Medical Laboratory Assistant
EMBARK ON A GREAT CAREER IN HEALTH CARE
| Placement Rate | |
| Hourly Rate $18.00 - $19.00 |
|
| Average Starting Salary $36,000 - $38,000 |
At Oulton College, Medical Laboratory Assistant graduates are fully prepared to begin their careers in both public and private sector laboratory facilities as clinical support staff performing work which helps doctors diagnose and treat diseases. With an extensive need for Medical Laboratory Assistants in the health care industry across Canada and abroad, Oulton College strives to work hand-in-hand with leading hospitals and regional laboratories to ensure highly skilled graduates entering the workforce directly from on-the-job-training.
Students will receive a high level of technical in-class training. Students are required to participate in a practical work experience in a Provincial Hospital Laboratory. Graduates may work in hospitals, universities and other research institutions, as well as, Private clinics and laboratories.
Certification – Oulton College will issue a Diploma to the successful student. A successful student must complete all required courses of the program with a passing mark of 65% and an attendance rate of 92%.
External Certification – students are encouraged to write the Medical Laboratory Assistant Exam on completing their training. The exams are scheduled in February, June and October of each year.
Program Content
ML-101 INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE
This module serves as a basic introduction to the field of Medical Laboratory Science. Topics covered include the following:
- Laboratory organization
- Laboratory disciplines
- Quality Assessment
- Professionalism & Client/Patient Services
- Communication
- Employment Strategies
MLA – 102/202 Anatomy & Physiology I / Terminology
The student will be introduced to the different body systems, the structure and function of the major organs within each system and the pathophysiology of common diseases and conditions associated with each. The student will become familiar with clinical procedures, laboratory tests and abbreviations related to each system and other specialized areas of medicine.
MLA – 103 SOFTWARE
Emphasis in this area is placed on giving the student knowledge in Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office software, which is becoming the software of choice for most of today’s offices. Using Microsoft’s latest office software Office 2007, the student becomes familiar with Word and Excel. The student also learns to use E-mail to communicate productively and the Internet as an effective research tool.
MLA – 104 Laboratory Mathematics
Students will learn the basic mathematics used in a medical laboratory environment including:
- Mathematical essentials
- Measurement systems and conversion procedures
- Dilutions, solutions, and concentrations
- Charts, tables, and graphs
- Introductory statistics
MLA – 105 Basic Laboratory Procedures
This module will provide the medical laboratory assistant student with the knowledge of labware, basic laboratory instrumentation, reagents preparation and basic procedures in chemistry, hematology and immunohematology including the clinical practice.
MLA – 106 Infectious Control and Safety
The student will review and develop a working knowledge of:
- Standard precautions
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Utilization of safety devices
- WHMIS
- Spill containment and clean up procedures
- Incident reporting
- Occupational health and safety guidelines
- Infection Control
- Appropriate method for disinfection and sterilization
MLA – 201 Keyboarding
Keyboarding is a foundation skill required for effective computer usage. By use of a valuable all-in-one keyboarding program, the student will develop proper keyboarding techniques and mastery of the keyboard. Emphasis is placed on speed and accuracy.
MLA – 203 Specimen Procurement
This course focuses on the theoretical and practical aspects of specimen collection techniques. The topics covered in this module include:
- Anatomy of the human blood circulation system
- Preparation for specimen collection
- Patient interaction
- Specimen procurement procedures for venipuncture, capillary specimen and urine collection
- Specimen identification
- Specimen delivery
MLA– 204 Specimen Processing
The student will develop a working knowledge of various pre and post analytical processes such as:
- Specimen reception
- Verification of specimen integrity
- Pre analytic processes
- Specimen dispatching
- Specimen storage
- Office procedures includes telephone techniques, faxing, filling and time management
MLA – 205 Introduction to Microbiology
The module will introduce the student to some basic microbiology procedures. The course includes the theoretical and practical aspects of:
- Microbiology procedures and related specimens
- Culture Media
- Inoculation
- Incubation
- Microbiology staining procedures
- Wash up procedures
MLA – 206 Introduction to Histology and Cytology
The student will acquire basic knowledge pertaining to histology and cytology techniques such as:
- Specimen reception
- Specimen fixation, grossing, decalcification, processing and embedding
- Microtomy
- Staining and coverslipping
- Preparation of gynecologic and non-gynecologic cytology specimens
- Solvent recycling
MLA – 401 On-The-Job Training
The student who meets all the work term criteria will be placed on a four-week on-the-job training session. Specific objectives must be met in order to complete this module and successful completion is mandatory for graduation from the program.
MLA – 665 Self Directed Studies
This module is used by the student who may want to obtain one-on-one instruction with an instructor. This optional module is completed on Monday afternoons during the entire length of the program. The student does not receive a mark for this module as it is optional.
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