Medical Laboratory Technician & Phlebotomy

Acquire the skills to work as a medical lab technician in this lucrative field.

If you like performing science experiments, you might enjoy being a Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT). A Medical Labratory Technician is a member of the laboratory at a hospital or clinic that tests specimens- primarily blood. MLTs are the specialists that perform all of the tests on patient samples, making them a valuable part of the medical care team. The results from these tests are then sent to the physicians and nurses who take care of patients. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that 70% of physician decisions are based on the results of the tests that MLTs perform.

Blood Bank, Hematology, Chemistry, Urinalysis, and Microbiology are the major departments of a medical laboratory. As an MLT student, you will be trained in each department using hands-on laboratory activities and experiments. Once your in-lab training is complete, you will attend clinicals at local hospitals for real benchwork experience.

Our MLT program uses hybrid online coursework and once-per-week laboratory meetings. This is a 2-year program that allows you to become credentialed as an MLT through a certifying agency (i.e. ASCP) as well as earn an AAS through WNCC.

If you like interacting with patients, but you are better as an independent worker, then you might enjoy our Phlebotomy Program. Phlebotomists safely draw blood from patients, transport and deliver specimens, prepare specimens for testing, and perform basic or waived testing. The emergency department, surgery, critical care, extended stay units, blood bank donation centers, and draw centers are examples of places a phlebotomist could work.

If you want to be a part of the laboratory team, but you’re not ready for a 2-year program, then our Phlebotomy (PBT) Program at WNCC is a great option. The Phlebotomy (PBT) Program uses two hybrid online courses that are completed in one semester. As a PBT student, you will be trained during in-lab meetings every Saturday for the first 9 weeks of class. Once your in-lab training is complete, you will attend 2.5 weeks of clinicals at local hospitals for real phlebotomy experience.

This one-semester program allows you to become credentialed as a certified phlebotomist through a certifying agency (i.e. ASCP) as well as earn a Professional Skills Award. Also, this program serves as the first semester of the MLT Program (if the student chooses to continue).

For both the MLT and Phlebotomy Programs, curriculum encompasses a combination of general education courses, online MLT didactic lectures, in-person laboratory sessions, and clinical experience in a hospital or clinic. Once you successfully complete our prescribed curriculum, you will be eligible to take the examination for national professional certification allowing you to work in a variety of clinical settings, including hospital laboratories, physicians’ offices, clinics, and blood donor centers. Both programs have been approved and accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

Program Outcomes

Award Types

Associate of Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Technology
Professional Skills Award in Phlebotomy

About the Program

Curriculum

Career Opportunities

Medical Laboratory Technician
Upon graduating from WNCC’s Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) Program, you can immediately go to work in a medical laboratory setting. As a medical laboratory technician (MLT), you will be performing a wide range of routine and complex clinical laboratory procedures associated with blood and body-fluid analysis. You will also play a very important role in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases.

Work settings may include the following:

Hospital labratories
Clinics
Research facilities
Veterenarian care (labratory)

This is a position where you will often be standing, moving around a laboratory, and needing a steady hand while working with pipettes and samples. While day shifts are available, it is more common to start your career with evening (noon-9pm) or night (9pm-6am) shifts.

Phlebotomy
Upon graduating from WNCC’s Phlebotomy (PBT) Program, you can immediately go to work in a medical laboratory setting. As a phlebotomist, you will be responsible for performing blood draws, collecting specimens, transporting and preparing specimens, and performing basic or waived testing. You will also play a very important role in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases.

Work settings may include the following:

Hospital labratories
Clinics
Research facilities
Veterenarian care (labratory)

This is a position where you will often be standing, walking, moving a phlebotomy cart, and working directly with patients, nurses, and physicians. You also must be able to work independently, as you are often in charge of your daily schedule and workload. While day shifts are available, it is more common to start your career with evening (noon-9pm) or night (9pm-6am) shifts.

For more information on any of these career options, contact Career Pathways & Advising at pathways@wncc.edu .

Additional Program Information

MLT/Phlebotomy Program Handbook

Medical Laboratory Organizations:

Accreditation Information

The Medical Laboratory Technician program has been approved and accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), 5600 N. River Rd., Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018-5119; Tel. (773) 714-8880.

The Phlebotomy program has been approved by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), 5600 N. River Rd., Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018-5119; Tel. (773) 714-8880.

Upon graduation from the MLT and Phlebotomy Programs at WNCC, the graduate will be eligible to sit for the National Board of Certification by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and or other agencies.

Program Contact Information