Program Information
Do you have a passion for medical discovery? San Jacinto College’s Medical Laboratory Technology program may be for you. Lab workers play a vital role in the health of our society. Although they have minimal contact with patients, they provide doctors with critical information to diagnose, monitor, and treat patients.
The San Jacinto College Medical Laboratory Technology program:
- Prepares students to work behind the scenes in four major areas of clinical lab work, including hematology, chemistry, blood bank, and microbiology;
- Introduces students to lab safety, hygiene, personal protective equipment, and instrumentation;
- Involves 23 months of study with a curriculum focused on the four major clinical lab areas; and
- Combines theory and student labs taught on campus and clinical education taught in area hospitals.
After completing the curriculum, students earn an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree and are eligible to take the national certification exams and apply for the certification examination given by the Board of Registry of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists and/or the National Certification Agency for Medical Laboratory Personnel.
Program Accreditation
The San Jacinto College Medical Laboratory Technology program is accredited by:
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
5600 N. River Road, Suite 720
Rosemont, Illinois 60018-5119
847-939-3597
773-714-8880
773-714-8886 (fax)
For more information, students may contact 281-478-3612 or bertha.rodriguez@sjcd.edu.
Career Opportunities
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment of medical laboratory technicians to grow by 15 percent within the next eight years.
An AAS in Medical Laboratory Technology prepares students for many career opportunities, including:
- Hospital labs,
- Doctors’ office labs,
- Private labs,
- Veterinary labs,
- Industrial labs,
- Centers for Disease Control,
- Departments of Health and Human Services,
- Bio-hazardous waste companies,
- Forensics, and
- Industrial labs.
Earning Potential
Clinical Laboratory Technician: $56,333 per year1
- 1
Source: texaswages.com, median salary Gulf Coast region, 2022
Links
Program Application and Information Sessions at: https://www.sanjac.edu/programs/areas-of-study/health/med-lab-tech/
Campus
Central Campus
Information
Upon completion of the program, the student is granted an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree and is eligible to apply for the certification examination given by the Board of Registry of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists and/or the National Certification Agency for Medical Laboratory Personnel.
The program curriculum is a balance of general education and technical courses as well as supervised practicum work at area hospitals. This provides the student an opportunity for educational development as well as skill competency.
Students are required to purchase uniforms and accessories. Each student is responsible for their own transportation to the clinical areas.
Students enrolling into San Jacinto College programs with external learning experiences (i.e., clinical, practicum, externship, cooperative, etc.) will be required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the clinical/external learning sites to engage in all clinical/external learning experiences. Vaccination requirements at clinical/external learning sites are implemented pursuant to the independent authority of such facilities and are not mandated by San Jacinto College. Failure to meet the immunization requirements mandated by clinical/external learning sites may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the clinical/external learning site.
Philosophy
The philosophy of the Department of Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) parallels the philosophy of San Jacinto College. Medical Laboratory Technology is the allied health care field that performs laboratory test procedures and analyses used in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of disease, as well as the maintenance of health. Medical laboratory technicians practice their specialty under the direction of licensed physicians in various settings including hospitals, private and public health clinics, and industrial laboratories.
The medical laboratory technician must be able to apply the knowledge acquired through academic studies and student labs to the clinical setting so that meaningful test results will be obtained to report to the patient’s physician. Graduates of the Medical Laboratory Technology program will be prepared to practice medical laboratory technology in all major areas of the clinical laboratory as contributing members of the health care team.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet all College general admission requirements. Students who apply for admission to the Medical Laboratory Technology program will be ranked based on their scoring on the Medical Laboratory Technology selection Criteria Point System. Meeting the minimum requirements for admission does not guarantee admission.
A criminal background check and/or alcohol and drug screening is required of all health science students attending clinical courses or practicums and may be required prior to admission to the program. In accordance with Texas House Bill 1508, the College informs all students in this program who may have a criminal background that a criminal history could keep graduates from being licensed by the state of Texas. Students with any questions about their background and licensure may speak with the Department Chair.
Students must apply for admission to the program of Medical Laboratory Technology by submitting a formal application and all required official documents to the San Jacinto College Records Management Department.
Prior to entering the Medical Laboratory Technology program, students need to take prerequisite courses: BIOL 2404 Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology (lecture & lab) and MATH 1314 College Algebra.
Medical Laboratory Technology students must earn a grade of C or above in each Medical Laboratory Technology course and required science courses and maintain an overall grade point average of at least 2.0 in order to graduate from the Medical Laboratory Technology program. If a student earns a grade of D, W, or F in a Medical Laboratory Technology or science course, the student will be required to repeat the course in which the unsatisfactory grade was earned and pass that course with a grade of C or better to progress.
Clinical practicum absences must be made up within the term in which they occur.
Because clinical practicum space is limited, students are admitted on a competitive basis. Applicants or those seeking additional information should contact the Medical Laboratory Technology Program Director or the Department Chair for Allied Health. Applications for admission to the fall term class are accepted beginning in January.
Applicants to the Medical Laboratory Technology program will be notified by mail regarding their program admission status. Applicants who are not selected for admission to the Medical Laboratory Technology program must re-apply if they want to be considered for the next term. Applicants who are accepted for admission to the Medical Laboratory Technology program but who do not enroll must re-apply. Applicants must meet the College’s general admission requirements as well as the program admission criteria.
After acceptance into the program, an applicant must have a physical examination by a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant and attend an orientation with a member of the Medical Laboratory Technology program.
Students are required to purchase uniforms and accessories.
Plan of Study
3MED-LABT
| Prerequisites | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 2404 | Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology (lecture & lab) 1 | 4 |
| Mathematics 2 | 3 | |
| ENGL 1301 | Composition I | 3 |
| MLAB 1201 | Introduction to Clinical Laboratory Science | 2 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| First Term | ||
| PLAB 1223 | Phlebotomy | 2 |
| MLAB 1311 | Urinalysis and Body Fluids | 3 |
| MLAB 2534 | Clinical Microbiology | 5 |
| MLAB 1415 | Hematology | 4 |
| HPRS 1206 | Essentials of Medical Terminology | 2 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Second Term | ||
| MLAB 2164 | Practicum I-Medical Laboratory Technician | 1 |
| MLAB 1227 | Coagulation | 2 |
| MLAB 1235 | Immunology and Serology | 2 |
| MLAB 2165 | Practicum II-Medical Laboratory Technician | 1 |
| SCIT 1314 | Applied General Chemistry I | 3 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Third Term | ||
| MLAB 2431 | Immunohematology | 4 |
| MLAB 2401 | Clinical Chemistry | 4 |
| PSYC 2301 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Credits | 11 | |
| Fourth Term | ||
| MLAB 2167 | Practicum III-Medical Laboratory Technician | 1 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Speech Communication | ||
| Public Speaking | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Business and Professional Speech | ||
| Language, Philosophy and Culture (Humanities) or Creative Arts (Fine Arts) | 3 | |
| MLAB 2168 | Practicum IV-Medical Laboratory Technician | 1 |
| MLAB 2238 | Advanced Topic in Medical Laboratory Technician | 2 |
| MLAB 2232 | Seminar in Medical Laboratory Technology | 2 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
Course outline is representative of fall entry only. Adjustments will be made for spring entry.
- 1
Students who have already completed BIOL 2301, BIOL 2101, BIOL 2302, and BIOL 2102 may use this combination instead of BIOL 2404.
- 2
Students desiring to obtain a baccalaureate degree should take MATH 1314 College Algebra.
Capstone Experience: MLAB 2238 Advanced Topic in Medical Laboratory Technician
Medical Laboratory Technology students must earn a grade of C or above in each Medical Laboratory Technology course and required science courses and maintain an overall grade point average of at least 2.0 to graduate from the Medical Laboratory Technology program.