Medical Laboratory Technology

AAS = Associate of Applied Science | 69 hours

MLT Mission

As an integral part of the larger college system, the Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) faculty endorses the mission of Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas (PCCUA) which is committed to helping every student succeed. The College provides high-quality, accessible educational opportunities and skills development to promote lifelong learning and engage in the lives of its students and communities (College Catalog). The MLT faculty adheres to that mission when offering the Medical Laboratory Technology program. The mission of the Medical Laboratory Technology program is to provide a high quality, educational program that prepares the student to achieve entry-level competencies in all routine clinical laboratory areas. Graduates are prepared to take the discipline specific entry level national certification exam and practice as ethical and competent medical laboratory technicians.

MLT Program Information

The curriculum of the MLT program which leads to an Associate of Applied Science degree is an integrated program of technical courses in medical laboratory science, fundamental courses in natural science, and complementary humanities and social sciences. A minimum grade of "C" is mandatory in all required MLS courses and in the following general education courses: BY 103 Intro to Anatomy and Physiology, CY 104 Chemistry I for Health Sciences, BY 154 Anatomy and Physiology I, and MS 123 College Algebra. The MLT program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences. Program graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination for MLT. Applicants should be aware that violation of any federal, state, or local drug law or conviction of a crime may prohibit the student from entering a clinical agency to care for clients. In addition, clinical facilities also may require a criminal background check and/or drug test as a condition of clinical practice in the respective facility. Inability to complete the clinical course because of failure to meet these requirements will result in course failure.

Program Outcomes

The MLT faculty uses the following program outcomes to measure program effectiveness:

Graduation Rate

Seventy percent (70%) of students enrolled in the third semester of the MLT Program will complete the program in 100% time.

Certification Pass Rate

Seventy-five percent (75%) of MLT graduates will pass the Board of Certification exam within 12 months of graduation.

Job Placement Rate

Seventy percent (70%) of MLT graduates seeking employment will be employed as a MLT or closed related field within 12 months of graduation.

End-of-Program Student Learning Outcomes

1. Graduates will apply knowledge of entry-level skills to accurately perform testing in all areas of the medical laboratory.
2. Graduates will evaluate clinical laboratory data and relate that data to various disease processes.
3. Graduates will comply with laboratory safety regulations and standards.
4. Graduates will demonstrate the elements of professionalism to operate as respected members of the health care team.
5. Graduates will employ interpersonal communication skills in relaying laboratory test information and when interacting with patients, lab personnel and other health care professionals.

Criminal Background Check

All PCCUA allied health programs will require each allied health student to complete an annual, national, and State of Arkansas criminal background check, which includes a Social Security and National Sex Offenders check, and drug test. All students must complete this requirement through VerifyStudents (www.VerifyStudents.com).

In addition, all students assigned to clinical agencies in the State of Mississippi will be required to also complete a criminal background check through the Mississippi Department of Health as directed by the clinical agency. Each respective program director/coordinator will provide the student with specific instructions for background checks through the Mississippi Department of Health. No other criminal background checks will be accepted. The cost incurred for complying with the above policy is the sole responsibility of the student.

If a student has positive results on the VerifyStudents and/or Mississippi Department of Health criminal background check, the respective program director/coordinator will send the student’s positive results to the designated individual(s) at the student’s assigned clinical agency. Representatives from the clinical agency will determine if the student is eligible to access the facility to participate in clinical learning experiences.  It is the student’s sole responsibility to provide the designated clinical agency representative(s) with any documentation required to determine eligibility for access. 

If representative(s) from the student’s assigned clinical agency deny the student access to the clinical facility, the student will not be able to fulfill respective program requirements in the clinical setting.  The student will be required to withdraw from the respective allied health program, and the student will not be eligible for readmission to the respective program or any other PCCUA allied health program.  If representatives from the student’s assigned clinical agency allow a student with positive criminal background results to participate in clinical learning experiences in that agency, this does not provide a future guarantee that the student will be allowed to participate in clinical in another agency or that the student will be allowed to take the respective licensing exam.

Students who are dismissed from an allied health program for an unacceptable criminal background check will not be eligible for tuition or fee refunds for allied health courses with a NG, PNP, NA, MLS, PLB, or EMT prefix.

Annual Drug Screening Test

PCCUA will require all allied health students to submit to a drug test under any or all of the following circumstances:

• Annually each academic year as directed by the respective program director/coordinator
• As a part of a drug abuse recovery program

Failure to comply with the scheduled drug test may result in immediate dismissal from the program.

If a student fails a drug test, the student will be dismissed from all allied health programs. The respective program director/coordinator will refer the individual failing the drug test for therapeutic counseling regarding drug withdrawal and rehabilitation.  

The readmission process to the same allied health program or admission process to another allied health program, for a student, who has previously failed a drug test, to any allied health program will include:

• Attendance at Narcotics Anonymous or recognized drug abuse treatment program of choice. Evidence of participation must be sent to the Dean of Allied Health and respective program director/coordinator.
  • Acceptable evidence from NA shall consist of:
    • Written record of at least the date of each meeting
    • Name of group attended
    • Meeting purpose
    • Signed initials of the group or district representative of each group attended.
  • Acceptable evidence from a drug abuse treatment program of the individual’s choice shall consist of:
    • Verifiable completion certificate
• Demonstrate at least six (6) months of drug abuse abstinence immediately prior to admission to the same allied health program or admission to another allied health program. Annual and random testing will be required at the individual’s expense.
• Provide positive letters of reference from employers, if any, within the last six (6) months.
• If the student is readmitted to the program or admitted to another allied health program and the individual fails another drug test, the student will be dismissed from the respective program and will not be eligible for readmission to, or provided a reference for any allied health program.
• Reentry policies apply.
• Students who are dismissed from any and all PCCUA allied health programs for failing a drug test will not be eligible for tuition or fee refunds for allied health courses with a NG, PNP, NA, MLS, PLB, or EMT prefix.

Students are admitted to the Helena-West Helena Campus every year. Application must be made to the MLT program. Students who wish to be considered for admission to the MLT program must meet the following criteria:

1. Fulfill all college admission requirements
2. Be at least 18 years of age.
3. Submit official high school transcript documenting graduation from high school or official Arkansas High School Diploma/GED certificate and official transcripts from all previously attended colleges to the Registrar’s Office and MLT Program Director.
4. Document a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average in all courses taken at PCCUA.
5. Provide SAT, ACT, or NG ACCUPLACER scores taken within the last four (4) years that meet the minimum skill level in reading, math, and English or complete all required developmental courses prior to making application to the MLT program.
6. Submit a completed application to the MLT Program Director on the Helena-West Helena campus. The preferred application deadline is June 1st but applications will be accepted up until the first day of classes if there are slots available.
7. Students who speak English as a second language must also take the NG ACCUPLACER ESL Exam to prove proficiency in English. The following scores are required in each category.
   - Listening: A minimum score of 106
   - Reading: A minimum score of 116
   - WritePlacer ESL: A minimum score of 5
8. Rare exception to the admission policy may be made by the Faculty Committee.

All students who meet minimum admission criteria will be accepted unless the number of qualified applicants exceeds space available. This means MEETING THE MINIMUM CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION OR TAKING COURSES REQUIRED FOR THE MLT DEGREE DOES NOT GUARANTEE ADMISSION TO THE MLT PROGRAM.

When the number of qualified applicants exceeds space available, the selection process will be implemented, and admission will become competitive.

Applicants not selected for admission and/or applicants who elect not to enroll in the fall MLT class must repeat the application process that includes submitting a new application to the MLT program.

Selection Process

1. Qualified applicants will be ranked according to the following criteria:
   - For applicants with college credit, quality points earned on courses taken at the colleges previously attended, or
   - For applicants with high school credits only, quality points earned in high school for all completed science and math courses
2. When two or more applicants have an equal number of total points, applicants will be admitted according to the date and time the application was received in the Medical Laboratory Technology office on the Helena-West Helena campus.
3. Quality points for repeated courses will be determined by the most recent grade with three (3) quality points subtracted for each repetition.
4. Applicants initially not selected for admission will be placed on an alternate list in order of total quality points earned. Spaces that become available before the first day of fall classes will be filled from the alternate list.

Enrollment Process

During the enrollment process in the MLT program, the student must provide the following documents:

1. Completed Health Statement
2. Proof of immunization compliance
   - Current Td
   - Two (2) Varicella or positive titer
   - Two (2) MMR, if born after 1957
   - Initiation of Hepatitis B series or positive titer
3. Proof of TB skin test within the last year
4. Signed Communicable Disease Statement
5. Current US Federal or State issued photo ID (driver’s license, military ID, passport)
6. Proof of liability insurance

After Enrollment

1. Proof of Influenza (flu) immunization is required by November 1st of the fall semester.

2. Comply with clinical affiliation agreements and facility policies pertaining to COVID. 
   

3. Any student who does NOT meet each expectation will NOT be allowed to attend clinical in an affiliated agency and may NOT be able to meet respective course requirements. This policy is effective for students enrolled in allied health and nursing courses.

4. Any student testing positive for COVID-19 will follow PCCUA’s and the clinical agency’s protocol BEFORE being allowed to return to class and the clinical setting

The MLT Program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).

NAACLS may be contacted at:

NAACLS
5600 N. River Rd., Suite 720
Rosemont, Illinois 60018
Phone: 773-714-8880
Fax: 773-714-8886

Web Site: http://www.naacls.org/

The faculty of Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas Medical Laboratory Technology Program uses the following criteria as measures of MLT program effectiveness, as defined by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences. (NAACLS Std ll.B)

Graduation Rates

• 2023 graduates: 100% (4/4)
• 2022 graduates: 88% (7/8)
• 2021 graduates: 80% (4/5)

3-year average: 88% (15/17)

Certification Pass Rates

• 2023 graduates: 50% (1/2)
• Continuing to monitor
• 2022 graduates: 71% (5/7)
• 2021 graduates: 0% (0/4)

3-year average: 46% (6/13)

Job Placement Rates

• 2023 graduates: 100% (4/4)
• 2022 graduates: 100% (7/7)
• 2021 graduates: 100% (4/4)

3-year average: 100% (15/15)