Academic Programs and Services

Clinical Laboratory Technician

The Clinical Laboratory Technician curriculum prepares students for positions as technicians in hospital laboratories, physician offices, pharmaceutical companies, private laboratories or other types of clinical laboratory facilities.

Under appropriate supervision, technicians perform clinical laboratory procedures in chemistry, blood banking, microbiology, immunology, hematology, coagulation and other areas of the clinical laboratory, developing data used by a physician to determine the presence and extent of disease as well as monitoring the patient’s treatment.

The student will spend time in clinical laboratories during their course of study to become familiar with the instrumen-tation, workload, and day-to-day operations of the clinical laboratory.

Accreditation: The Clinical Laboratory Technician Program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)* and CLT 102, Phlebotomy, is approved by NAACLS. Graduates of the CLT curriculum are eligible to take the national certification examinations in clinical laboratory science offered by the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) or the National Certification Agency in Clinical Laboratory Science (NCA). Students that successfully complete CLT 102 are eligible to take the PBT (ASCP) Certification exam.

Program Entry Requirements:
Admission is selective and requires that potential students fulfill all College admission requirements. Applicants for the Program must have:

1. High school diploma or general education diploma (GED).
2. High school biology chemistry, and two units of college preparatory math or their applicable equivalents within the last 10 years with a grade of “C” or better.
3. Applicants must demonstrate readiness for English 101 and Math 118 as determined by the College’s placement tests or by successfully completing identified developmental course work.
4. Results of a physical examination, TB tests and immunizations must be on file prior to beginning any Clinical Laboratory Technician classes. Health problems which would interfere with the applicant’s ability to meet program objectives will be dealt with on an individual basis.
5. Second year students must receive a second TB test prior to the start of their second year in the program.
6. All students must show proof of health insurance prior to the start of each semester.
7. Applicants must obtain a Criminal Record Check and a Child Abuse Clearance prior to entering the program. The following guidelines are used in making decisions about an applicant’s criminal and child abuse background.

Child Abuse Clearance

• Any record results in denial of admission into the CLT program.

Criminal Background Check
• Any felony conviction within the past ten years results in denial of admission to the CLT program.
• Any felony conviction more than ten years old will be evaluated based on the nature of the offense, length of time since the offense and any explanatory letters/materials submitted by the applicant or student.
• Any misdemeanor will be evaluated based on the nature of the offense, length of time since the offense, and explanatory letter/materials submitted by the applicant or students. (Any punishment over one year indicates a felony according to federal sentencing guidelines.)

Reconsideration
An applicant who believes that an error of fact has been made in terms of the information provided to the decision making committee can request reconsideration by the committee. This request must be made in writing within ten days from the date of the letter notifying the applicant of the decision. The reconsideration should address what the applicant considers to be errors of fact.

Following reconsideration by the decision making committee, the applicant can appeal the committee’s decision to the Vice President for Academic Affairs whose decision is final.

Any official change or the initiation of any governmental proceeding affecting the information revealed by the required criminal or child abuse background check must be reported immediately to the CLT curriculum supervisor.

Drug Screening
The CLT program requires participation in clinical education. Some clinical affiliates of the CLT program require evidence of a negative drug screening test in order for a student to participate in the clinical part of the clinical laboratory program at their facility. Therefore, any student with a positive drug screening test cannot be admitted into the CLT program.

Involvement in any incident which resulted in a disciplinary action against a student at Community College of Philadelphia or any post-secondary institution is considered in the admissions process. The CLT program reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant who has a history of violating College rules and regulations or who has been previously suspended or expelled from the College or any other post-secondary educational institution.

Additional expenses for students in the program include travel to clinical facilities, purchase of uniforms, shoes, laboratory coats, required textbooks, a physical examination and inoculations.

To remain in the Program, students must receive a grade of “C” or better in each professional course and in each science course. All general science prerequisites must be completed prior to entering the second year of the program.

A student in the Clinical Laboratory Technician program whose skills, attitude and behavior are viewed as inconsistent with professional standards may be dropped from the program by the program director.

Students dropped from the program because of academic deficiencies will be considered for a second admission to the program after remediation of the deficiencies and recommendation of the CLT faculty. Students may be readmitted to the program only once. Part-time students must complete the program within five years of their initial enrollment.

Program of Study and Graduation Requirements:
To qualify for the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree as a clinical laboratory technician, a student must complete 63 credit hours as prescribed, attain a grade-point-average of 2.0 or better and no grade below “C” in any required course for the curriculum.

Phlebotomy Certificate Program:
CLT 102 - Phlebotomy is a one semester course that includes 2 hours of lecture, 3 hours of student lab and 8 hours of clinical rotation per week in a hospital laboratory or outpatient facility. The program was designed to meet the approval standards of the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).* Students that successfully complete the Program are eligible to take the PBT (ASCP) Certification exam.

Admission requirements are:
1. High school diploma or general education diploma (GED).
2. English 101 readiness.
3. Results of a physical examination, immunizations, including Hepatitis B and a current PPD test.
4. Verification of medical insurance is mandatory.
5. The student must obtain a Criminal Record Check, Child Abuse Clearance and drug screening prior to entering the Program.

* 8410 West Bryn Mawr Avenue
Suite 670
Chicago, IL 60631
773-741-8880

Download a printable degree description (PDF File) that includes a recommended course sequence grid.