Medical Laboratory Assistant

Diploma of Health and Human Sciences

Duration: 2.5 semesters plus 6 week field placement

Program Description

Academy Canada is pleased to be offering the Medical Laboratory Assistant program in partnership with St. Lawrence College in Ontario. Medical Laboratory Assistants are important members of the health care team. Interacting directly with patients, duties include collecting blood samples for laboratory analysis. Inside the laboratory, they assist other professionals by sorting and preparing samples for testing, operating laboratory equipment, performing basic laboratory testing under supervision and managing computer data. This one year program includes classroom and laboratory training combined with a work term clinical placement. Upon successful program completion, graduates of the program will be eligible write the Canadian Society of Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) certification exam for Medical Laboratory Assistant. CSMLS is the national certifying body for medical laboratory technologists, medical laboratory assistants and the national professional society for Canada's medical laboratory professionals. The courses taught in the MLA program cover the CSMLS national entry-level competency profile for the profession.

Program Courses

• Business Communications (Written)
• Client Relations
• Professionalism in Health Care
• Biology for the Health Technician
• Laboratory Techniques
• Medical Terminology for the Health Technician
• Specimen Procurement and Handling
• Introduction to Computers
• Sciences for the Laboratory
• Technician Skills Integration
• Histotechnology
• Basic ECG
• Microbiology
• Clinical Hematology
• Clinical Chemistry
• Biosafety
• WHMIS
• Standard First Aid
• Field Placement
• CSMLS Exam Prep

Employment Opportunities

Demand for Medical Laboratory Assistants will increase due to a growing and aging population combined with the anticipated retirement of a vast majority of laboratory personnel across Canada. Medical Laboratory Assistants may obtain employment with private laboratory companies, hospital and public health laboratories, and in healthcare clinics.

Laboratory Services can be a 24/7 operation and shift work may be required. Continuing education is a must in this field and Medical Laboratory Medicine will be regulated and licensed in Newfoundland in the near future. This regulatory body will stipulate educational requirements for specific classifications in order to maintain licensure.

Please click here for additional labour market information.

Entrance Requirements

High School Graduates or Equivalent

High School Graduates or equivalent are eligible for admission to the Medical Laboratory Assistant program.

Additionally, applicants must have successfully completed the following high school courses:

• • 3^rd level Academic Math
• • Any level Academic Chemistry or Biology

Students must complete an application form and provide a copy of High School, Adult Basic Education, or GED results. Applicants who do not meet the above requirements will require upgrading through Adult Basic Education prior to admission.

Special Entrance Requirements

Students must submit a Certificate of Conduct from their local Police Department.

Certificate of Conduct: Students must acquire a Certificate of Conduct for admission into this program. Students are solely accountable for any offences not uncovered by the investigation which may preclude the student from subsequent work terms or employment.

Program Requirement

Immunization: Students must submit a completed immunization review form for work term placements. Students will be responsible for completing the immunization review form and submitting to the Registrar’s Office of Academy Canada by the end of their first semester of study (with the exception of immunizations that require multiple test periods which may be in progress). Non-compliance with this requirement could result in the student’s inability to participate in the work term practicum component of this program which is also a required element for successful program completion.

Field Placement

There is a six (6) week work term and students should note that travel within the province may be required. Please note that work term hosts reserve the right to request updated and additional documentation prior to field placement.

For further information, please contact an Admissions Officer at 1-800-561-8000 or visit the information request page.

To apply for the Medical Laboratory Assistant or other Academy Canada programs, click here.

Program start dates are subject to sufficient enrollment.

Academy Canada reserves the right to modify any programs, courses, topics, objectives, etc.