School of Health and Life Sciences

Medical Laboratory Technology

Sep 07, 2021
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Campus

The location where your NAIT courses will be held.

Credential

The type of certification (degree, diploma, certificate) you will earn after completing your program.

  • Degree - NAIT offers a number of business degrees and applied science and technology degrees accredited by Alberta Advanced Education.
    Applied degree programs offer a stronger emphasis on practical applications of the concepts learned in the classroom
  • Diplomas & Certificates - These credit programs take 1 or 2 years and lead to government approved and industry-recognized credentials.
  • Journeyman Certificate - Hands-on and expert-led apprenticeship and industry training for skilled trades and technology professionals.
  • Continuing Education/Non-Credit - NAIT offers a wide range of non-credit programs and courses for personal and professional development in a number of interesting and exciting fields. These options are great for people who may be working but are interested in studying as well.

Delivery Options

The flexible schedule options for this course including time of day and full/part-time.

Please note due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these delivery options may shift from term to term. Please consult your program for details on delivery options.

  • On-Campus Day - Your course activity is done in-person Monday - Friday, before 5 PM.
  • On-Campus Evening/Weekend - Your course activity is done in-person on weekdays from 5 PM or later, or Saturdays and Sundays.
  • Online Day - Your course activity is done online Monday - Friday, before 5 PM.
  • Online Evening/Weekend - Your course activity is done online on weekdays from 5 PM or later, or Saturdays and Sundays.
  • Online Flexible Delivery - Your course activity is not scheduled and therefore you can determine when to do the coursework.
  • Both On-Campus and Virtual - Some of your coursework will be in-person, on campus and some will be done online.

Length

The average or expected time it will take to complete your program.

Open Studies

Open Studies allows you to explore credit courses without applying to a program.
It is an opportunity to get a feel for school and what program you want to be in.

International Students

Program availability may be limited for international applicants. Contact your student advisor for more information.

Advanced Credit

You may apply for advanced credit once you have been accepted into the program. Advanced Credit can be Transfer Credit (for completed post-secondary courses) or PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition).

Transfer Credit

In addition to the common guidelines outlined on the Transfer and Credit Options section and on the Transfer Credit Request Form (PDF), your program has other advanced credit requirements that are applied to each request including:

  • You must have completed the course or program no more than 2 year(s) ago unless a formalized articulation agreement is in place
  • You must have a minimum mark of C- in the course(s) or program

Prior Learning and Assessment Recognition (PLAR)

If you do not qualify for transfer credit or credential recognition, Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) may be an option.

Contact the program for additional information about Advanced Credit.

Program delivery methods for Fall 2021 and later have not been confirmed. Delivery shown is based on current delivery methods amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a registered medical laboratory technologist, you will assist in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. In this program the focus will be on the analysis of human blood and body fluids for microorganisms and cellular and chemical components. Compatibility testing of blood and blood products, plus preparation of tissue samples for microscopic examination.

Did you know

An MLT career focuses on the analysis of human blood and body fluids!

Grad Employment Rate   Median Starting Salary  

Employment rates reported by NAIT alumni are for information purposes and do not guarantee future employment opportunities.

Salaries reported by NAIT alumni are for information purposes and are not a guarantee of future alumni income.

Hands-on, industry-relevant training

Medical Laboratory Technology focuses on the analysis of human blood and body fluids. In the program, students learn how to provide quality patient care by being introduced to:

  • How to work safely in a level II containment laboratory
  • The process of collection of specimens for analysis
  • How to procure, analyze, interpret & report quality laboratory results
  • How to think critically and how to communicate and collaborate inter-professionally
  • The professional responsibility of a registered MLT, including scope of practice, ethics, accountability, and professional development.

Phase I of the Medical Laboratory Technology program begins every September and consists of 49 weeks of classroom instruction with related practical laboratory sessions on NAIT Main Campus. This includes (two) 15 week semesters, (one) 4 week intersession, and (one) additional 15 week semester.

Phase II consists of 38 weeks of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) at an affiliated training site in Edmonton, Grande Prairie or Red Deer. WIL provides practical experience in a variety of clinical settings. It also includes exposure to research and assessments in preparation for the CSMLS exam. Emphasis is placed on practical application of concepts studied at NAIT and on development of organizational and professionalism skills.

MLT student

Students can expect to spend on average:

Phase I:  49 weeks with 27 hours per week in class experience at NAIT Main Campus.  Augmented with 20 to 23 hours per week studying and completing class assignments. 

Phase II:  38 weeks of Clinical Placement (7.5 hours per day, five days per week).  Plus completion of IPHE1201 Interprofessional Healthcare.

Open Studies Pathway

You now have an additional pathway to the School of Health and Life Sciences at NAIT. Complete one or more select Open Studies courses to be guaranteed a program entrance interview.

Enter the workforce with confidence

Graduates typically find employment in hospitals, community health centres, private clinical laboratories, research laboratories, pharmaceutical companies and educational institutions.

You are also eligible to challenge the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) exam to obtain national certification and become a registered medical laboratory technologist.

Medical Laboratory Technology graduates are eligible for credit toward:

•Bachelor of Technology (BTech), NAIT 

•Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Alberta

•Bachelor of Science - Human Sciences, Athabasca University

•Bachelor of Health Sciences, Thompson Rivers University

Internationally recognized credentials may be obtained from the American Society of Clinical Pathologists.

 Some U.S. states recognize NAIT as an approved training school and recognize CSMLS certification.

MLT student

Have questions? We've got answers

If you’re looking for more information or have a question about the Medical Lab Technology program, we can help.

Our program advisors are here to answer your questions.

Email: medlabtech@nait.ca

  • Tel: 780.471.7662
  • Fax: 780.471.8902
MLT student drawing blood

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Pushing the limits of simulation training

NAIT's Simulation Centre re-creates the real world of health-care careers

A new frontier in hands-on health-care training

CAE Healthcare and NAIT have entered a simulation research partnership to improve health-care education and patient safety, including support for the polytechnic's simulation research initiatives.

Keeping it Real

From practicing on high-fidelity manikins to learning on the latest software, watch how NAIT students practice the best patient care.

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Legend

Term Definition
Open Program still has seats available.
Waitlisting Program is full and qualified applicants are being placed on a waitlist. For information about waitlists, please visit the Waitlist FAQs.

If you’re on a non-competitive waitlist, you should consider NAIT’s Academic Upgrading program or NAIT Equivalency Tests to become a more competitive applicant.

There is no guarantee that waitlisted applicants will be offered a seat, however it is common for seats to become available until the start of class. As seats become available, they are filled from the waitlist.
Closed Program is no longer accepting applications.
N/A Not available for this term.


*Program availability is subject to change without notice.