The Medical Laboratory Technician works in a hospital, clinic, private or research laboratory performing a variety of diagnostic tests. The course of study includes mathematics, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, medical laboratory procedures, general education courses and one academic semester of clinical field experience. Graduates may be eligible to take national certification examinations like that offered by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).
Program contact: Learn more
Learn more about how certificate credits apply to the related degree.
Related Degrees and Certificates
Program Admission Requirements
Application may be submitted to the Health Careers Enrollment Center while meeting the following requirements:
- High School Diploma/GED
- GPA required: 2.50 admissions requirements. 2.50 overall
- Non-native English speaking applicants: Admission into Cuyahoga Community College is premised on a complete and accurate initial application to the College, including, if applicable, proof of English Language Proficiency Requirements for admission as indicated on the English Language Proficiency Requirements for Admissions to the College, and available on the web at: http://www.tri-c.edu/get-started/international-students/english-language-proficiency-requirements-for-admission.html
To be accepted into any selective admission programs, students must successfully complete English as a Second Language (ESL) course/s, as referenced above, if deemed necessary by the College at the time of enrollment. Admission is conditioned upon achieving the necessary grade point average (GPA), English language proficiency requirements and any specific pre-requisite courses, and by meeting program accreditation or licensing requirements as evidenced in the Program Handbook for the specific program. - Complete the following courses with a grade of "C" or higher:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIO-1500 | Principles of Biology I | 4 |
| HTEC-1060 | Medical Terminology I | 3 |
| MATH-1410 | Elementary Probability and Statistics I (or higher) | 3 |
| MLT-1001 | Introduction to Medical Laboratory Science | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| College Composition I | ||
| Honors College Composition I | ||
Other Information
- 15 students accepted per year
- For students with minimal computer experience, highly recommend also taking IT-1090 Computer Applications.
- All science and math courses must have been completed within seven years of application submission, and may only be repeated once to improve a grade. Applicants with bachelor’s or higher degree in sciences may have seven year limit on science and math courses waived (contact program manager).
- The program begins Spring semester yearly, but is subject to change. Review the program website for comprehensive admissions information and application: http://www.tri-c.edu/programs/healthcareers/medicallab/Pages/Default.aspx.
- Criminal background check required.
Program Learning Outcomes
This program is designed to prepare students to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:
- Organize workflow using technology to produce efficient, detail oriented work and identify emergencies and use problem solving skills to resolve these issues.
- Follow governmental, accreditation, and institutional guidelines in relationship to safety, infection control, confidentiality, and proficiency testing.
- Practice consistent quality assurance through precise performance, monitoring, analyzing, and documenting of all quality testing.
- Collect samples; perform testing procedures according to SOP; operate, maintain, and trouble shoot instrumentation; and keep accurate records.
- Interact with patients, staff and colleagues, using tact, courtesy, and respect.
- Develop professionalism by adhering to institutional policies and practicing ethical standards as defined by accrediting boards.
Suggested Semester Sequence
| Program Admissions Requirements Semester | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| BIO-1500 | Principles of Biology I 1 | 4 |
| HTEC-1060 | Medical Terminology I 2 | 3 |
| MLT-1001 | Introduction to Medical Laboratory Science | 3 |
| MATH-1410 | Elementary Probability and Statistics I (or higher) 3 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| Honors College Composition I | ||
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| First Semester | ||
| CHEM-1020 | Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry 4 | 4 |
| MLT-1352 | Problem Solving Techniques for the Medical Laboratory | 1 |
| MLT-1491 | Urinalysis and Body Fluids | 3 |
| MLT-2461 | Hematology | 3 |
| MLT-2490 | Immunology and Serology | 2 |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| MLT-2501 | Clinical Chemistry | 5 |
| MLT-2472 | Immunohematology | 4 |
| BIO-2500 | Microbiology | 4 |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| MLT-2482 | Clinical Microbiology | 5 |
| MLT-2991 | Advanced MLT Applications | 3 |
| PHIL-2050 | Bioethics | 3 |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| MLT-2940 | Medical Laboratory Field Experience | 3 |
| MLT-2980 | Professional Development and Life Skills | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 4 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 60 | |
- 1
BIO-2331 Anatomy and Physiology I and BIO-2341 Anatomy and Physiology II with "C" or higher may be substituted for BIO-1500 Principles of Biology I and HTEC-1060 Medical Terminology I.
- 2
MA-1020 Medical Terminology I will be accepted in place of HTEC-1060 Medical Terminology I.
- 3
Students who do not place into MATH-1410 Elementary Probability and Statistics I on assessment test must take MATH-0965 Intermediate Algebra or concurrently enroll in MATH-0970 Essential Skills for Probability and Statistics and MATH-1410 Elementary Probability and Statistics I as a prerequisite for this program. MATH-1800 Special Topics in Mathematics-MATH-1820 Independent Study/Research in Mathematics may not be used to meet this requirement.
- 4
Enrollment in CHEM-1020 Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry requires students to have either achieved a sufficient score on Chemistry Placement Test or completed CHEM-1010 Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry with "C" or higher.
MATH-1140, MATH-1141, MATH-1200, MATH-1270, and MATH-1280 can no longer count towards fulfilling the college-level mathematics requirement. These courses were re-classified as developmental mathematics by the state of Ohio in 2016. Tri-C established a 5-year transitioning window for students who had completed these courses prior to 2016 to apply them towards meeting graduation requirements, which expired in Summer 2021. It is highly recommended to see a counselor to determine the appropriate math required for your current major.