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 ListStudents 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 |
Introduction to Hematology |
2 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:
- Be a graduate of an accredited high school or equivalent. Courses in biology and chemistry are strongly recommended.
- Background check and drug screen. See the Disqualifying Offenses document for more information:
- 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.
- Students are required to take and pass the background check.
- Required necessary vaccinations: Annual influenza, Hepatitis B, Varicella, MMR, COVID-19
- Colorblindness testing: this will be done in class or can be done on D2L (Desire2Learn).
- Health Form: The student must submit a completed physical exam form before beginning clinical rotations in the second semester.