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Medical Laboratory Technician

Do you want to contribute to the healthcare field, but don’t want to become a nurse or doctor? Does the idea of working in a laboratory environment sound appealing to you? To many, building a career in healthcare as a Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) has proven to be a meaningful and rewarding part of their lives. An MLT is part of a team of laboratory scientists who collect and conduct chemical analysis of bodily fluids, cultivate and identify microbial organisms for testing, and use a wide variety of lab equipment and techniques to establish the accuracy of test results.

The MLT program at Otero College in Southeast Colorado offers an accredited two year AAS degree and  is designed to prepare qualified laboratory professionals for entry level employment in environments such as hospitals, outpatient clinics, and private medical laboratories. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take national examinations to become certified Medical Laboratory Technicians.

Earn your Phlebotomy certificate at zero-cost to you

Care Forward Colorado provides zero-cost, short-term healthcare training at Otero College. In one year or less, you can learn the skills to become a certified nursing assistant, emergency services professional, or licensed clinical phlebotomist.

Starting in Spring 2023, students who enroll in eligible healthcare certificate programs will have tuition, fees, and materials covered as Care Forward Colorado funding allows. Apply to Otero, enroll in an eligible program, and have your bill paid.

Three semesters will be spent at the Otero campus and two semesters will be partially spent in clinical rotations at an affiliated clinical facility.

The Otero MLT program is accredited by the National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). Their contact information is:

NAACLS; 5600 River Rd. Suite 720 Rosemont, IL 60018; Phone 773-714-8880; Fax 773-714-8886; Email: info@naacls.org ; Web site: www.naacls.org

Spring Semester

Credit

ENG 1021
-----------
MLT 1031
BIO 1111
MAT 1340
English Composition I
Elective*
Hematology I
General College Biology
College Algebra
3 credits
3 credits
2 credits
5 credits
4 credits

Summer Semester

Credit

HPR 1080 Internship (105 Clinical Hours) 3 credits

Fall Semester

Credit

BIO 2101
-----------
MLT 1032
CHE 1111
Anatomy & Physiology I
Elective*
Hematology II
General College Chemistry
4 credits
3 credits
4 credits
5 credits

Spring Semester

Credit

BIO 2102
MLT 2031
MLT 1041
MLT 2041
MLT 1042
Human Anatomy & Physiology II w/lab
Clinical Microbiology
Immunohematology/Immunology
Clinical Chemistry I
Urinalysis
4 credits
4 credits
4 credits
2 credits
2 credits

Summer Semester

Credit

MLT 2032
MLT 2082
MLT 1080
Parasitology/Mycology
Internship IV/Microbiology (90 Clinical Hours)
Internship/Blood Banking I (45 Clinical Hours)
2 credits
2 credits
1 credit

Fall Semester

Credit

MLT 2042
MLT 2053
MLT 2080
MLT 1082
Clinical Chemistry II
Seminar/Comprehensive Exams
Intern-III Clinical Chemistry  (157.5 Clinical Hours)
Intern-II Hemat/Coag/Urinalysis (157.5 Clinical Hours)
4 credits
1 credit
3.5 credits
3.5 credits

*Approved Electives List

Students may only take 1 COM course

Credit

CIS 1018
COM 1250
COM 1150
COM 1260
HPR 1011
HPR 1039
CHE 1112
BIO 2104
MLS 3160
MLS 3130
Intro. To PC Applications
Interpersonal Communication
Public Speaking
Communications in Healthcare
CPR for Professionals
Medical Terminology 
General College Chemistry II
Microbiology
Advanced Molecular Biology for the Clinical Lab
Clinical Immunology and Virology
3 credits
3 credits
3 credits
3 credits
0.5 credits
2 credits
5 credits
4 credits
3 credits
3 credits

A Phlebotomy certificate can be obtained by completing the Hematology I course plus the Phlebotomy course. This certificate can be obtained through a compressed Spring semester or additional Summer semester.

The Otero Phlebotomy program is accredited by the National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). Their contact information is:

NAACLS; 5600 River Rd. Suite 720 Rosemont, IL 60018; Phone 773-714-8880; Fax 773-714-8886; Email: info@naacls.org ; Web site: www.naacls.org

Phlebotomy Certificate 

 

MLT 1031
HPR 1080

Introduction to Hematology 
Internship

2 credits 
3 credits

The student must apply for general college admission to Otero College. Applying to Otero is free and can be completed online.

In addition the student is required to:

  1. Be a graduate of an accredited high school or equivalent. Courses in biology and chemistry are strongly recommended.
  2. Background check and drug screen. See the Disqualifying Offenses document for more information:
    1. Clinical facilities require students to complete a drug screen prior to participating in clinical experience. This will be arranged through the college. Please plan to follow the procedures promptly when notified.
    2. Students are required to take and pass the background check
  3. Required necessary vaccinations: Annual influenza, Hepatitis B, Varicella, MMR, COVID-19
  4. Colorblindness testing: this will be done in class or can be done on D2L (Desire2Learn).
  5. Health Form: The student must submit a completed physical exam form before beginning clinical rotations in the second semester.

Medical Laboratory Technician Program Outcomes

Medical Laboratory Technician Program Outcomes


Phlebotomy Program Outcomes

Graph of Phlebotomy Certificate Outcomes

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