Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT)

Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLTs) occupy a relatively new niche in the medical profession. This career path originally came about in the 1920s with the advent of more advanced technology in diagnosing and preventing diseases. Medical laboratory technicians typically prepare specimens and perform tests, but their work is not as complicated or as detailed as that of a medical technologist. Medical laboratory technicians usually work under the supervision of a lab manager or a medical technologist.

Some U.S. states require that a medical laboratory technician be licensed. In these states, it is compulsory for hopeful medical laboratory technicians to take and pass the MLT certification examination. Even in states that do not require medical laboratory technicians to be certified, passing the certification examination can definitely enhance career prospects and opportunities. Many employers prefer that their medical laboratory technicians be certified.

To sit for the medical laboratory technician certification examination, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

• Hold an associate degree in medical technology or an equivalent two-year course from an accredited college,
  or
• Completion of at least 60 semester hours of study at any accredited college with at least 20 of those hours being taught in subjects related to medical technology; and a minimum of six months of laboratory experience,
  or
• Graduate of a medical laboratory school accredited by the U.S. Department of Education,
  or
• Completion of a 50-week United States Armed Forces laboratory procedures training program.

A content outline for the medical laboratory technician certification examination is detailed below for reference:

General laboratory: 13 percent

• Laboratory quality
• Laboratory laws and regulations
• Laboratory safety
• Laboratory instrumentation, maintenance, and principles of operation
• Laboratory mathematics
• General microscopy
• Phlebotomy and specimen collection
• Patient identification
• Waived testing

Chemistry: 18 percent

• General knowledge
• Instrumentation: parts, principles of operation, and maintenance
• Renal function tests
• Hepatic function tests
• Carbohydrate metabolism tests
• Protein analysis
• Enzymology
• Endocrinology
• Lipids
• Water and electrolytes
• Acid-base balance
• Other chemistry procedures
• Specimen integrity and handling

Hematology: 13 percent

• General knowledge
• Erythrocyte procedures
• Leukocyte procedures
• Thrombocyte procedures
• Special procedures
• Automated instrumentation

Coagulation and hemostasis: 5 percent

• Apply knowledge of terminology and basic coagulation and hemostasis principles
• Coagulation procedures

Immunology and serology: 4 percent

• General knowledge
• Serological tests for syphilis
• Analytic procedures
• Special procedures

Immunohematology: 10 percent

• General knowledge
• Soluble components of immune response (immunoglobulins, complement, and cytokines)
• Compatibility testing principles and procedures
• Blood typing
• Special tests

Blood banking: 6 percent

• General knowledge
• Blood banking practices

Bacteriology: 11 percent

• General knowledge
• Media quality control, techniques, and cultures
• Bacterial identification
• Special tests

Parasitology: 2 percent

• General knowledge
• Parasite identification
• Special tests

Mycology: 2 percent

• General knowledge
• Mycological identification
• Mycological procedures

Urinalysis: 16 percent

• General knowledge
• Renal function
• Urinalysis procedures
• Special tests