Division of Health Professions

This program is intended primarily to educate technicians for work in clinical, diagnostic laboratories. Medical Laboratory Technicians perform tests under the direction of a physician who specializes in diagnosing the causes and nature of disease. Medical Laboratory Technicians also work under the supervision of scientists doing research on new drugs or the improvement of laboratory techniques. Graduates may seek employment with hospitals, independent laboratories, physicians, clinics, public health agencies, pharmaceutical firms, research institutions and industrial laboratories. This program is fully accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (5600 North River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018-5119). Graduates are therefore eligible to take national certifying exams to become registered Medical Laboratory Technicians. College credit may be granted through Tech Prep articulation agreements between RACC and approved secondary schools. Please refer to Selective Admissions Procedures.

Program Competencies

Upon successful completion of this program, the entry-level Medical Laboratory Technician should be able to:

• Follow established procedures for collection and processing biological specimens for analysis and perform assigned analytical tests or procedures.
• Recognize factors that affect measurements and results and take appropriate action according to predetermined protocols; recognize abnormal results, correlate them with disease processes, and refer them to designated supervisory personnel.
• Operate instruments within the scope of training utilizing established protocols and quality control checks, recognizing equipment malfunctions and notifying supervisory personnel when appropriate.
• Report information such as test results, reference range and specimen requirements to authorized sources.
• Perform routine quality control and maintain accurate records. Recognize out-of-control results and notify supervisory personnel.
• Demonstrate a professional attitude in interpersonal communication skills with patients, peers, supervisors, other health care professionals and the public.