collageMedical Laboratory Technology
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Program Overview
The Medical Laboratory Technology program prepares you with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform general tests in all laboratory areas, including blood banking, hematology, immunology, and microbiology. Working under the supervision of a medical technologist or pathologist, you will learn to test and analyze samples for clues to the absence, presence, extent, and causes of infections and diseases. You will also learn:
- Clinical laboratory techniques
- Lab equipment maintenance
- Sample collection and storage procedures
- Results reporting and record keeping
Certification
Graduates are eligible to take the national certification exam from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).
Academic Affiliate Program
Hawkeye has academic affiliate arrangements that allows you to complete the first two semesters of the Medical Laboratory Technology program at an academic affiliate college, then complete the rest of the program at Hawkeye. Academic affiliate colleges include:
- North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC), Mason City, Iowa
- Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), Calmar and Peosta, Iowa
Accreditation
This program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Services (NAACLS), a non-profit organization that independently accredits clinical laboratory science programs.
NAACLS
5600 N. River Road, Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018-5119
773-714-8880
Program Outcomes
Hawkeye Medical Laboratory Technology program outcomes are defined by NAACLS and reported using a three-year average from 2017–2019.
- Hawkeye Medical Laboratory Technology Placement Rate: 100%
Employment in the laboratory field or pursuit of further education within 1 year of graduation. - Hawkeye Medical Laboratory Technology Graduation Rate: 94%
The percentage of students completing the program who started the final half of the program defined as the start of the fall semester in the second year. - Hawkeye Medical Laboratory Technology Certification Exam (ASCP-BOC MLT): 95%
Percentage of students who pass the exam taken within 1 year of graduation.
This program qualifies for the Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship and will pay up to 100% of your tuition.
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Amy Kapanka
“As the program director, I have been engaged in laboratory science education for 40 years and enjoy the diverse student populations I serve. Getting to know the students individually and assisting the student in their growth in laboratory science is a great joy of mine!”
Courses
CORE COURSES
- Introduction to Lab Science
- Medical Terminology
- Urinalysis
- Lab Mathematics
- Fundamental Lab Techniques
- Hematology and Advanced Hematology
- Clinical Microbiology
- Hemostasis and Thrombosis
- Clinical Chemistry I
- Parasitology
- Immunohematology
- Immunology and Serology
- Clinical Practicums in Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Urinalysis, Immunohematology, Immunology and Serology
- Lab Survey and Review
You will be required to complete background screenings, including a criminal background check, sex offender registry, child abuse registry, and dependent adult registry before participating in clinicals.
The outcome may result in dismissal from the program and affect your opportunities to participate in the clinical setting.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Award: Associate of Applied Science (AAS)Required number of credits: 81Program Start: Fall, Spring
VIEW SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF STUDY & COURSE COST
Careers
POSITIONS
Graduates find employment in hospital, clinic, and independent laboratories as medical and clinical laboratory technicians.
| Entry | Average | Experienced | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians | $32,600 | $48,400 | $56,300 |
Source: 2018 Iowa Wage Report, Iowa Workforce Development
EMPLOYERS
| Business | Location |
|---|---|
| Mercy Iowa City | Iowa City, IA |
| MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center | Mason City, IA |
| MercyOne | Waterloo and Cedar Falls, IA |
| MercyOne Dubuque | Dubuque, IA |
| UnityPoint Health – Allen Hospital | Waterloo, IA |
| UnityPoint Health Finley Hospital | Dubuque, IA |
| University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics | Iowa City, IA |
Admissions Requirements
In order to be considered for the Medical Laboratory Technology program, students must provide the Admissions office with official documents showing completion of all requirements. These documents must show:
- Updated assessment scores. -AND/OR-
- A transcript or academic evaluation showing successful completion of course requirements (i.e. developmental coursework).
It is the student’s responsibility to:
- Monitor their progress towards meeting admissions requirements,
- Notify the Admissions office when requirements have been met, and
- Provide the Admissions office evidence of meeting the requirements.
Apply at Hawkeye
- Complete Hawkeye’s online admissions application to apply and be considered for the Medical Laboratory Technology program.
- Request to have your transcripts sent to the Admissions office.
Required Biology Course and Assessment / Success Courses
In order to be eligible for the Medical Laboratory Technology program, all students must:
- Meet the minimum assessment score or have completed, with a grade of “C” or higher, the required success course in each math, English, and reading.
- Successfully complete, with a “C” grade or higher, a minimum of one year of high school biology or any college-level general education biological sciences course.
While Hawkeye Community College is accepting Pass/Fail grades as an institution, due to accreditation, Hawkeye is not accepting College or High School Pass/Fail grades for any admission criteria.
While working to meet these requirements, students will be accepted into the Medical Laboratory Technology pre-program. Pre-program students are able to complete the necessary success courses at the same time they are working on the required general education coursework, assuming all individual course prerequisites are satisfied. See the Medical Laboratory Technology Suggested Sequence of Study for the general education 
and program specific 
courses.
| ACT | ACCUPLACER | COMPASS | ACCUPLACER: Next Generation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Reading | 76 Reading | 82 Reading | 251 Reading |
| 19 English | 82 Sentence Skills | 65 Writing | 253 Writing |
| 19 Math | 85 Elementary Algebra | 42 Algebra | 259 Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics |
Applicants can take the ACT assessment or the ACCUPLACER assessment at Hawkeye. Pre-registration is required.
Success Courses
Success courses can be taken at Hawkeye Community College or comparable courses at another accredited college. For appropriate college success course placement, work with a program advisor.
Success course credits do not apply towards graduation requirements.
Program Acceptance
Applicants who have completed all admissions requirements in steps 1 and 2 will be offered acceptance based on the date their applicant file was completed. If many students share the same date for completing their applicant file, the second criteria used will be the GPA from the prerequisite courses.
Best Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician colleges in Iowa 2021
- Best Colleges
- United States
- Iowa
- Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician
List of all Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician colleges in Iowa
| School | Average Tuition | Student Teacher Ratio | Enrolled Students | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen College Waterloo, IA | 15 : 1 | 656 | ||
| Indian Hills Community College Ottumwa, IA | 27 : 1 | 3,612 | ||
| Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids, IA | 52 : 1 | 13,788 | ||
| Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge, IA | 55 : 1 | 5,237 | ||
| Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA | 66 : 1 | 23,258 | ||
| Hawkeye Community College Waterloo, IA | 46 : 1 | 5,112 |
Best Laboratory Science colleges in Iowa
- Best Colleges
- United States
- Iowa
- Healthcare
- Laboratory Science
Best Laboratory Science colleges in Iowa for 2021
University of Iowa Iowa City, IA
University of Iowa offers 4 Laboratory Science degree programs. It’s a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2019, 46 Laboratory Science students graduated with students earning 41 Bachelor’s degrees, and 5 Master’s degrees.Based on 19 ReviewsGet School InfoNorth Iowa Area Community College Mason City, IA
North Iowa Area Community College offers 1 Laboratory Science degree programs. It’s a small, public, two-year college in a remote town. In 2019, 7 Laboratory Science students graduated with students earning 7 Associate’s degrees.Based on 1 ReviewsGet School InfoFind Online Schools1 Area of Study Art & Design Business Computers & Technology Criminal Justice Education Healthcare Liberal Arts & Humanities Nursing Psychology & Counseling Science & Engineering Trades 2 Program of Interest All ProgramsAnimationArt & Art HistoryCreative / DesignFashionFilmGame DesignGraphic DesignInterior DesignMultimedia DesignPhotographyVisual CommunicationsWeb DesignWritingAll ProgramsAccountingBusiness AdministrationCommunicationsFinanceHospitality ManagementHotel & Restaurant ManagementHuman ResourcesInternational BusinessManagementManagement Information SystemsMarketingOrganizational LeadershipProject ManagementSports ManagementAll ProgramsComputer EngineeringComputer ForensicsComputer ProgrammingComputer ScienceDatabase ManagementInformation Systems SecurityInformation TechnologyInternet SecurityNetwork AdministrationNetwork SecuritySoftware EngineeringWeb DevelopmentAll ProgramsCriminal JusticeCyber SecurityEmergency ManagementForensicsHomeland SecurityInternational Relations/Global AffairsLaw & ParalegalLaw EnforcementSocial WorkAll ProgramsAdministration & LeadershipBusiness EdEarly Childhood EdElementary EdEnglishESL & Foreign LanguageFine Arts EdGifted EdHistoryMathPhysical EdPost Secondary EdSchool CounselingSecondary EdSpecial EdSTEM EdAll ProgramsAlternative MedicineDental AssistantExercise ScienceGerontologyHealth AdministrationHealth EducationHealth InformaticsHealth ManagementHealth SciencesHealth ServicesMassage TherapyMedical AssistantMedical Billing & CodingMedical Office AdministrationMidwifeNutrition & DieteticsOccupational TherapyPharmacyPhysical Therapy & RehabilitationPublic HealthRadiologyRespiratory TherapySonographySpeech PathologySurgical TechnicianX-Ray TechnicianAll ProgramsAnthropologyCommunicationsEnglishGeneral StudiesGeographyHistoryHuman & DevelopmentInternational Relations/Global AffairsJournalismLiberal ArtsMilitary StudiesMinistryMusicPhilosophyPolitical SciencePublic AdministrationPublic PolicySocial ScienceSocial WorkTheologyAll ProgramsABSN (Accelerated BSN)ADN (Associate)BSN (Bachelors)BSN to DNPBSN to PhDCNA (Nursing Assistant)CNM (Nurse Midwife)CNS (Nurse Specialist)Direct Entry MSNDoctorateLPN to BSNLPN to RNLPN/LVNMidwifeMSN (Masters)NP (Nurse Practitioner)Nurse EducatorNurse MidwifeNursing InformaticsRN (Registered Nurse)RN to BSNRN to MSNAll ProgramsApplied Behavior AnalysisChild/Adolescent PsychologyClinical PsychologyCounseling PsychologyDevelopmental PsychologyForensic/Criminal PsychologyHuman ServicesIndustrial/Organizational PsychologyMarriage and Family TherapyMental Health CounselingOccupational TherapySchool CounselingSocial WorkSpeech PathologySubstance Abuse/Addiction CounselingAll ProgramsBiomedical EngineeringData ScienceDraftingElectrical EngineeringElectronics EngineeringEngineering ManagementEnvironmental Science/SustainabilityFire ScienceIndustrial EngineeringSoftware EngineeringAll ProgramsAuto/Diesel MechanicsAviationCosmetology & BarberElectricianEsthetics, Skin Care & Make upHVACVeterinary3 Degree Completed High School Diploma/GED Some College Associate Degree Bachelor’s Degree Master’s Degree Doctorate Degree Sponsored Content
List of all Laboratory Science colleges in Iowa
| School | Average Tuition | Student Teacher Ratio | Enrolled Students | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Iowa Iowa City, IA | 23 : 1 | 31,240 | ||
| Mercy-St Luke’s School of Radiologic Technology Cedar Rapids, IA | 23 | |||
| Indian Hills Community College Ottumwa, IA | 27 : 1 | 3,612 | ||
| St Luke’s College Sioux City, IA | 10 : 1 | 235 | ||
| Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA | 66 : 1 | 23,258 | ||
| Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge, IA | 55 : 1 | 5,237 | ||
| Allen College Waterloo, IA | 15 : 1 | 656 | ||
| Hawkeye Community College Waterloo, IA | 46 : 1 | 5,112 | ||
| Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar, IA | 46 : 1 | 4,408 | ||
| Eastern Iowa Community College District Davenport, IA | 61 : 1 | 8,002 | ||
| Mercy College of Health Sciences Des Moines, IA | 14 : 1 | 795 | ||
| North Iowa Area Community College Mason City, IA | 43 : 1 | 2,894 | ||
| Northwest Iowa Community College Sheldon, IA | 54 : 1 | 1,777 | ||
| Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids, IA | 52 : 1 | 13,788 |
Top schools offering Laboratory Science degrees in Iowa
Laboratory Science
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