A medical laboratory technician (MLT) uses laboratory skills, computers, technology, and knowledge of pathology to provide information needed by the physician to diagnose, treat, and prevent disease.
In clinical chemistry, for example, the MLT determines enzyme levels to diagnose a heart attack, glucose levels to monitor diabetes, and cholesterol levels to prevent heart disease. In hematology, the MLT studies blood cells to diagnose anemia and leukemia. In immunohematology, the MLT prepares blood for transfusions. In the microbiology department, the organism causing an infection is identified and antimicrobials for treatment are determined.
The granting of the Medical Laboratory Technology degree is not contingent on passing an external certification or licensure exam.
The pass rate of MLT graduates on the certification exam offered by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) has been 100% for 14 of the last 17 years, compared with around 80% nationally.
The placement rate for co-op assignments and for graduates of the Cincinnati State MLT program is nearly 100%, because of unmet demand for entry-level employees in regional clinical laboratories. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of medical laboratory technologists and technicians will grow 22 percent through 2022 (much faster than average). An increase in the aging population will lead to greater need to diagnose medical conditions, such as cancer or type 2 diabetes, through laboratory procedures.