology (ATS) is recognized as a degree requiring the acquisition of general knowledge and basic skills in all areas of this allied health profession.

Faculty in the Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) program have a responsibility for the welfare of the patients treated or otherwise affected by students enrolled in the MLT Program, as well as for the welfare of students in the program. In order to fulfill this responsibility, the MLT faculty and Advisory Committee established minimum Essential Functions that must be met with or without reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the program and graduate.

Admission and retention decisions for MLT students are based not only on prior satisfactory academic achievement, but also on non-academic factors which serve to insure that the candidate can complete the Essential Functions of the academic program for graduation. Essential Functions, as distinguished from academic standards, refer to those cognitive, physical, and behavioral abilities that are necessary for satisfactory completion of all aspects of the curriculum, and the development of professional attributes required by the faculty of all students at graduation. The following Essential Functions have been developed in compliance with the American Disabilities Act (PL101-336), and the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).

The Wenatchee Valley College MLT curriculum requires essential abilities in information acquisition and transmission. The student must have the ability to master information presented in course work in the form of lectures, written material, and projected images. The student must have the cognitive abilities necessary to master relevant content in basic science and clinical courses at a level deemed appropriate by the faculty. Additionally, the student must be able to hear well enough to respond to significant sounds in a clinical lab. Examples would include (but are not limited to) being able to hear the telephone ring, hear the fire alarm or other warning system; be able to hear signals generated from instrumentation that may indicate normal operating status or malfunction, and be able to follow verbal instruction from a coworker or supervisor.

The student must be able to speak in a manner that is understandable (this being both clear distinct words and adequate volume) to persons on the other end of a telephone or other health care workers listening specifically to the student in person.

The student must be able to communicate effectively in written English in order to transmit information to members of the health care team. The appropriate communication may also rely on the student’s ability to make a correct judgment in seeking supervision and consultation in a timely manner.

The student must have adequate eyesight such that he/she can recognize and distinguish gradients of color such as on a urine dipstick. The student must be able to read numbers either on a video display screen, computer printout, or legible handwriting, and interpret lines and points on a graph.

The student must be able to safely and accurately perform patient testing in a timely manner. He/she must be able to distinguish objects both macroscopically and microscopically. The student must have sufficient upper body muscle coordination to practice safe specimen handling. He/she must be able to perform delicate manipulations on specimens and instruments necessary for complete and accurate diagnostic test results. Examples would include (but are not limited to) being able to operate a computer keyboard; dial a telephone; handle cuvettes, sample cups, pipet tips, and reagent vials; pick up glass slides from a table top, and use a pen or pencil to write the English language legibly.

The student must have excellent hand-eye coordination. Manual dexterity is essential. The student must be able to use a rubber bulb to draw liquid into a calibrated pipette; use a gloved finger to control the release of liquid to within 1mm of a fixed point on the pipette. He/she must be able to lift and move objects, e.g., load individual tubes in an analyzer and move test tube racks from one bench to another; isolate bacteria by smoothly moving a loop (a 6-inch wire with a looped end) over the surface of an agar (gel) culture plate without tearing the surface of the agar.

The student must be able to lift his or her arms above shoulder height in order to place or remove items from shelves. The student must be able to lift fifty pounds. The student must be able to bend over at the waist or squat down in order to place and remove items of ten pounds or less from drawers and cabinets. The student must have touch discrimination in order to discern veins for the performance of venipuncture.

The student must be able to work with organisms that may be infectious. He/she must be able to work with a wide variety of chemical reagents that may cause difficulties for individuals with chemical sensitivities.

The student must possess the emotional stability required for full utilization of the applicant’s intellectual abilities. He/she must be able to work accurately and safely under stress, e.g., work under time constraints; read and record numbers accurately; perform repetitive tasks; concentrate in distracting situations; make subjective evaluations and decisions where mistakes may have a high impact on patient care. He/she must be able to adapt to changing environments, and be able to prioritize tasks.

The student must possess attributes which include integrity, responsibility and tolerance. He/she must show respect for self and others; and project an image of professionalism.   These technical standards identify the requirements for admission, retention and graduation of applicants and students respectively. Graduates are expected to be qualified to enter the field of Medical Technology. It is therefore the responsibility of the student with disabilities to request those accommodations that he/she feels are reasonable and are needed to execute the Essential Functions described.

The WVC Medical Laboratory Technology Program is a limited enrollment program. The number of students accepted each year is dependent on the number of clinical sites available. The program is usually completed in eight academic quarters (two calendar years). Depending on the educational background of the entering student, fewer quarters may be required. All students are considered for admission.

During the preparatory first three quarters of the first year, the typical MLT student takes general education courses and specialized medical laboratory courses designed to provide a solid base for the second year of on-the-job training.

Students spend the second year in medical laboratory facilities that have agreed to be training centers, while simultaneously taking theoretical supporting courses. Travel to distant training facilities may be required, and work on a variety of shifts may be necessary; therefore, the use of an automobile is required.

The WVC Regional Program includes training at distant sites through agreements with Wenatchee Valley College at Omak, Big Bend Community College, the Community Colleges of Spokane, Columbia Basin College, Walla Walla Community College and others. As long as current clinical training agreements continue, most regional MLT students are not required to spend any time training in Wenatchee. They can complete the entire program in their own community with the exception of students training in the Okanogan and Moses Lake areas. These students are required to do some of their training in Wenatchee. These students must take the first six-week summer quarter courses in Wenatchee (MLT 150 and 151), and other weeks in the second year as required by the respective programs. Moses Lake students are also required to attend WVC on Mondays and Tuesdays during their second year of the program.