CLINICAL LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY
(formerly called Medical Laboratory Technology)
Program Description
Rapid advances in research will continue to increase both the number and the complexity of clinical laboratory tests performed. Federal regulations and New York State licensure now require more highly-trained personnel who must meet the minimum educational standard of the associate degree. Consequently, the demand for trained clinical laboratory technicians has been rising and will continue to grow in both the local and national arenas.
The modern clinical laboratory technologist applies knowledge from the physical and biological sciences to the detection and management of disease. The program to train clinical laboratory technicians emphasizes development of laboratory skills and characteristics essential to the health care worker. The use of state-of-the-art equipment in the analysis of blood and body fluids, as well as computerized patient data entry systems, allows the students to gain the skills necessary to perform effectively on ASCP and NCA national certifying board examinations of the clinical laboratory technology professional societies.
The Clinical Laboratory Technology curriculum encompasses a concentration of clinical technology courses along with courses in the liberal arts, social science, sciences and mathematics. Lectures in the clinical laboratory area include studies in hematology, clinical chemistry, coagulation, analysis of urine and other body fluids, serology, blood banking and microbiology. Troubleshooting and quality control procedures are integrated into the program. College laboratories provide a simulated medical setting giving students the opportunity to analyze clinical specimens using manual and automated methodologies. In the lab courses, students will use computers for data retrieval, record updating and printing reports. During the senior year, students complete laboratory rotations at five affiliated clinical laboratories: Buffalo General Hospital, Veteran's Administration Medical Center, Sister's Hospital, South Buffalo Mercy Hospital, Roswell Park and the Erie County Public Health Laboratories. The students may perform clinical laboratory procedures at the affiliated hospitals under the direct supervision of laboratory technologists and may not perform service work during scheduled clinical sessions.
Upon successful program completion, graduates must apply to take the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) Board of Registry National Certification Examination. Graduates passing the ASCP examination will fulfill the requirements for licensure in New York State. Graduates of the CLT program perform consistently at or above the national average on ASCP Board examinations.
CLT graduates are employed as clinical laboratory technicians in private, clinical, or hospital laboratories and research institutions. Alumni of the program have also found employment as phlebotomists and quality control technicians in the food industry in biological, pharmaceutical and chemical laboratories. Other graduates transfer to four-year institutions to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology, as well as other medical fields such as Nuclear Medicine, Nursing, Biology and Pre-Med.
Admission Requirements
Admission Criteria includes:
- High school graduate or GED
- Overall high school average of 80% within the last five years
- An 80% final grade in high school general biology and chemistry
- A minimum placement test result at the Math 125 and English 110 level
- A minimum college GPA of 2.5 within the last 10 years
- Completion of all required developmental English courses
- Completion of developmental math course 007 or 013
- Minimum completion of Biology 107 or 149 and Chemistry with a lab (CH 100/101 or CH 250/251) within the last 10 years
Progression
All developmental, pre-requisites, co-requisites and CLT courses may be repeated only once if a grade below "C" or "W" is received. CLT courses are integrated and sequenced in a specific manner to enable students to attain program competencies. All required courses must be passed each semester in order to advance to the following semester.
Any two failures (grade below a "C") or withdrawal (W) in any of the required ML courses will result in dismissal from the Clinical Laboratory Technology program. Because of the critical nature of the profession, deviations from professional conduct may adversely affect the patient's well being. Therefore, the department reserves the right to immediately remove the student from didactic, laboratory and clinical course work and/or dismiss that student from the program if the department determines that the student has acted in an unprofessional manner or if the student is unable to provide safe laboratory practices.
Accreditation
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) 8410 West Bryn Mawr Avenue Suite 670 Chicago, Illinois 60631 (773) 714-8880 http://www.naacls.org.
NAACLS Accreditation guidelines require that a procedure be established for determining that the applicant's or student's health will permit them to meet the technical standards of the program.
Scholarships:
- American Society of Clinical Laboratory Science
- American Society of Clinical Pathologists
(Additional scholarship information is on file in the CLT Department Office, room B 613, North Campus)
Degree: Associate in Applied Science
Hegis: 5205
Curriculum Code: 0600
Total Degree Credits: 71.5
Campus Location: North
Health Sciences Division