Medical Laboratory Technician

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. A minimum of one year of high school biology and chemistry or their applicable equivalents within the last 10 years with a grade of “C” or better.
3. Applicants must demonstrate readiness for ENGL101 and FMNT 118 as determined by the College's placement or by successfully completing identified developmental course work.
4. Minimum grade point average of 2.25 

Applicants must be 18 years of age on or before the first day of the semester in which they begin the program.

Applicants who complete and meet the aforementioned requirements will be eligible to continue in the admissions process and will be contacted, via e-mail, concerning the scheduling of an admissions interview with the Program Director (or designee). A scheduled interview does not guarantee admission. Upon completion of the admissions interview, the Program Director (or designee) will review and score all applicants with particular attention to:

1. Cumulative grade point average
2. Strength of secondary/post-secondary academic curriculum
3. Allied Health pre-entrance examination score (Kaplan exam)
4. Personal interview

Conditions for Acceptance: 

All applicants are notified in writing regarding the admissions decision. All offers of acceptance are contingent upon successful completion of the following: 

• Acknowledgement of Core Performance Standards for Health Care Career Programs and physical demand analysis: https://www.myccp.online/medical-laboratory-technician-program
• Clinical education requires the following:
  • Activity Tolerance:  Move quickly and/or tolerate long periods of standing and/or sitting. Perform tasks accurately under time constraints.
  • Mobility: Ability to ambulate without assistive devices in confined areas, reach laboratory bench tops and equipment.
  • Motor Skills: Reach, manipulate, and operate equipment, instruments, and supplies to include VP needles and micropipettes.
  • Students who are registered with the Center on Disability must inform the Program Director if accommodations are required.
• Completion of criminal background check, child abuse clearance, and drug screening:
  • Criminal Background Checks:
    • Any felony conviction within the past 10 years will result in denial of admission to the MLT program.
    • Any felony conviction more than 10 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 student. (Any punishment over one year indicates a felony according to federal sentencing guidelines.)
  • Drug Screening Clearance:
    • The MLT program requires participation in clinical education. Clinical affiliates of the MLT program require evidence of a negative drug screening test in order for a student to participate in the clinical education part of the MLT program at their facility. Therefore, any student with a positive drug screening test cannot be admitted into the MLT program. The College, in its admissions process, will consider information regarding criminal convictions and/or crimes of moral turpitude. Admission is conditional pending receipt and evaluation of a Pennsylvania State Police and F.B.I. criminal background check, child abuse check and drug screening test.
  • Additional conditions for acceptance into the program include:
    • Documentation of a complete physical examination (health form), including required laboratory tests (TB test, proof of immunity). All health information is kept confidential. 
    • Documentation of up to date immunizations prior to clinical assignment. Additional immunizations (e.g., influenza) and antibody titers may be necessary. 
    • Documentation of current health insurance coverage, which must be maintained throughout the Program.
    • Attendance at scheduled Program orientation prior to entry.
    • Purchase of MLT student uniform 

For more information about program entry requirements, please visit the Medical Laboratory Technician program overview.

Additional Expenses

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.

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 and Student Success, 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 MLT curriculum coordinator.

Disciplinary Action:

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 MLT 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.

Dismissal from the Program:

The MLT Program reserves the right to dismiss any student:

• who fails to observe the regulations of College and its clinical affiliates,
• whose skills, attitude and behavior are viewed as inconsistent with professional standards,
• whose general conduct is detrimental to the College and its clinical affiliates,
• who does not meet the scholastic requirements of the MLT Program. A student who earns a grade of "D" or lower in any MLT course will be dismissed from the program.
• who fails to complete all general science prerequisites prior to entering the second year of the program.

Readmission Policy:

• The MLT program is intended to be completed in 18 months beginning in September of each year. In order to progress through the program, students must complete all curriculum courses with a grade of "C" or better and maintain a GPA of 2.25 or higher. Eligible students seeking program readmission must do so within twelve (12) months of program separation.
• Program readmission is not guaranteed and is dependent upon program capacity and availability. A student must be eligible for readmission according to the College standards. Students who request to be considered for program readmission must meet the current admissions criteria and requirements at the time the request for readmission is placed. Readmitted students must follow the curriculum requirements at the time of their return to the program.
• Eligible students may apply for readmission only once. Students must submit a letter to the Program Director requesting a temporary leave from the Program

Students Eligible for Readmission:

• Students who withdraw from the MLT program in good academic standing (grade "C" or better in all completed curriculum courses and GPA of 2.25 or higher)
• Students who are dismissed from the MLT program due to a grade "D" or lower in any MLT academic course, with a GPA at time of readmission request of 2.25 or higher

Students Ineligible for Readmission:

• Students who are dismissed from the MLT program due to a grade "D" or lower in any clinical MLT course (MLT 102 and MLT 295)
• Students who are dismissed from the MLT program due to inappropriate conduct and/or violations of the College's academic integrity policy, clinical code of conduct, moral/ethical standards, professional standards or performance standards.

Process for Readmission Consideration:

In order to be considered for Program readmission, the applicant must:

• Successfully complete all MLT Program prerequisite requirements.
• Submit a letter to the Program Director requesting a readmission to the Program.
• Have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.25 for all college classes
• Successfully complete a comprehensive written exam. The exam content will include current material from courses which the student previously completed.
• Repeat previously completed courses as recommended by Program faculty. Curriculum analysis is conducted annually, and course content may change to ensure Program alignment with the ASCP exam Content.

The results of the written exam, as well as the student's prior academic progress, will be evaluated by faculty to determine the student's potential for success in the program and semester placement. MLT courses are offered chronologically and only once a year, therefore a readmission date will be based on the semester in which the courses are being offered. The program must be completed within three (3) academic years after a student's initial enrollment. Readmission is not guaranteed and is dependent upon available space.

Students seeking readmission into the MLT Program must contact the Program Director in writing at least 6-12 months prior to start of the requested entering semester.

To qualify for the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree as a medical laboratory technician, a student must complete 63 credit hours as prescribed, attain a grade point average of 2.0 or better, and earn no grade below "C" in each MLT course and in each science course.

All general education requirements necessary for graduation are met through the courses in the program as indicated above. Students who wish to take courses that differ from the general education courses indicated above must complete a course substitution request form. To access the form, login to the MyCCP portal, and in the Student tab, under Electronic Forms, click on the Records and Registration Forms link, then choose Request For Course Substitution Of Graduation Requirement link. A more detailed explanation of the College's general education requirements is also available.

¹ Students in this program must take either BIOL 108 or both BIOL 109 & BIOL 110. Students who choose the two-semester 109 & 110 sequence should take BIOL 241 in the summer between the second and third semester.

The Medical 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.

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 instrumentation, workload and day-to-day operations of the clinical laboratory.

Upon completion of this program graduates will be able to:

• Collect biological samples safely and according to standard operating procedures
• Analyze biological samples safely and according to standard operating procedures
• Demonstrate a broad knowledge of basic laboratory tests for all lab departments in preparation for a certification exam
• Apply professional and ethical behaviors in the clinical laboratory setting 
• Use problem solving skills to integrate laboratory data for patient diagnosis.