Program Overview
Westervelt College Medical Laboratory Technician Assistant Program prepares you to apply for employment in a variety of laboratory settings. The program consists of theory, practical skills, and practicum components which have been mapped to the Standards of Practice outlined by the national CSMLS Competency Profile – MLA and the provincial MLPAO MLA/T Competency Guidelines.
Upon successful completion, you will receive a Westervelt College Diploma which will allow you to sit the national and provincial certification exams. The costs associated with these exams will be the responsibility of the applicant. Please visit the CSMLS and MLPAO websites for more information with regards to the certification exams.
*Additional fees apply
We aim to:
- Prepare students for the competitive medical laboratory field
- Prepare students for entry-level employment in hospital laboratories, private laboratories, private clinics and research
- Align our curriculum to both the provincial and national certification bodies by aligning our objectives to the accreditation criteria
- Prepare students to write the national and provincial certification exams.
- Encourage the students to become passionate about their profession by continuing education and taking an active role in their national and provincial professional associations.
Career Opportunities
Graduates are qualified to work in clinical laboratories in hospital and community settings, specimen collection centres, research laboratories, fertility clinics and Canadian Blood Services.
Tuition & Fees
Medical Laboratory Technician Assistant Diploma Program tuition fees for Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents.
| Program Code | MLA |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $12,995 |
| Textbooks* | $936 |
| Fees | $3,960 |
| Total | $17, 891 |
This pricing is effective August 1, 2020
*This is the cost of the textbooks that the students will own. Students will have access to other textbooks that they can use and return to the college at no cost to the student at the end of each term. Financial Assistance may be available for those who qualify. For assistance, please contact our Admissions team for more information.
Additional Costs
Students are required to pay for uniforms, criminal records check, fees associated with externship (transportation, parking, lunch), costs for immunization and graduation fee.
Admissions Requirements
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma or the equivalent, or if 18 years of age or over, you may apply as a mature student and write an entrance exam .(©Wonderlic)with a minimum passing score of 14 or higher.
And
- Meet with an Admission Representative for a confidential interview. During the interview process, the admission representative will review your academic career goals, English proficiency and determine your eligibility for the program.
Note: Some Externship sites may request further immunizations and a criminal record check with a vulnerable sector screening.
Health Requirements
Westervelt College Immunization Health Form requirements
Completion of the Westervelt College Immunization Health Form is a MANDATORY form that must be completed. The complete form must be completed before the externship. THIS FORM IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY any costs associated with the completion of the Westervelt College Immunization Health Form.
Program Prerequisite
- Proof of OSSD or equivalent OR successful completion of the entrance evaluation (for mature students)
- English Proficiency
- Admissions Interview
- Westervelt College Immunization Health Form* (completed within 60 days of program start)
*NOTE: Externship sites may request additional immunizations and a clear criminal record check with vulnerable sector screening
Criminal Background Check
Applicants are advised that Criminal Background Checks (CBC) and Vulnerable Sector Checks conducted by the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) may be required for some externships. Criminal convictions may prevent participation in certain externships.
Medical Laboratory Assistant & Technician Industry Associations
Take the "Westervelt College Medical Laboratory Technician Assistant Career Training Readiness" Quiz
Curriculum
This course is intended to introduce and reinforce the students to the morals and conduct that govern the Medical Laboratory Assistant/Technician profession. Students will study the Standards of Practice outlined by the national CSMLS Competency Profile – MLA and the provincial MLPAO MLA/T Competency Guidelines. In addition, they will learn what it means to be a professional and how to conduct themselves with integrity and remain patient focused. They will learn about being a productive member of the health care team and how to interact with other health care professionals. The legislation that governs the profession will also be studied in depth so that students can integrate the ethics, standards of practice, and legislation in everything they do.
This course will introduce the student to the concept of safety in the laboratory environment for both patients, co-workers and medical laboratory assistant. This course will explore general safety measures, employee safety and occupational health and safety issues. In additional introduction to specimen handling, storage, shipping and disposal of biological hazards, blood borne pathogens in accordance with current government legislation and regulations and institutional policies. Emergency response plan will be reviewed and discussed.
This course will assist the student to increase his/her foundational knowledge of the normal structures and functions of the major organ systems. This course will also assist the student to identify the common pathologies of the various organ systems and familiarize him/her to the relevant tests utilized for proper diagnosis. In addition, the student will gain an appreciation for the physical and biochemical changes from early childhood to the senior years. Students will also be introduced to the basic prefixes, root words, and suffixes that form medical words.
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the laboratory procedures involving hematology, coagulation, transfusion medicine, and immunology. They will be educated on the appropriate hematology laboratory policy and procedures, including specimen collection and processing techniques. Students will learn about the different components of blood such as red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. They will also become familiar with the different pathologies related to hematology.
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the cardiovascular system and electrocardiography. Students will learn about the heart and the circulation of blood through the body. In addition, they will learn how to monitor vital signs and recognize reportable values. They will also learn about the conduction system, and the electrical activity of the heart. This course will teach students to perform ECGs and understand the importance of accurate, artifact-free recordings. They will learn to recognize artifact, correct for it, and recognize emergency situations.
The student will develop an understanding of the specimen requirements for routine clinical chemistry tests. The student will gain an understanding of reference ranges for routine clinical chemistry tests and the significance of variant results. The student will learn about automated analyzers from quality control, quality assessment, to loading of samples. They will also learn how to explain the proper specimen collection requirements including special handling for all common clinical chemistry tests.
This course will provide the students with the fundamental notions necessary to the understanding of Urinalysis as performed in a routine laboratory or clinic. The students will learn the basic anatomical structures of the renal system and identify the various components. They will also learn how to instruct patients on the collection, storage, and handling of specimens. In addition, they will learn about the collection and testing of other body fluids including seminal fluid, synovial fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva, CSF, and serous fluid.
The purpose of the Comprehensive Exams is to test the knowledge and expertise of each student in the Medical Laboratory Assistant/ Technician program. The Theory Exam covers the different course of the first portion of the program, and provides a measurement of how well the students have integrated the material. The practical exam tests the skills they have learned in the first portion of the program to determine where more practice may be needed.
The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of routine procedures, such as the collection and processing of specimens. One of the top priorities is ensuring that microorganisms are cultured properly so that they can be identified. Students will become aware of the various uses and applications of equipment and culture techniques to grow, identify, and determine the appropriate antimicrobial treatment for a wide range of infections.
This course will provide students with an understanding of Histology and Cytology. By studying these two disciplines, students will gain a better understanding of the functions of the human body as well as the pathologies of disease. They will be instructed on proper specimen collection and handling. They will also be taught the appropriate safety procedures for these two labs. They will learn what reagents are used in the processing of tissue and how complicated the process can be.
The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of routine procedures, such as the collection and processing of specimens. They will continue to practice phlebotomy and specimen procurement, but also learn routine pre-analytical procedures for Hematology, ECG and vital signs, reagent preparation and quality assurance, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, microbiology and histology/cytology. All skills will be practiced throughout the program with assessments being completed at different intervals. This course is to run concurrently with theory courses.
This course is designed to provide the Medical laboratory Assistant/Technician with a fundamental mathematical foundation for use in the medical laboratory. It includes a basic understanding of mathematics, measurements, dilutions, solutions, logarithms, graphs, statistics and quality control, as well as specific applications in chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, quality assurance and quality control.
This course will promote self-awareness through analysis of students’ values, beliefs, biases and fears. Establishing realistic professional goals while creating balance in one’s life will be emphasized. In addition you will benefit from the Enriched Academy’s program to teach you how to manage your money and build a solid financial future. During this course students are also taught Standard First Aid and CPR.
The purpose of the Comprehensive Examination is to test the knowledge and expertise of each student. The exam covers the different courses, and provides a measurement of how well the students have integrated the material.
This course provides a basic overview of using a computer, accessing the internet and basic word processing skills.
The purpose of the Externship – Practicum is to allow students to continue to practice their skills in an actual work-like setting. They will learn first-hand how to deal with real-life situations and gain experience within the field. By training within the clinical setting, students will gain an understanding of how to react or act proactively within different situations. They will gain knowledge and practical experience to help develop their understanding of employer expectations. This course allows students to be involved in the educational process with a medical team. The practicum is to be completed in clinical settings, public laboratories, and private laboratories outside of the school.
This course will examine and prepare students for the national and provincial certification exams.
This unit will provide the student with the basics to create an effective and usable resume and the skills to be effective at searching for a job. The students will also become comfortable with being interviewed and know what to expect when entering an interview.