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Medical Laboratory Technology

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Program Overview

The Medical Laboratory Technology program prepares you with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform general tests in all laboratory areas, including blood banking, hematology, immunology, and microbiology. Working under the supervision of a medical technologist or pathologist, you will learn to test and analyze samples for clues to the absence, presence, extent, and causes of infections and diseases. You will also learn:

  • Clinical laboratory techniques
  • Lab equipment maintenance
  • Sample collection and storage procedures
  • Results reporting and record keeping

Certification

Graduates are eligible to take the national certification exam from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

Use this State Licensure Google Sheet to identify whether the program does or does not meet the educational requirements for state licensure.

Licensure and Certification Disclosure

Academic Affiliate Program

Hawkeye has academic affiliate arrangements that allows you to complete the first two semesters of the Medical Laboratory Technology program at an academic affiliate college, then complete the rest of the program at Hawkeye. Academic affiliate colleges include:

  • North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC), Mason City, Iowa
  • Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), Calmar and Peosta, Iowa

Accreditation

This program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Services (NAACLS), a non-profit organization that independently accredits clinical laboratory science programs.

NAACLS
5600 N. River Road, Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018-5119
773-714-8880

Program Outcomes

Graduation Year Graduation Rate * Certification Pass Rate Placement Rate
2021 85% 92% 100%
2022 96% 100% 100%
2023 100% 92% 100%

* Graduation Rate: The percentage of students completing the program who started the final half of the program (defined as the start of the Fall semester in the second year).

At A Glance
Award
  • Associate of Applied Science
Length of Study 2 years
Program Start Fall, Spring
Tuition-Free Eligible

This program qualifies for the Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship and will pay up to 100% of your tuition.

Students must apply for, be awarded, and meet the ongoing eligibility requirements for the Last-Dollar Scholarship.
 

Faculty Spotlight

Amy Kapanka

"As the program director, I have been engaged in laboratory science education for 40 years and enjoy the diverse student populations I serve. Getting to know the students individually and assisting the student in their growth in laboratory science is a great joy of mine!"

Program Pathway

Medical Laboratory Technology Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree

Program Details

Award Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
Credits 81
Program Start Fall, Spring
Number of Terms 6
Time to Complete 2 years
Admissions Application Select Academic Program:
Medical Laboratory Technology – AAS
See Program Admission

Suggested Sequence of Study and Cost

Program Courses

Term 1 — Fall
  • Introduction to Lab Science
Term 2 — Spring
  • Lab Mathematics
  • Medical Terminology
  • Urinalysis
Term 3 — Summer
  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Fundamental Lab Techniques
  • Hematology
Term 4 — Fall
  • Advanced Hematology
  • Clinical Chemistry I
  • Hemostasis and Thrombosis
  • Immunohematology
  • Immunology and Serology
  • Parasitology
Term 5 — Spring
  • Clinical Practicum: Chemistry
  • Clinical Practicum: Hematology
  • Clinical Practicum: Microbiology
Term 6 — Summer
  • Clinical Practicum: Immunohematology
  • Clinical Practicum: Immunology and Serology
  • Clinical Practicum: Urinalysis
  • Lab Survey and Review

Medical Laboratory Technology students are required to complete background screenings, including a criminal background check, sex offender registry, child abuse registry, and dependent adult registry before participating in clinicals. The outcome may result in dismissal from the program and affect your opportunities to participate in the clinical setting.

See the Suggested Sequence of Study for the full list of courses, cost, and additional course details.

You have completed the Medical Laboratory Technology Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree program. Check out the Health continuing education courses to keep up to date in your profession.

Careers

Positions

Graduates find employment in hospital, clinic, and independent laboratories as medical and clinical laboratory technicians.

Example Careers and Average Wages
Entry Average Experienced
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians 37,110 $51,630 $63,880

Source: 2023 Iowa Wage Report, Iowa Workforce Development — Statewide Wages

Employers

The following is a partial list of employers who have hired graduates from this program:
Business Location
Mercy Iowa City Iowa City, IA
MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center Mason City, IA
MercyOne Waterloo and Cedar Falls, IA
MercyOne Dubuque Dubuque, IA
UnityPoint Health - Allen Hospital Waterloo, IA
UnityPoint Health Finley Hospital Dubuque, IA
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Iowa City, IA

Program Admission

In order to be considered for the Medical Laboratory Technology program, students must provide the Admissions office with official documents showing completion of all requirements. These documents must show:

  • Updated assessment scores. -AND/OR-
  • A transcript or degree audit showing successful completion of course requirements (i.e. developmental coursework).

It is the student’s responsibility to:

  • Monitor their progress towards meeting admissions requirements,
  • Notify the Admissions office when requirements have been met, and
  • Provide the Admissions office evidence of meeting the requirements.

Step #1: Apply at Hawkeye

  1. Apply for admission at Hawkeye.

  2. Send official transcripts to Admissions.

Step #2: Required Biology Course and Program Admittance Score Requirements

In order to be eligible for the Medical Laboratory Technology program, all students must:

  1. Successfully complete, with a C- grade or higher, a minimum of one year of high school biology or any college-level general education biological sciences course.
    • While Hawkeye Community College is accepting Pass/Fail grades as an institution, due to accreditation, Hawkeye is not accepting College or High School Pass/Fail grades for any admission criteria.

  2. Meet minimum score requirements in math and literacy. For appropriate college success course placement, work with your program advisor.

Minimum score requirements
ALEKS ACCUPLACER Next Generation ACCUPLACER Classic COMPASS ACT GPA
Math 14 255 Arithmetic
246 Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics (QAS)		 63 Arithmetic 39 Pre-Algebra 16 2.25
Literacy 239 Reading or
240 Writing		 58 Reading or
64 Sentence Skills		 69 Reading or
41 Writing		 16 Reading or
16 English		 2.25

The ALEKS Placement Assessment can be taken online. ACCUPLACER Next Generation and ACT can be taken at Hawkeye. ACCUPLACER Classic and COMPASS are no longer offered, but if you've taken either in the past your test scores can be used for program admittance.

While working to meet these requirements, students will be accepted into the Medical Laboratory Technology pre-program. Pre-program students are able to complete the necessary success courses at the same time they are working on the required general education coursework, assuming all individual course prerequisites are satisfied. See the Medical Laboratory Technology Suggested Sequence of Study for the general education and program specific courses.

Step #3: Program Acceptance

Applicants who have completed all admissions requirements in steps 1 and 2 will be offered acceptance based on the date their applicant file was completed. If many students share the same date for completing their applicant file, the second criteria used will be the GPA from the prerequisite courses.

Program Contacts
Admissions
Email Admissions 319-296-4000 Hawkeye Center 114
Academic/College Success Advisor
Lisa Wright Email Lisa Wright 319-296-4014 ext.1068 Hawkeye Center 208G
Program Director
Amy Kapanka Email Amy Kapanka 319-296-2329 ext.1357 Grundy Hall 204Y

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