Medical Laboratory Assistant 

The objective of this course is to introduce students to practical, professional and up-to-date office skills for today’s business environment.

This course focuses on the development of self-awareness, increased understanding of others and development of effective interpersonal communication skills that can be used in a variety of care giving contexts. Students will be encouraged to become more aware of the impact of their own communication choices and patterns. They will have opportunity to develop and use communication techniques that demonstrate personal awareness, respect and active listening skills.

This course introduces infection control principles, transmission prevention, aseptic techniques, and the role of medical lab assistants in infection prevention in a healthcare setting.

In this course, students will learn the fundamentals of medical terminology by examining the history, word use, application of medical terms, and principles of medical word building.

This course introduces human body system’s structure, anatomy, physiology, including sight and hearing. Detailed exploration of medical terminology for each system is facilitated by a specialized textbook, fostering a strong and coherent medical vocabulary.

This course covers theoretical foundations of hematology in medical labs, including Blood cell creation, whole blood components, coagulation, serology, transfusion medicine, and immunology. Quality assurance in hematology lab sections will also be explored.

This course introduces students to basic microbiology fundamentals, including quality control; safety; Blood Culture collection; setup; culture media; inoculation; incubation; staining procedures; using microscopes; urinalysis culture and sensitivity. Students are given insight into systems and methods for the identification of microorganisms and subsequent decisions on patient treatments and other actions.

The principles and theory of chemical analysis performed on clinical specimens will be introduced, including specimen processing, analysis, test interpretation, and quality control procedures used in both manual and automated clinical chemistry testing; Urinalysis. Students will cover both routine and more specialized clinical chemistry tests.

This course covers the theory and principles of urinalysis in clinical labs. It includes renal system anatomy, urine formation, and microscopic urine sediment examination. It also addresses fecal and other fluid analysis methods, emphasizing skill development in proper collection, testing, and safety precautions.

This course introduces students to basic theoretical knowledge of histology and cytology as medical science disciplines. Students will develop an understanding of the microscopic structure, organization and function of human cells and tissues in health, disease, develop expertise and practical skills in the techniques used in collecting and preparing specimens for diagnostic purposes.

This course offers a detailed study of heart anatomy, its electrical system, ECG performance, blood pressure monitoring, equipment usage, maintenance, and analysis of tracings, including identification of critical cases.

Students must demonstrate 10 technically accurate electrocardiograms prior to the start of the practicum

A Medical Laboratory Assistant can work in hospitals, public health laboratories, private diagnostic laboratories, physician offices, and other clinical healthcare environments. Depending on the workplace, graduates may find opportunities under job titles such as medical laboratory assistant, medical laboratory aide, pathology assistant, or phlebotomy aide.

Yes. The program combines classroom learning with hands-on training and includes a supervised 120-hour practicum in a public or private laboratory setting. The practicum gives students an opportunity to apply their skills in areas such as specimen handling, data management, patient interaction, professional conduct, and workplace readiness.

A Medical Laboratory Assistant supports laboratory and healthcare teams with a variety of clinical and administrative tasks. Responsibilities may include collecting, labeling, preparing, and processing patient specimens, as well as supporting laboratory documentation and workflow. Specific duties can vary depending on the employer, workplace setting, and scope of the position.

Medical Laboratory Assistants need strong attention to detail, organization, communication, and interpersonal skills. They must be able to follow safety procedures, handle specimens accurately, maintain proper documentation, work with laboratory equipment and technology, and communicate professionally with patients and healthcare teams.

Students receive training in the collection and processing of blood, urine, and other biological specimens. Training emphasizes proper collection, labeling, sorting, handling, transportation, and processing according to laboratory quality and safety standards.

The program uses a combination of online and in-class learning. Online components are synchronous, meaning students attend virtual classes in real time with instructors and classmates. Courses requiring more practical training include in-class components, and the 120-hour MLA practicum is completed entirely in person.