Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT)

Jefferson Campus

Melissa Freeman, Program Coordinator/Advisor 
George Layton Building, room 223
(205) 856-6031 • melissa.freeman@jeffersonstate.edu

TBD, Clinical Coordinator/Advisor 
George Layton Building, room TBD

This program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) and is designed to prepare students for entry into a career in medical laboratory technology/clinical laboratory technology at the intermediate level of education. Graduates of the program are qualified to perform general laboratory procedures in hospital laboratories and other medical facilities such as physicians’ offices, clinics, and research laboratories. Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists and earn the MLT (ASCP) designation. Conferment of the Associate in Applied Science Degree is not contingent upon graduate passing external certification or licensure examinations.

The curriculum consists of a core of general education courses and a sequence of medical laboratory courses and experiences. Students study basic theory and techniques in the student laboratory located on campus before spending the final semester of the program in a clinical rotation at one or more of the following affiliates:

• Baptist South Montgomery
• Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital
• Baptist Health Shelby Hospital
• Baptist Health Princeton Hospital
• Baptist Health Walker Hospital
• Baptist Health Citizens Hospital
• Children’s Hospital
• Coosa Valley Medical Center
• Cooper Green Health Services
• DCH Regional Medical Center
• Grandview Medical Center
• Ivy Creek
• Laboratory Corporation of America
• DCH Northport Medical Center
• Northwest Regional Health Center
• Regional Medical Center, Anniston
• Simon Williamson Clinic
• Southeast Clinical Laboratories
• UAB St. Vincent’s Hospital
• UAB St. Vincent’s East
• UAB St. Vincent’, Blount
• UAB Hospital
• UAB Highlands
• UAB Medical West

All MLT courses and clinical experiences are taught and supervised by certified medical technologists and medical laboratory technicians.

Admission Requirements 

Students are admitted to the MLT Program based on the number of places available for clinical experience at affiliated clinical laboratories. To be considered for admission, students must have a grade point average of 2.5 on prerequisite general education courses required for admission (ENG 101, math elective 100 or higher** and science elective BIO 103 or 201 and CHM 104). **MTH 110 and 116 will not fulfill this requirement. Eligible students may request implementation of the college Academic Bankruptcy policy or the Health-Related Programs Academic Forfeit Policy. Students should consult the pre-nursing and allied health-related advisor in Enrollment Services for information regarding these policies. Students must complete the required general education courses prior to the program admission date. Grade point averages, course achievement, and/or overall academic record may be used to rank students for available spaces in each class. Students who have failed two or more courses in another MLT program are ineligible for MLT transfer credit but may apply to the program as a new student. New MLT cohorts begin each summer and fall semesters. Students should consult with the pre-program advisor well in advance of the admission date for advisement and complete details of admission requirements. Full-time students may complete the program, including all general education requirements, in six semesters.

Students admitted to the program are expected to have and maintain satisfactory levels of health, including freedom from chemical dependency and communicable diseases. Students must be able to participate fully in the approved program of classroom studies as well as in campus and clinical laboratory learning experiences and assignments. Medical examination forms, documenting satisfactory levels of health, must be submitted as required. Students must test negative for drugs and alcohol during a screening conducted prior to assignment for clinical experience. Random drug and alcohol screening may be required during the clinical rotation. A background screen will also be required prior to assignment for clinical experiences. Student background checks must reveal a “crime free” status for the last seven years. The cost of this screen must be paid by the student. 

In the interest of maintaining safety, applicants possessing certain limitations may be requested to demonstrate abilities to perform laboratory procedures or skills safely, effectively, and without potential endangerment to themselves, faculty, other health care workers, or health care consumers. Students who are unable to demonstrate abilities to perform procedures or skills safely, effectively, and without potential endangerment may be denied admission or progression in the program. The Medical Laboratory Technology Program Coordinator, the Division of Health-Related Programs Associate Dean will make final determinations regarding applicants’ eligibility for participation in program activities. The technical performance standards for the MLT Program are stated below:
     
Medical Laboratory Technology students must be able to:

1. Demonstrate sufficient motor skills to manipulate and operate all equipment and instruments found in the medical laboratory. Such motor skills should include but may not be limited to the following:
   1. Ability to grasp, turn, and otherwise manipulate equipment with both hands.
   2. Ability to stand and move among various clinical departments in the laboratory.
   3. Ability to approach and position patients for laboratory procedures when necessary.
2. Display verbal and written skills necessary to respond and communicate effectively with patients, peers, and other campus and clinical personnel.
3. Demonstrate ability to visually observe and evaluate patient conditions, test reactions and results, and to function efficiently in the laboratory environment.
4. Discern and discriminate color differences and reactions both microscopically and macroscopically.
5. Exhibit adequate hearing ability to respond appropriately to patients, to coworkers, and to audible equipment sounds.
6. Display emotional stability in interactions with patients, peers, other health care personnel, and to function safely and effectively during stress, whether in campus based or clinical assignments.
7. Demonstrate cognitive ability to perceive and deal with potential safety hazards in the laboratory environment and to protect self and others from injury.
8. Display intellectual and emotional skills to exercise discretion.

Grading Scale

Letter grades for all MLT courses are assigned according to the following systems:

A: Excellent (90-100)
B: Good (80-89)
C: Average (75-79)
D: Poor (60-74)
F: Failure (below 60)
W: Withdrawal
WP: Withdrawal Passing
I: Incomplete
AU: Audit 
RW: Required Withdrawal

No rounding of test scores is done (i.e. 78.6 is 78.6). Only the final grade is rounded: 0.5 or higher is raised to the next whole number. 

A GRADE OF “C” OR BETTER IS REQUIRED FOR ALL MLT COURSES.

Admission Procedures 

Limited numbers of students are admitted to the program due to a specified number of clinical spaces available. Beginning cohorts are admitted each fall and summer semesters. 

Applications are accepted until March 1st for summer admission and June 1st for fall. Late applications will be accepted as space permits. Students must:

1. Complete college admission application and meet all college requirements for admission.
2. Submit official transcripts to Enrollment Services from high school and all colleges attended and request transcript evaluation before application deadline.
3. Maintain a grade point average of 2.50 or above (4.00 scale) on prerequisite general education courses used for admission (ENG 101, math elective MTH 100**, BIO 103 or 201 and CHM 104). **MTH 110 and 116 will not fulfill this requirement. 

Transfer Credit 

Any student who has previously attended another Medical Laboratory Technology education program is considered  to be a “transfer student.” Students who are eligible and are interested in transferring into Jefferson State’s Medical Laboratory Technology Program should call or email the program coordinator for information on admission criteria and required procedures. Transfer of MLT credit is considered on a course-by-course basis by MLT faculty. Due to the uniqueness of each MLT program’s curriculum, competency testing for advanced MLT transfer credit may be required.
 
In order to be a transfer student, the student must be admitted to the program. Students must complete at least 25% of the required MLT courses at Jefferson State to earn an associate degree. 

Progression 

Uninterrupted progression through the program (without repeated withdrawals, audits, or failures) is required. Students should refer to the information on Admission Requirements for Allied Health-Related Programs published in the “Admission to the College” section of the Catalog and Student Handbook. Students whose progression is interrupted must reapply to have eligibility for readmission evaluated. Any changes in the curriculum or program policies will be applicable upon readmission. Validation of previously acquired knowledge and/or skills needed to successfully resume progression may be required, either by testing or repeated course work. Readmission is based on available space, academic record, satisfactory level of health, successful completion of required courses, and compliance with College and professional codes of conduct. Readmission cannot be guaranteed. Students who fail a MLT course (make less than a “C”) may repeat the course only once. Students who fail a MLT course a second time or who fail two MLT courses will not be eligible for continuation of the program. Students who have been out of progression for a period of one year or longer will not be considered for readmission but may apply as new students. Before enrolling in MLT 294-297, students must have completed all of the required general education and prerequisite MLT courses with a grade of “C” or higher and have an overall 2.00 GPA. 

Jefferson State’s Medical Laboratory Technology program faculty and clinical staff reserve the right to drop from the program any student who does not perform satisfactorily in clinical laboratory settings.