Medical Laboratory Assistant

Medical Laboratory Assistants play a very important role in patient health. They are responsible for collecting blood, tissue and other samples from patients, and preparing samples for testing and analysis. Lab Assistants are also hands-on health workers, working directly with patients, often during sensitive times, and may accompany patients through difficult processes. Medical Lab Assistants typically work in inpatient or outpatient medical facilities, however, are often employed in private and public labs or research institutions. Some choose to specialize in biochemistry, cytology, hematology, histopathology, immunology, or microbiology.��

The MLA certificate program meets the requirements for ASCP – MLA certification and AMT – CMLA certification. ��MLA is a great pathway for students who are continuing their education from Phlebotomy to the Medical Laboratory Technology program or just earning additional certifications for their career advancement.

This online program allows students to work with their advisor to successfully tailor a course of study to include employment, personal obligations and career goals. SWAG�ϼ� offers cooperative laboratory hours on campus or the ability to work with a supporting cooperative clinical laboratory in your area. SWAG�ϼ� also offers the ability to transfer general education courses from other accredited colleges or dual credit programs within high schools.

Regulations and requirements for certification, registration, and licensure of Medical Laboratory Assistants vary by state. Some states may include additional requirements beyond those offered in our program. There are currently 11 states with laboratory personnel licensure requirements that may differ from Kansas's requirements. Those states include California, Hawaii, Florida, New York, North Dakota, Tennessee, Louisiana, Nevada, West Virginia, Montana, and Georgia. Puerto Rico also requires licensure. Prospective Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) students who plan to locate in a state other than Kansas should contact that state for specific information relative to that state’s laboratory practice act before enrolling.�� Please visit the for more information.
*This program is NOT approved for California or New York students specifically

Degree Maps

The coursework in general education, life sciences, and specific medical laboratory sciences is supplemented by actual clinical experience in a medical laboratory.��

Certificate
(28 hours - degree map)

View the of��Curriculum Guides (applicable for students admitted prior to Fall 2024) and Degree Maps (applicable for students admitted Fall 2024 and after).

Estimated Costs of SWAG�ϼ� MLA Program

Find information below on the MLA program's additional costs per class. * Please note: all costs are subject to change.

Refer to the Registration and Enrollment section of the website for current information on SWAG�ϼ�'s Cost per Credit Hour.

Upon completion of the SWAG�ϼ� MLT Program you will take one or more certification examinations. At the time of compilation of information for this document, the additional cost of��MLT (ASCP)��certification examination is $215.
Please note: additional��MLT costs are used to defray the cost of a number of items, including but not limited to liability insurance, name tags, laboratory supplies and technology for delivery of the course materials. The liability insurance is obtained through a group policy and more information is available upon request.

MLA Critical Success Factors

You must visit with��your SWAG�ϼ� MLA��Advisor before each semester's enrollment.��

You must be able to manage the financial impact.��Obvious costs include the tuition, regular fees, special technology fees and textbooks for the courses.��You can��see textbook list, ISBN and cost on the webpage. But you must also plan for the financial impact presented by your commitments to your cooperating lab, and your commitments��to your assigned clinical affiliate for the clinical internships. Expect travel expenses, and consider the "lost income" while you are gone from your workplace.

You must identify and solicit the support of a cooperating laboratory.��Your cooperating laboratory must agree to provide learning experiences that "mirror" those provided by our on-campus laboratory. The cooperating laboratory must be approved by the course instructor or the program director.��If your primary cooperating laboratory does not have sufficient volume and variety of testing in certain areas (e.g. microbiology), you��will need to have a second cooperating laboratory.��

You must have a manageable balance of employment, classes and family commitments.��You must be able to budget sufficient time to study and complete assignments and exams.��If you must work full-time, consider a lighter course load and extend the MLT Program over more than two years.

You will be required to have an online video proctor provided by the MLT Program to monitor you while you are taking your online exams.

You must make arrangements and plans to take the necessary general education courses.��You must complete your general education courses with a C or better and be Phlebotomy National Certified eligible. Resources for the general education courses include your local community college or university, distance learning departments or colleges or universities (e.g. FHSU, KSU, and KU), and consortia (e.g. EduKan.edu or Western Governor's University)

You must have appropriate personal management attributes.��Do you stay on course-related tasks without direct supervision? Can you prioritize your own study workload? Can you follow direction? Are you planning to allocate as much time in your schedule for your online courses as you would for a more "traditional" classroom course? Are you good at assessing your own progress?

You must have basic computer skills.��Are your keyboarding (typing) skills good? Do you know how to install software? Can you create, save and manage files on your computer? Do you know how to send and receive e-mail?��If you need to upgrade your computer skills, check for classes at your local Internet provider or library or community college or university.

You must have reliable access to a computer that is capable of running the necessary software and accessing e-mail and the World Wide Web.��It is by far the best to have your own computer. If that is not possible, the computer you plan to use must be available to you on a frequent and convenient basis, outside of your workplace. It must have webcam capability and be able to download and use software needed for the online program and proctoring.

You must have reliable Internet access.��The Internet service provider should have a "good track record."

Occupational Outlook

According to��, the number of medical laboratory technicians in the U.S. is expected to increase by 5��percent from 2023��to 2033. In contrast, the number of jobs in all other industries is expected to increase by only 4��percent during the same time frame.��While many lab techs work in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and other medical facilities, job opportunities are also available in other industries. Possibilities include medical research laboratories, blood banks, universities, and manufacturers of pharmaceutical and medicinal products.��

International student Information

SWAG�ϼ� Medical Laboratory Technology is offered as an online program, however cooperative/clinical lab hours and English language skills are required to complete the program.��For this reason,��international��students who wish to enroll in the program must meet certain requirements for both SWAG�ϼ� and the MLT program. ��

SWAG�ϼ��International��student information can be found on the��.��Please complete the��International��Student Checklist found on that page.��

An international student is defined by meeting the following criteria: Enters or is in the US specifically for the purpose of study. Does not have US citizenship or legal permanent resident status but is currently in the US on a non-immigrant visa (F-1, J-1, etc.). Does not hold permanent resident status.��

Transcripts��

SWAG�ϼ� MLT program requires applicants to submit official foreign transcripts to an approved foreign transcript evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report.��Evaluation does��not��guarantee acceptance of transferred credits.��

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TOEFL Scores

A score of high-intermediate must be obtained on all sections of the TOEFL iBT test.��This is to ensure students can understand the complex medical content contained in the MLT courses. ��

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Reading�� High-Intermediate (18-23)
Listening High-Intermediate (17-21)
Speaking High-Intermediate (20-24)
Writing�� High-Intermediate (17-23)

MLT Accreditation Information

The Medical Laboratory Technician program at SWAG�ϼ� is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
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National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)
5600 N River Road, Suite 720
RoseMont, IL 60018-5119
847-939-3597

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SWAG�ϼ� (BCC) is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges. SWAG�ϼ� is also accredited by the Kansas Board of Regents.

The Higher Learning Commission�� Kansas Board of Regents
30 North LaSalle St., Suite 2400�� 700 SW Harrison, Suite 1410
Chicago, IL 60602�� Topeka, KS 66603-3760
800-621-7440
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