Medical Technology, B.S.

Medical Technology Program

Stephanie Blackburn, M.H.S.
Program Director

The Program of Clinical Laboratory Sciences offers a curriculum leading to a bachelor of science degree in medical technology. Preprofessional curricula which prepare a student for application to the program are offered on various campuses at other colleges and universities throughout the state. The medical technology program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, 5600 N. River Rd., Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018-5119, phone: 837-939-3597.

Medical technologists (medical laboratory scientists) perform analytical tests on blood and body fluids. As vital members of the health care team, they provide information necessary for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Clinical laboratory science is a profession requiring precise and accurate evaluation techniques and keen problem-solving and judgment skills. Blending the basic sciences and medicine, medical technologists may specialize in disciplines such as hematology, immunology, microbiology, chemistry, molecular, or blood banking. Medical technologists may practice in hospitals, independent commercial laboratories, clinics, physicians’ offices, blood banks, public health departments, ambulatory care centers, industry, and other settings.

Students accepted into the curriculum in medical technology may enter only after successfully completing all prerequisite courses. The curriculum in medical technology at the Health Sciences Center begins three times a year (May, August, and January) and lasts for 14-16 months, which includes four months in an affiliated clinical site. The student is awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology upon completion of the curriculum and is eligible to take national certifying exams in medical laboratory science. Upon successful completion of a national certification exam, the graduate is eligible for state licensure.

Minimum Requirements For Admission

Admission to the program in medical technology is on a competitive basis. Students must have attained a grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or greater (4.0 scale) for all applicable college courses taken prior to the date of application. A grade of D or F in any prerequisite course is not accepted and the course must be repeated until an acceptable grade is achieved. Grades in repeated courses are not deleted in the determination of GPA. Other factors considered for admission are science/math GPA, last 30 hours completed GPA, interview, knowledge of the profession and recommendations. It is recommended that applicants tour a clinical laboratory prior to interview. Class size per year is approximately 24. Louisiana residents are given preference; however, out-of-state applications may be considered. In addition, applicants must be able to master certain technical standards (visual, motor, communication and behavioral skills) that are described in the next section.

Minimum prerequisites for admission include satisfactory completion (prior to the date of registration) of the courses listed below or their equivalent (as determined by the departmental faculty). In addition, international students must take a minimum of 6 hours in science courses and 6 hours in English composition in a U.S. college or university.

Technical Standards for Medical Technology

Technical Standards (Essential Functions) are the non-academic standards that a student must be able to master to participate successfully in the MT/CLS program and become employable*. Examples of this program’s essential functions are provided below. If you are not sure that you will be able to meet these essential functions, please consult with the Admissions Chair for further information and to discuss your individual situation.

Visual and Observation Skills: A student in the MT/CLS program must possess sufficient visual skills and skills of observation to perform and interpret laboratory assays, including the ability to:

• Observe laboratory demonstrations in which lab procedures are performed on patient samples (i.e. body fluids, culture materials, tissue sections, and cellular specimens).
• Characterize the color, consistency, and clarity of biological samples or reagents.
• Use a clinical grade binocular microscope to discriminate among fine differences in structure and color (i.e. hue, shading, and intensity) in microscopic specimens.
• Read and comprehend text, numbers, and graphs displayed in print and on a video monitor.
• Recognize alarms.

Motor and Mobility Skills: A student must possess adequate motor and mobility skills to:

• Perform laboratory tests adhering to existing laboratory safety standards.
• Perform moderately taxing continuous physical work. This work may require prolonged sitting and/or standing, over several hours and some may take place in cramped positions.
• Reach laboratory benchtops and shelves, patients lying in hospital beds or patients seated in specimen collection furniture.
• Perform fine motor tasks such as pipetting, inoculating media, withdrawing a blood sample from a patient, handling small tools and/or parts to repair and correct equipment malfunctions, and transferring drops into tubes of small diameter.
• Use a computer keyboard to operate laboratory instruments and to calculate, record, evaluate, and transmit laboratory information.

Communication Skills: A student must possess adequate communication skills to:

• Communicate with individuals and groups (i.e. faculty members, fellow students, staff, patients, and other health care professionals) verbally and in recorded format (writing, typing, graphics, or telecommunication).

Behavioral Skills: A student must possess adequate behavioral skills to:

• Be able to manage the use of time and be able to systematize actions in order to complete professional and technical tasks within realistic constraints.
• Possess the emotional health necessary to effectively apply knowledge and exercise appropriate judgment.
• Be able to provide professional and technical services while experiencing the stresses of task-related uncertainty (i.e., ambiguous test order, ambivalent test interpretation), emergent demands (i.e. “stat” test orders), and distracting environment (i.e., high noise levels, crowding, complex visual stimuli.)
• Be flexible and creative and adapt to professional and technical change.
• Recognize potentially hazardous materials, equipment, and situations and proceed safely in order to minimize risk of injury to patients, self, and nearby individuals.
• Adapt to working with unpleasant biological specimens.
• Support and promote the activities of fellow students and of health care professionals. Promotion of peers helps furnish a team approach to learning, task completion, problem solving, and patient care.
• Be honest, compassionate, ethical, and responsible. The student must be forthright about errors or uncertainty. The student must be able to critically evaluate her or his own performance, accept constructive criticism, and look for ways to improve (i.e. participate in enriched educational activities). The student must be able to evaluate the performance of fellow students and tactfully offer constructive comments.
• Show respect for individuals of different age, ethnic background, religion, and /or sexual orientation.
• Exhibit professional behavior by conforming to appropriate standards of dress, appearance, language and public behavior. (For example, visible tattoos and body piercing, other than ears, are not considered professional appearance.)

*Certain disabilities may limit employment opportunities. Moreover, immunocompromised individuals may put themselves at personal risk due to exposure to infectious agents that occurs in all aspects of the laboratory.

Method of Application

Students must apply approximately 2 months in advance of anticipated enrollment (See www.lsuhscshreveport.edu/alliedhealth for deadline details). Procedure for applying for admission to the Bachelor of Science degree program in medical technology is as follows:

1. An Application for Admission form may be obtained by downloading an application at www.lsuhscshreveport.edu/alliedhealth.
2. The Application must be completed and returned to the Office of Student Affairs on or prior to the published deadline for admission to the program.
3. Applicants must have transcripts sent to the Office of Student Affairs from all colleges and universities attended by the application deadline and to include all courses completed. Current enrollment in any remaining courses will allow conditional acceptance into the program. An additional transcript is required at the end of the current semester to verify successful completion of these remaining courses.
4. Recommendations are required from science department faculty of the institution previously attended, or professional experience.
5. A personal interview will be scheduled by the Program’s Admissions Committee.
6. Notification of action taken by the Admissions Committee will be sent in writing to all applicants no later than 60 days prior to the first day of class.
7. Applicants who have been accepted into the program are expected to notify the them in writing if, for any reason, they wish to withdraw as an accepted applicant (i.e., change in plans, or failure to complete all prerequisites.)
8. Applicants who have been notified that they were not accepted, but who meet minimum requirements, will be retained on the waiting list until classes begin that year. If one of the accepted applicants withdraws prior to registration, an individual on the waiting list may be accepted.

Scholastic Requirements

Scholastic requirements for all SAHP undergraduate programs are listed in the general section of this catalog/bulletin. Students must complete the 15 month curriculum in medical technology in no more than 32 months after initial enrollment or the student will be dismissed from the program. If making a grade less than C in a course will prevent a student from meeting the 32 month requirement, the student will be dismissed from the program.

Academic Progression Requirements

The following requirements pertaining to the academic progression apply to all students in the Program of Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

In order to achieve the status of satisfactory academic progress, the student must meet the following minimum standards:

1. Satisfy the scholastic requirements listed above and in the SAHP general section of this catalog/bulletin.
2. Satisfactorily complete the required number of credit hours per semester established by the Program.

The program will review students’ academic progress after completion of each semester.  Students in this category may request that their progress  be re-evaluated more than once per academic year. Appeals may be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in the section of this catalog/bulletin entitled “Student Academic Appeals”.

Transfer of Credits

Transfer credit earned in other NAACLS (National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science) accredited programs or unaccredited programs will not be accepted. Students may petition the program director to receive credit for prior coursework by paying tuition and passing a course examination. If the student receives an acceptable score on the course examinations, credit for each course passed may be given without course attendance. Clinical practicum courses must be successfully completed as described in the course descriptions and are not subject to testing out for credit.

Other Information

1. The faculty of the program makes clinical affiliate assignments. Once an assignment is made, it is final. Students whose entry into the four-month clinical affiliate phase is delayed because of failure to meet scholastic requirements will be given a clinical affiliate assignment based on space availability. This clinical affiliate assignment may not immediately follow the completion of didactic courses. Full-time student status in the School of Allied Health Professions is maintained throughout the program. Part-time status may be considered on an individual basis.
2. Registration and payment of all University fees will be completed for each semester during the program.

Curriculum

• Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Program in Medical Technology Curriculum