For the medical laboratory technician, the challenges and rewards of medicine and science are combined into one. Working under the supervision of a medical laboratory scientist, the medical laboratory technician performs a wide variety of general lab tests that provide key information to health care providers regarding the absence, presence, extent and causes of disease.
With a mission to provide quality Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) education to communities across Maine, the MLT Program of Maine is a collaborative effort of the University of Maine at Augusta and the University of Maine at Presque Isle in cooperation with hospitals across the state that serve as clinical affiliates. All MLT courses are available via videoconferencing at locations statewide.
Accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), UMA’s two-year program leads to an Associate of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology. Graduates are qualified to sit for the following national registry exams: Board of Registry of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) and American Medical Technologist Exam (AMT).
Students can also transfer into a B.S. program so that they may upgrade their certification to Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS).
Skills You'll Acquire
Medical laboratory technicians are problem-solvers who like challenges and are willing to take responsibility. They are accurate, reliable, work well under pressure and are able to finish a task once started. "Med lab techs" communicate well, both verbally and in writing. They set a high standard for themselves and expect quality in the work they do. Listed below are some representative skills and abilities that students in MLT may acquire:
| Investigation | Communication |
|---|---|
| Understanding cause & effect Observing carefully Designing experiments Relating lab findings to common disease process Utilizing formulae |
Using medical terminology Writing reports Informing/explaining Meeting with patients Working as a team member |
| Technical | Analysis |
| Using medical equipment Maintaining medical equipment Monitoring quality control Applying principles of safety Calculating Solving problems |
Collecting & processing specimens Attending to details Examining specimens Conducting tests |
Careers You Can Seek
Today’s employers have a strong bias toward employing candidates with a college education, because college graduates tend to have stronger analytical thinking, decision-making, communication and learning skills than non-college graduates. These broad skills provide a strong base for a career in virtually any field. Students who pursue the Liberal Studies degree to completion may be found performing various roles in business, social/human services, education, health care and government.
Most Liberal Studies students transfer their credits to other programs. Listed below are some possibilities you might want to consider.
| Health Care | Government/Public Service |
|---|---|
| Medical Laboratory Technician Tissue Bank Coordinator Clinical Toxicologist* Diagnostic Virologist* Biofeedback Therapist Phlebotomist |
Water Quality Inspector Communicable Disease Coordinator Forensic Laboratory Assistant FDA Inspector* Rabies Responder Drug Testing Coordinator Public Health Programs CLIA Laboratory Inspector* |
| Research | Business/Industry |
| Cancer Researcher* Pharmaceutical Research Assistant Epidemiologist* Molecular Endocrinologist Genetics Researcher* Cytotechnologist* |
Color Development Chemist Brewery Laboratory Analyst Milk Processing Plant Manager Paper Mill Lab Technician Quality Control Technician Insurance Claims Adjuster Technical Service Representative Sales Representative, Biotechnical Instrumentation and Reagents |
*Baccalaureate or Graduate level study is generally required for these occupations.
