The Medical Laboratory Technology program is a two-year program that is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) and is located on the college’s Wesson Campus. The program is designed to instruct and prepare the graduate for entry-level employment as a medical laboratory technician and/or advancement in the field of Medical Laboratory Science. Learning activities consist of a combination of theory, laboratory practice, and clinical experience.
The curriculum includes technical and academic courses taken on campus and 22 weeks of clinical instruction and skill development in an affiliated hospital. Upon successful completion of the technical program, the student will be awarded an Associate in Applied Science degree in Medical Laboratory Technology and will be eligible to take a National Certification Examination.
For up-to-date information concerning the program’s ASCP Board of Certification passage rates, job placement rates, and graduation rates, please click on the “Program Outcomes” button in the “Program Goals & Outcomes” section below.
MLT Program Director: Paula Yarborough; MLT Program Instructor: Shanna Clark
Vision
The Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) Program at Co-Lin will provide a well-rounded curriculum in medical laboratory technology with the best available training and equipment. Learners will be provided accessible, affordable, high-quality education by keeping their needs at the center of decision-making in partnership with the dynamic multicultural community.
Program Mission
The mission of the Medical Laboratory Technology Program at Copiah-Lincoln Community College is designed to instruct students in the theoretical and practical skills required for the entry-level practice of clinical laboratory science. The Medical Laboratory Technician is responsible for assuring reliable and accurate laboratory test results to meet the needs of the community and the medical profession.
Philosophy
The Medical Laboratory Technology program is a creative health discipline based on the social and natural sciences. Practitioners provide a personal service to people of all ages and in all degrees of health and illness. Graduates should be prepared for entry-level positions in a variety of clinical service areas. They must also have the academic foundation to enter into advanced educational programs and to assume responsibilities for their own continued professional growth. The program was developed with the philosophy that clinical training and theory are of equal importance in clinical laboratory education. The curriculum reflects a balance of courses that provide each student the opportunity to develop their potential cognitive, effective, and psychomotor abilities. Every effort is made, through clinical affiliates and other contacts, to assure timely employment of graduates. This is an ongoing responsibility of the program.
Values
As members of the Co-Lin community of learners, we are expected to act with respect, honesty, responsibility, and accountability. Each of us is expected to be aware of the impact our behaviors have on the community. The Co-Lin MLT program wishes each learner to commit to the following actions:
- Become an active and engaged learner
- Celebrate the richness of our diversity
- Respect the campus and its code of conduct
- Practice empathy and compassion
- Promote the empowerment of others
Program Goals & Outcomes
The educational experiences in the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Medical Laboratory Technology Program are designed to ensure that students are well prepared to enter the profession at entry level as a Medical Laboratory Technician and have the ability to continue their learning throughout their professional career.
At the completion of the Co-Lin MLT Program, the student will be able to function as a medical laboratory technician who is competent in the following major program competencies and goals:
- Understanding and correctly performing laboratory testing in hematology, chemistry, microbiology, urinalysis, serology/immunology, coagulation, immunohematology, and laboratory operations including pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes.
- Using critical thinking and problem-solving skills to recognize abnormal and erroneous results and take appropriate actions.
- Correlating laboratory findings with common disease processes.
- Attaining an academic foundation for passage of national certification and eligibility for advanced educational programs.
- Developing professionalism with an understanding of continued professional development and ethical behavior.
- Demonstrating effective professional and interpersonal communication with patients, laboratory personnel, other health care providers, and the public.
- Complying with safety procedures and privacy standards.
- Having graduated from a nationally accredited program through the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science in order to serve the clinical laboratories in our area.
The Medical Laboratory Technology program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, 5600 North River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, Illinois, 60018; 773.714.8880; info@naacls.org; www.naacls.org.
Special Admission Requirements
- Must be 18 years of age upon program entrance
- Recommended ACT of 18 or higher
- Completed MLT Application and Accompanying Documents. Applications are accepted spring and fall semesters
- Developmental courses must be successfully completed prior to program entrance
- Acceptance will be based on the completed MLT application and accompanying documents, ACT score, and a file review by the selection committee. Admission to the program is on a competitive basis
- If accepted, all applicants must participate in drug/alcohol testing and a criminal history background check
Hospital Affiliations
- Southwest MS Regional Medical Center; McComb, MS
- King’s Daughters Medical Center; Brookhaven, MS
- Magee General Hospital; Magee, MS
- Natchez Pathology Lab; Natchez, MS
- Merit Health Natchez; Natchez, MS
- Copiah County Medical Center; Hazlehurst, MS
Associated Student Organizations
- Co-Lin Student Society for Medical Technology
- National Technical Honor Society
- Phi Theta Kappa
