Medical Laboratory Technician, A.A.S.

Students completing the MU medical laboratory technician (AAS-MLT) curriculum can earn the Associate in Applied Science degree. The curriculum is designed so that a student may complete the technical portion of the curriculum in three semesters: two semesters of on-campus instruction, and one semester of an in-hospital, 15-week clinical practicum. The clinical practicum semester may be either in summer or fall, depending on availability of clinical sites and completion of all required coursework. Students declare their major as A.A.S. in MLT upon admission to the university, then seek admission into Year Two CLS courses if they meet required criteria.

Career Description And Opportunities

Certified Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLTs)  perform diagnostic laboratory testing in a clinical laboratory. MLTs typically work under the supervision of a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS). A wide variety of blood and urine testing using microscopy, spectrophotometry, immunoassay, molecular diagnostics, and other laboratory techniques are performed by MLTs. MLTs also perform blood transfusion testing, culture pathogenic bacteria, and perform blood clotting tests. There is a nationwide shortage of MLTs, and there is a 100% job placement for graduates. Completion of a NAACLS-accredited MLT program is required for admission to the bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science at Marshall University. Upon completion of the MLT curriculum, the student is eligible to take the certification examination offered by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP).

Admission And Progression

Entry to the MLT program involves completion of academic prerequisites with acceptable grades, application to the Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, and competitive selection by an admissions committee. An applicant for the MLT program should expect to have earned an overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.5. Students who fall into the category of having to take CHM 111 Foundations of Chemistry as a prerequisite to CHM 211 Principles of Chemistry I due to ACT scores must have successfully completed CHM 111 Foundations of Chemistry with a C or greater prior to being accepted into the MLT program. Students must be able to complete all required coursework, including clinical rotations, for the MLT program within 16 months of the August admission date of the program in order to be admitted to the program.

The number of available class spaces is determined annually by the MLT program director, based upon anticipated instructional resources both on campus and in affiliated hospital laboratories. The class sizes range between 12 and 18 per year. Admission of qualified applicants is not guaranteed and is dependent on availability of resources; qualified applicants that are not accepted will be placed on a waiting list for admission into the program and notified in writing of their status.

Students apply for admission during their freshman year by completing and submitting a transcript review form, two letters of reference, and a letter of application to the MLT Program Director between March 1 and May 31 for admission to the following semester. Late applications will be considered as class size permits. Transcript review forms and example letters are available at the Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department and on the department website (www.marshall.edu/clinical-lab-science).

The MLT program admissions committee reviews letters of application, college-level coursework, and letters of reference. Qualified applicants are selected primarily by Grade Point Average on courses in the CLS curriculum. Applicants who expect to complete all admission requirements before fall classes begin may be admitted conditionally. The committee selects students to fill available class spaces, then develops a ranked waiting list, if applicable. Letters are mailed to all applicants by June 15 notifying them of the admission committee decision.

Accepted students who are not properly registered or who are absent during the first week of regular classes without prior approval of the CLS program director will lose their space to a wait-listed applicant.

Course Requirements

  - General Education Course

  - Milestone course: a key success marker for your major. See your advisor to discuss the importance of this course in your plan of study.

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
BSC 228	Human Physiology	3
BSC 228L	Human Physiology Lab	1
CMM 103	Fund Speech-Communication	3
ENG 101	Beginning Composition	3
ENG 201	Advanced Composition	3
FYS 100	First Yr Sem Critical Thinking	3
Select one of the following Math courses (based on ACT score):		3-5
MTH 127	College Algebra-Expanded (5 credit hours)
MTH 130	College Algebra (3 credit hours)
SOC 200	Understanding Society (CT)	3
or PSY 201	Introductory Psychology (CT)
Major-Specific
BSC 227	Human Anatomy	3
BSC 227L	Human Anatomy Lab	1
CHM 211	Principles of Chemistry I	3
CHM 212	Principles Chemistry II	3
CHM 217	Principles of Chem Lab I	2
CHM 218	Principles of Chem Lab II	2
CLS 105	Medical-Lab Terminology (CT)	3
CLS 200	Clinical Biochemistry	4
CLS 210	Clinical Immunohematology	4
CLS 220	Clinical Microbiology	4
CLS 230	Clinical Hematology	4
CLS 255	Clinical Lab Problems	3
CLS 270	Clin Practicum Hematology (15 Week Hospital Based Practicum)	3
CLS 271	Clin Practicum Chemistry (15 Week Hospital Based Practicum)	3
CLS 272	Clin Pract Immunohematol (15 Week Hospital Based Practicum)	3
CLS 273	Clin Pract Microbiology (15 Week Hospital Based Practicum)	3
Total Credit Hours		70-72

Semester Plan

  - General Education Course

  - Milestone course: a key success marker for your major. See your advisor to discuss the importance of this course in your plan of study.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
First Semester		Credit Hours
CHM 211	Principles of Chemistry I	3
CHM 217	Principles of Chem Lab I	2
CLS 105	Medical-Lab Terminology (CT)	3
ENG 101	Beginning Composition	3
FYS 100 or CMM 103	First Yr Sem Critical Thinking or Fund Speech-Communication	3
Select one of the following Math courses (based on ACT score):		3-5
MTH 127	College Algebra-Expanded (5 credit hours)
MTH 130	College Algebra (3 credit hours)
	Credit Hours	17-19
Second Semester
CHM 212	Principles Chemistry II	3
CHM 218	Principles of Chem Lab II	2
FYS 100 or CMM 103	First Yr Sem Critical Thinking or Fund Speech-Communication	3
SOC 200    or PSY 201	Understanding Society (CT) or Introductory Psychology (CT)	3
Possible requirement of CHM 211 1
	Credit Hours	11
Second Year
First Semester
BSC 227	Human Anatomy	3
BSC 227L	Human Anatomy Lab	1
CLS 200	Clinical Biochemistry	4
CLS 230	Clinical Hematology	4
ENG 201	Advanced Composition	3
	Credit Hours	15
Second Semester
BSC 228	Human Physiology	3
BSC 228L	Human Physiology Lab	1
CLS 210	Clinical Immunohematology	4
CLS 220	Clinical Microbiology	4
CLS 255	Clinical Lab Problems	3
	Credit Hours	15
Third Semester
15 Week Hospital Based Clinical Practicum Sequence - Summer or Fall Semester
CLS 270	Clin Practicum Hematology	3
CLS 271	Clin Practicum Chemistry	3
CLS 272	Clin Pract Immunohematol	3
CLS 273	Clin Pract Microbiology	3
	Credit Hours	12
	Total Credit Hours	70-72

¹

The credit hours for this semester could be higher depending on ACT scores of students below 21, which would mean additional chemistry requirement of CHM 111 before taking CHM 211.