Medical Laboratory Technology, AAS

Degree: Associate of Applied Science in Medical Laboratory

Length: Five-semester (two-year program)

Offered: Students are admitted every other year with the next class starting Fall semester of 2022. Deadline for applications will be February 15, 2022.

Purpose: The Medical Laboratory Technology curriculum is a concentrated course of study and coordinated practice designed to prepare students with the knowledge and skills necessary to join the medical field as a contributing health professional. The Associate Degree program prepares students for employment as Medical Laboratory Technicians. Upon satisfactory completion of program requirements, the student is eligible to take a national registry examination for certification as a Medical Laboratory Technician and is eligible for employment in a variety of medical and scientific laboratory settings. The program is fully approved by the State Council of Higher Education and the National Accrediting Agency of Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).

Mission Statement:

It is the mission of the Medical Laboratory Technology Program at Wytheville Community College to graduate knowledgeable, ethical, and highly skilled laboratorians prepared to pass the national certification examination and meet the regional laboratory workforce needs.

Minimum Admission Requirements: (Please see the information below concerning selective admission.)

Applicants must be high school graduates or the equivalent. In order to meet the admission requirements, the applicant must have completed:

1. A WCC application (including all high school and college transcripts or copy of GED by May 1.
2. Competency in English and Math – MDE 10 as demonstrated through direct enrollment and diagnostic tests, or by satisfactorily completing the required EDE and/or MDE units or the equivalent.  All developmental courses must be completed the spring semester before entering the program in the fall of the next academic year.*
3. High school biology or equivalent (one unit) with at least “C”.
4. High school chemistry or equivalent (one unit) with at least “C”.
5. A 2.0 average for high school courses or a 2.0 cumulative average for all college coursework.**
6. Shadowing hours in selected program to be determined by program head.
7. Take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS).
8. An interview/information session with the program head or designee.

*Students who have completed all academic requirements prior to the May 1st deadline will be admitted first. Students completing developmental coursework in the spring will be admitted to any remaining unfilled slots in the program, based on the selective admission criteria.

**If the student has completed a minimum of 12 college credits that are included in calculating the college GPA (non-developmental courses), the 2.0 high school GPA requirement will be waived.

In the event there are more applicants who apply in a given year than there are slots available the college will employ selective admission. Please consult the Health Professions Admission Packet for a detailed description of the selective criteria. The packet is available in the Admissions Office.

Graduation Rates:

Program Year 2013 - 2014

Attrition Rate - 17%

Placement Rate- 63%

Graduation Rate - 83%

Certification Pass Rate - 75%

Program Year 2014 - 2015

No Graduating Class

Program Year 2015-2016

Attrition Rate - 0%

Placement Rate - 78%

Graduation Rate - 100%

Certification Passing Rate - 60%

Program Year 2016-2017

No Graduating Class

Program Year 2017-2018

Attrition Rate - 17%

Placement Rate - 72%

Graduation Rate - 83%

Certification Passing Rate - 67%

Program Year 2018-2019

Program Year 2019-2020

Program Requirements: Upon admission to the Medical Laboratory program, the following are necessary:

1. The student must have a complete medical examination, which must include a 2-step tuberculin skin test, a profile of medical condition, designated immunizations, and documentation of HBV and varicella status. A chest x-ray is required only if the tuberculin test is positive. Cost for the medical examination and all necessary testing will be the responsibility of the student.
2. The student must obtain a criminal background check and urine drug screen (see below). Costs will be the responsibility of the student.
3. The student must read the Essential/Technical Standards required for the program and indicate by signature readiness for physical requirements of the profession.
4. The student must maintain a minimum of a “C” grade in each Medical Laboratory curriculum course. The student must demonstrate the desire and capability to become a contributor of quality patient health care.
5. Clinical experience will be provided in affiliated hospitals or laboratories. Each student will be responsible for transportation to and from the hospital and must also secure the required apparel.

Criminal Background Check/Drug Screening:
Background checks for criminal history and sex offender crimes and urine drug screens are required for admission to clinical sites. Students with convictions and/or positive tests may be prohibited from clinical practice and may not complete the program. Costs for criminal background checks and urine drug screens will be the responsibility of the student.

Readmission Requirements: A student receiving a final grade lower than “C” in any course in the medical laboratory sequence will be ineligible to continue in the program. Contact the program head for readmission requirements.

Special Accreditation Status: The program is fully approved by the State Council of Higher Education and the National Accrediting Agency of Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), 5600 North River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018, (773) 714-8880.

Cooperative Program: Through June 1 of a given year, preference will be given to applicants from the service areas of the six southwest Virginia community colleges that participate in a cooperative program and to instate applicants from service areas of other Virginia community colleges that do not provide access to a Medical Laboratory Technology program.

Occupational Objectives: Positions for Medical
Laboratory Technicians are available in:
Hospital Laboratories
Service Agencies
Physicians’ Offices
Clinics
Public Health
Industrial Laboratories
Pharmaceutical Firms
Research Institutions
Veterans Affairs
Independent Clinical Laboratories
Armed Forces
Reference Laboratories

The following list is a suggested sequence in which students may plan their class schedules to ensure graduation in two years.

Program Goals and Graduate Competencies:

The program graduate will have knowledge and understanding of:

The specific areas of:

• Microbiology
• Hematology
• Clinical chemistry
• Blood banking
• Immunology
• Body fluids

Factors which affect procedures and results.
Preventative maintenance of equipment and instruments.
Basic scientific principles in learning new techniques and procedures.
Relationship between laboratory findings and common disease processes.
Quality control processes.
Health hazards.
Ethics and confidentiality.

The program graduate will have the necessary skills to work in a medical laboratory.  Specific skill functions will include the specific areas of:

• Microbiology
• Hematology
• Clinical chemistry
• Blood banking
• Immunology
• Body fluids

The collection and processing of biological specimens for analysis.
Performing analytical tests on body fluids, cells, and products.
Taking appropriate actions with predetermined limits when corrections on procedures and results are indicated.
Preventive maintenance on equipment and instruments.
Relating laboratory finds to common disease process.
Monitoring quality control within limits.

The program graduate will demonstrate the proper attitude to work as an effective member of the health care team. 

Specific attitudes include:

Interpersonal communication with patients, the public, laboratory personnel, and other health care professionals.
Respect for and recognition of the responsibilities of the laboratory personnel.
The need for continuing education as a function of growth and maintenance of professional competency.
Ethical, legal, and professional conduct.

The MLT program is affiliated with the following hospitals, which serve as clinical training sites for the program:

• Alleghany Health; Sparta, NC
• Buchanan General Hospital; Grundy, VA
• Dickenson Community Hospital; Clintwood, VA
• Lewis Gale Hospital Montgomery; Blacksburg, VA
• Lewis Gale Hospital Pulaski; Pulaski, VA
• Lonesome Pine Hospital; Big Stone Gap, VA
• Northern Regional Hospital; Mount Airy, NC
• Norton Community Hospital; Norton, VA
• Russell County Medical Center; Lebanon, VA
• Smyth County Community Hospital; Marion, VA
• Twin County Regional Hospital; Galax, VA
• Wythe County Community Hospital; Wytheville, VA

Essential Functions for Admission to the MLT Program

Essential functions represent the essential non-academic requirements of the program that students must master to successfully participate in the program and become employable. The following is a list of the technical abilities and skills applicants for admission must possess:

Manual dexterity:  Ability to use hand(s) or prosthetic devices with coordination.
Fine Motor: Ability to manipulate small objects with fingertips or adaptive devices.
Mobility:  Ability to maneuver in the laboratory and around instruments and inpatient care settings.
Vision:  Ability to distinguish red, yellow, and blue colors; distinguish clear from cloudy, and distinguish objects through a microscope.
Hearing:  Ability to adapt with assistive devices (i.e., Phone receivers, hearing aids, etc.)
Speech:  Ability to verbally communicate understandably in English.
Writing:  Ability to communicate effectively in the written form in English.
Reading:  Ability to read, understand, and follow directions printed in English.