Overview
Clinical or medical laboratory technicians are important members of the medical team
and serve as a vital part of the elaborate framework of the modern medical care. Technicians
are trained in laboratory techniques that assist in the diagnosis, treatment , prevention
of diseases and the maintenance of health. Most technicians work within hospitals,
medical and diagnostic laboratories and physician offices. The medical or clinical
laboratory technician performs qualitative, quantitative and analytic testing in microbiology,
hematology, blood banking (immunohematology), clinical chemistry, immunology, and
urinalysis. If you enjoy the sciences, can work well both on a team and on your own,
then the Clinical Laboratory Technology program has all the elements of a successful
career path made just for you.
Certification
Upon graduation students receive an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree in Clinical
Laboratory Technology. Graduates are eligible to sit for national certifying examinations
including the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification
examination for Medical Laboratory Technicians.
Job Outlook
Graduates of this program are qualified for entry-level positions as clinical/medical
laboratory technicians. Employment opportunities are widely available in hospitals,
clinics, doctors’ offices, independent laboratories, public health, research and industrial
laboratories with 45 percent of technicians working within a hospital setting and
22 percent working in medical and diagnostic laboratories. According to the United
States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of clinical laboratory technicians is expected to grow by 7 percent between
2021 and 2031, as fast as average for all occupations as the volume of laboratory
tests continues to increase with both population growth and the development of new
types of tests.
STLCC is one of the longest-running, continuously accredited clinical laboratory technology
programs in the region, having graduated the first group of students in 1969. Each
year, 25 students who meet the application requirements are accepted on a first-come,
first-served basis. You will start the program in August. Coursework includes lectures
and laboratory procedures. The following August, you will be assigned to clinical
affiliates for your internship/clinical practice.
Classroom instruction includes:
- Orientation to the Medical Laboratory
- Hematology and Coagulation
- Urinalysis and Body Fluids
- Medical Microbiology
- Immunology and Serology
- Clinical Laboratory Skills Development (including phlebotomy)
- Clinical Chemistry
- Immunohematology
Prior to application, it is recommended that students meet with an academic advisor.
The advisor can help plan courses, clarify program requirements and review the student's
academic history.
Program Admission Requirements
- All applicants must be admitted to St. Louis Community College.
- Students must have and maintain a GPA of 2.5 (in college or high school) in order
to be placed and remain on the wait list.
- Complete minimum placement scores or successful completion of specific courses.
- BIO:111 Introduction to Biology I OR higher level of biology OR two semesters of high school biology with lab and two semesters of high school chemistry
with lab.
For more information regarding admission requirements:
Clinical Laboratory Technology Program Requirements
Fully accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
(NAACLS), 5600 N. River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018. Phone 772-714- 8880 or
www.naacls.org.
Lecture, Lab and Practice: You will start the program in August. Coursework includes lectures and laboratory
procedures. The following August, you will be assigned to clinical affiliates for
your internship/clinical practice. Clinical practice takes place at multiple hospitals
in the area (see "clinical sites"), students may rotate through more than one hospital
and they will be under the supervision of the instructor and staff preceptors.
Graduate certification rates demonstrating an average of at least 75% pass rate.
Graduation rates demonstrating an average of at least 70% of students who have begun
the final half of the program go on to successfully graduate.
Job placement rates demonstrating that an average of at least 70% of respondent graduates
either find employment in the field or a closely related field, or continue their
education.
Students in the Clinical Laboratory Technology Program must meet the essential functions
of the program with or without reasonable accommodations. Essential Functions are
the non-academic standards that a student must be able to master to participate successfully
in the CLT program. Examples of this program’s essential functions are provided below.
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Cost of Attendance
For more information on cost of attendance visit MoSCORES.
Program Career and Salary Information
Pursuant to Missouri HB 1606 (2018), information regarding the number of credit hours,
program length, employment rate, wage data, and graduates employed in careers related
to their program of study at St. Louis Community College can be found at https://scorecard.mo.gov/. Search using School / Program “St. Louis Community College” and choose the degree
or credential type of interest.
The following limitations to the data apply - Information provided is based on the
most recent cohorts available. Typically, most recent cohorts for wage and completion
data are six years prior to the current academic year. Time to complete a program
of study varies depending on the number of credit hours students earn per semester.
Contact Us
Hours for all campuses: Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Friday 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
All Locations
314-539-5004
askus@stlcc.edu