Program Description

This two-year Associate in Science degree program prepares students to work as part of the health care delivery team in a hospital, private clinical laboratory, or research laboratory. There is a concentrated presentation of general education courses combined with career development, laboratory experiences, and hospital practice to accomplish this goal. The students acquire extensive knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, serology, hematology, urinalysis, and blood bank practices. Students also acquire specialized skills that include blood collection and the use of quality control in the laboratory setting.

Lectures and simulated clinical Laboratory courses are taught at the Medical Center Campus. Students spend their last semester practicing in the four major laboratory departments at various hospitals, working alongside medical technologists, supervisors, and pathologists.

The program requires a total of 76 credits, including general education courses, which are typically taken before entry to the program. The program offers a five-semester full-time and an eight-semester part-time option.

Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the Medical Laboratory Technology Program at the Medical Center Campus, you must meet these criteria.

• You hold, or will hold at the time of enrollment in the Medical Laboratory Technology Program, a high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma (GED).

• You have applied to and been fully accepted by Miami Dade College. (For application information, see the Miami Dade College Catalog, available from admissions and registrations offices on any campus.)

• You have passing scores on the Computerized Placement Test (CPT), or, if you have taken the test but have not passed, then you have satisfactorily completed the developmental courses prescribed by MDC as a result of your scores. The CPT can be scheduled through Testing Services at any MDC campus. For exceptions to this requirement, see the MDC Catalog.

• You have earned a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.0 on a scale of 4.0 for any college-level courses you have taken.

• To apply to the Medical Laboratory Technology Program at the Medical Center Campus, complete the following steps.

• If you have not been enrolled at Miami Dade College during the past 12 months, complete an Application for Admission or Readmission to College Credit Courses. Choose the Medical Center Campus as the “preferred” campus.

• Make an appointment to take the Computerized Placement Test (CPT) through Testing Services, Room 1303, Medical Center Campus, 305-237-4275, or through the testing center at any of the other MDC campuses. You should register at least one month in advance of taking the test, and you should take the test before the date that program application materials are due.

• If you have previously attended any other college or university, arrange for that institution to sent official transcripts to the Registrar at the Medical Center Campus by the due date for program application materials.

• Complete the prerequisite courses .
  
• Submit an Application for Program Selection to the Medical Laboratory Technology Program Coordinator at the Medical Center Campus.

To apply to the Medical Laboratory Technology Program at the Medical Center Campus, complete the following steps.

• If you have not been enrolled at Miami Dade College during the past 12 months, complete an Application for Admission or Readmission to College Credit Courses. Choose the Medical Center Campus as the “preferred” campus.

• Make an appointment to take the Computerized Placement Test (CPT) through Testing Services, Room 1303, Medical Center Campus, 305-237-4275, or through the testing center at any of the other MDC campuses. You should register at least one month in advance of taking the test, and you should take the test before the date that program application materials are due.

• If you have previously attended any other college or university, arrange for that institution to send official transcripts to the Registrar at the Medical Center Campus by the due date for program application materials.

• Complete the prerequisite courses .

• Submit an Application for Program Selection to the Medical Laboratory Technology Program Coordinator at the Medical Center Campus.

Mission and Goals

The mission of Miami Dade College is to provide accessible, affordable, high-quality education by keeping learner's needs at the center of decision-making in partnership with its dynamic, multicultural community.

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The mission of Medical Center Campus is to provide students with affordable, accessible, quality education in health care careers. Faculty and staff strive to respond to the changing needs of students, health care providers, and health care consumers in the community at large through collaboration with health care and business communities. The Campus provides an environment that is conductive to learning by recognizing and responding to the diverse learning styles, cultures, and resources of its students.

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Where Do I Send My Application Materials?

You may send your MDC application to any admissions office located on any of the six campuses of Miami Dade College. Applications for admission may also be filled out on line at http://www.mdc.edu .
Note:  You have to be connected to the Internet to access this web site

You must also send the following:

• Application fee (check or money order – no cash)

• Official high school transcript and official college transcripts (if available) to the Registrar.

• Send your Application for Program Selection, professional documentation, and an unofficial copy of your college transcript to the Medical Laboratory Technology Program at the address below:

Miami Dade College
Medical Center Campus
New Student Center
950 NW 20th Street
Miami , FL 33127

ADA Standards

In keeping with its mission and goals, and in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Medical Center Campus promotes an environment of respect and support for persons with disabilities and will make reasonable accommodations. The definition of individuals with disabilities are those who currently have, have a record of having, or are regarded as having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. Major life activities include caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, and working.

Individuals applying for admission, progression to clinical courses, and graduation from a program in Nursing and Allied Health Technologies must be able to meet the physical and emotional requirements of the academic program. In addition, students admitted to the programs in Nursing and Allied Health Technologies must possess the following qualities:

• The emotional maturity and stability to approach highly stressful human situations in a calm and rational manner.

• The ability to make clinical judgment using critical thinking.

• The ability to adhere to ethical standards of conducts as well as applicable state and federal laws.

• The ability to provide effective written, oral, nonverbal communication with patients and their families, colleagues, health care providers, and the public.

• An individual who poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others or themselves may be denied admission, progression or graduation. The college's determination that a person poses a direct threat will be based on an individualized assessment that relies on current medical evidence or on the best available evidence to assess the nature, duration, and severity of the risk and the probability that the potential injury will actually occur.

In order to fulfill the requirements of the Medical Laboratory Technology program at Miami Dade College, students must be able to meet the following physical guidelines, which are based on job description from area hospitals.

• Strength : Perform with or without reasonable accommodations. Manipulate equipment weighing approximately 25 pounds.

• Manual Dexterity : Perform detailed, delicate, and difficult manipulative skilled tasks such as phlebotomy, pipetting, preparing and reading a microscope, and handling of test tubes.

• Coordination : Move between diverse hospital areas within a reasonable time frame so as not to compromise patient care. Wear protective clothing and equipment correctly.

• Visual Discrimination : See objects closely. Discriminate colors in tasks such as reading microscope slides.

• Mental Ability : Follow oral and written instructions correctly.

Curriculum

Students are admitted to the Medical Laboratory Technology Program in May of each year. A total of 76 credits must be completed for an Associate in Science degree.

The required general education courses are an important part of the program. Since admissions are highly competitive, it is strongly recommended that you take the core courses, particularly the natural science courses, and ENC 1101 before you are admitted to the program. Your success at the courses you take before applying to the program will improve your chances of being admitted, although taking these courses in advance does not guarantee admission.

Students may choose the full-time or the part-time option. Course content is sequential, and students should plan to enroll in all Medical Laboratory Technology courses in the order and during the terms indicated in the following curriculum.

* Students must meet the requirements of the clinical facility assigned and succesfully complete all pre-requisite courses for the discipline.

Approximate Costs

As of August 2006, the cost of tuition is $68.94 per credit for in-state students and $228.76 per credit for out-of-state students. Here are estimates for total tuition, based on 76 credits at these per-credit rates. In-state students: $5,239.44

Out-of-state students: $17,385.76. Tuition is due at the beginning of each term and can be determined by multiplying the number of credits by the cost per credit hour. Additionally, over the course of the program, students should expect to pay approximately $400 for books, $150 for nametags, uniforms and footwear, and $15.50 annually for malpractice insurance. Most laboratory courses have an additional fee of $75.00 and $150. All costs are subject to change.

Financial Aid

All students at the Medical Center Campus should apply for financial aid, which includes the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work Study, and Federal Subsidized loans. The Campus also offers emergency short-term loans and a variety of scholarships.

Application can be made in the Financial Aid Office (Room 1201) on the Medical Center Campus. Those who apply before April 1st for the following academic year are given priority. Only courses in which students have registered before the 100 percent refund date qualify for financial aid. For additional information, call the Financial Aid personnel at 305-237-4160.

Accreditation

The Medical Laboratory Technology Program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS).

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences

8410 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue
Suite 670
Chicago , IL 60631

773.714.8880

Further information regarding accreditation can be obtained at http://www.naacls.org.
Note:  You have to be connected to the Internet to access this web site

Licensure

Graduates are eligible for the state license after passing an approved national certification examination.

For further information, contact:

Florida Department of Health
Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel
Division of Medical Quality Assurance
Box 6320
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3255
(850) 245-4444
http://www.doh.state.fl.us
Note:  You have to be connected to the Internet to access this web site

Important Phone Numbers

The mission of the Medical Center Campus is to provide students with affordable, accessible, quality education in health care careers. Faculty and staff strive to respond to the changing needs of students, health care providers, and health care consumers in the community at large through collaboration with health care and business communities. The Campus provides an environment that is conducive to learning by recognizing and responding to the diverse learning styles, cultures, and resources of its students.