Do you like science? Would you like to know what causes infections and diseases – or how they make us sick? Do you find the idea of helping physicians diagnose patients appealing? If so, you might want to consider a career as a medical laboratory technician (MLT).
MLTs perform tests that help physicians diagnose, monitor and treat disease. They can determine the cause of an infection and use sophisticated equipment to analyze blood's chemical components, such as glucose and cholesterol. They know how to use a microscope to identify normal and abnormal blood cells and determine a patient's blood type. MLTs supply the health care team with a wealth of critical information, both diagnostic and therapeutic.
The Medical Laboratory Technology program at Wake Tech offers the education and training necessary to become a highly qualified and successful MLT. The curriculum prepares you to perform clinical laboratory procedures in chemistry, hematology, microbiology and immunohematology. Coursework emphasizes the following:
Students must successfully complete all first- and second-semester courses to register for clinical courses (MLT-254, -266 and -276). Admission into clinical courses is also dependent on a criminal background check and a urinalysis drug screen. The clinical affiliate will review the background check and drug screen to determine whether the student can progress to the clinical site.
Clinical experience allows students to practice the skills and techniques learned in didactic courses. Accompanied by a clinical instructor or clinical facility preceptor, students apply their new-found knowledge at the clinical site. The clinical experience encompasses all disciplines, as well as phlebotomy.
The program has clinical site locations across the Triangle area and beyond. The student is responsible for providing his or her own transportation to the assigned clinical site. The student could be required to travel up to 40 miles from the Perry Health Sciences Campus. The program cannot accommodate special requests for clinical site placements.
Affiliated clinical sites include the following, and others may be added:
Upon successful completion of the program, you will be eligible to take the examination given by the ASCP Board of Certification.
The Medical Laboratory Technology program at Wake Tech is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences. The agency can be contacted at 5600 N. River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018-5119 or by calling 773-714-8880.
Wake Tech academic programs (credit and non-credit) that are designed to lead to professional licenses are tied to North Carolina or national certifications. If you intend to pursue professional licenses outside North Carolina once you have completed your academic program at Wake Tech, please refer to the Professional Licensure section of the college's distance education authorization page for additional information.