Schools for Becoming a Certified Lab Assistant

A certified lab assistant, also called a medical technologist or laboratory technician, works in a medical laboratory to run tests that assist with diagnosis and treatment. Educational programs are available and are usually accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. In 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated the annual median salary for a certified lab assistant was $46,680 with a 13 percent growth rate through 2020. Check on the licensing requirements in your state before enrolling in a program.
  1. West

    • San Diego Miramar College offers a medical laboratory technician certificate program that takes two years to complete. The program is accredited by the California Department of Public Health and is in the process of gaining accreditation by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences. The program has 24 spots, and classes include clinical chemistry and urinalysis, hematology and microbiology. Clinical work will help you put your classroom learning into action.

    South

    • Somerset Community College’s Clinical Laboratory Technician program will prepare you to work in a medical facility or industrial laboratory. Somerset Community College is located in Somerset, Kentucky. You can also qualify for a physician’s office laboratory certificate or certificate in phlebotomy. Verification of a Hepatitis B vaccine, TB test and immunization records are required prior to being admitted. An associate in applied science degree is available in addition to the program certificates. Certificates take six to nine credit hours, and the degree program is 68 credit hours.

    Midwest

    • Springfield Technical Community College in Illinois offers a nine-month, clinical laboratory assistant program. You will learn how to execute laboratory tests and process collected specimens. A clinical practicum provides practical experience and hands-on learning. The national phlebotomy certification exam is available for successful graduates. Approximately four to six students are admitted annually. Program goals include didactic experience to prepare you for starting positions, an emphasis on continuing professional development, and an understanding of professionalism on the job.

    East

    • Northeast Technical Institute in Scarborough, Maine, provides a flexible medical lab assistant program that will enable you to attend classes on a full- or part-time basis. The program will prepare you to work as a medical lab assistant, phlebotomist or emergency room technician. In this program, you will learn basic laboratory skills, anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, and confidentiality of medical records. An externship is available to provide practical experience. Successful graduates are eligible to take the national certification exam.

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