The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree in Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) is an intensive program designed to provide the student with the technical education required to sit for the MLT national board certification examination and to become a licensed MLT in the state of West Virginia.
As members of a health care team, Medical Laboratory Technicians provide clinical information for disease prevention, medical diagnosis, and treatment of the patient by processing specimens, performing complex laboratory tests and reporting out the patient results to the patient’s physician or provider. They may work in all areas of the clinical laboratory to include hematology, coagulation, urinalysis, chemistry, blood bank, immunology, microbiology and molecular. Using sophisticated laboratory equipment and microscopes, MLTs test for microorganisms, analyze the chemical content of body fluids, crossmatch blood for transfusion, test for drug levels in blood and urine, and quantitate and identify blood cells. This analysis is imperative for proper diagnosis and treatment of patients. Students will also learn about instrument and test parameters, preventive maintenance and problem solving for instrument malfunction, quality control and calibration, and preparing and analyzing blood and other specimens for analysis.
MLTs are self-reliant, dedicated to quality patient care, possess excellent critical thinking skills and are detail oriented. They possess a solid background in biology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, math and computer skills. Students who become MLTs can work in hospital laboratories, physician office laboratories, commercial or reference laboratories, biotechnology, research laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, fertility clinics, technical service and sales, veterinary laboratories and blood banks such as the American Red Cross.
Programmatic Accreditation
New River Community and Technical College was approved to begin the MLT program by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) in Fall of 2016. The MLT program was awarded full accreditation for the new Medical Laboratory Technician program on October 31, 2018, from the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), 5600 N. River Rd., Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018, (773714-8880). The Committee on Allied Health and Accreditation and NAACLS accredit all Medical Laboratory Technician programs.
Graduates of the New River Community and Technical College MLT program will be eligible to take any one of the two national certification examinations for MLT immediately following graduation from the program. These certification organizations are recognized by the state of West Virginia for MLT licensure.
Program Application and Admission
Admission to this program is by a selective process.
All program application materials are due to the Medical Laboratory Technician Program postmarked on or before April 30 the year applying to the program. These materials must be enclosed in a single, sealed envelope and hand delivered, mailed per USPS or emailed to the MLT program. Faxed information will not be considered for application into the program.
Applicants for admission to the program must:
- Meet general admission requirements for New River CTC. Acceptance to New River CTC and meeting the program application requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Potential students will undergo an interview process and a written essay to establish their rapport with staff and demonstrate writing skills.
- The application process includes submission of a program application and a statement of interest, no longer than one-page single typed. Students enrolling in this program are subject to background and/or drug screening. See New River Community and Technical College Procedure 41 and 44 at www.newriver.edu under Faculty and Staff - Human Resources - New River Procedures for more information. Persons with a felony conviction are eligible for licensure based on terms and condition of the state in which they intend to apply.
- Complete or be enrolled in the program’s 18 credit hours of prerequisite courses when applying for admission to the program. Equivalent pre-requisite courses may be completed at any college or university; New River CTC students are not given preference during the selection process.
Additional Program Requirements
All students must take all courses with an MLTN prefix in sequence, with a minimum grade of “C” in all program courses (both didactic and laboratory portions) while maintaining at least a 2.50 GPA for all college-level work.
The program includes an off-campus academic fieldwork experience (or practicum) in all sections of the clinical laboratory. Students are required to work during the days and hours of operation of their assigned facility, which may include evenings and nights. The primary purpose of the academic fieldwork is to ensure that each student gains the variety of experience required to become a competent entry-level medical laboratory technician.
Expenses, including travel, food and housing (if necessary) are the responsibility of the student.
Return to: