Physicians depend on laboratory results and medical laboratory technicians are important members of the laboratory team which work together to determine the presence, extent or absence of disease and provide data needed to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. Many laboratories are highly automated and MLTs may work with a wide variety of specialized, high-precision instruments, including centrifuges, electronic counters, automatic analyzers and computers. Medical laboratory technicians work with all types of body tissues and fluids, from urine and blood to cell samples. Career and employment opportunities for laboratory professionals are extensive. Examples of positions available for MLTs include technical positions in hospitals, HMOs, private laboratories, and Industrial and Commercial positions in sales, marketing, or insurance.
Additional education opens new career opportunities in management, education, and research.
The Medical Laboratory Technology curriculum provides a broad science background and courses in both theoretical and practical aspects of medical technology. At the completion of this curriculum, students will have attained proficiency in many laboratory techniques and will have learned the principles and physiological significance of tests performed. During the second year of this curriculum, students are required to spend 864 hours in an assigned hospital laboratory. Students are required to provide uniforms and health insurance. This is a limited enrollment curriculum.