Department of Biology - Medical Technologist / Clinical Laboratory Specialist

Medical Technologist (MT), Clinical Laboratory Specialist (CLS) or Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) each is the title for the same professional position earned with a Bachelor degree and certification in this specialty.  The titles of MT and CLS will soon be combined into the title MLS as separate certifications are combined into a single certification.  Be aware, there is also the profession known as Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) that is earned as a two year Associate Degree. For more information on the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) click here.  Fr William Stang, M.D. is the Med-Tech program advisor at Saint Joseph's College. Click here to contact Fr. Stang.

The Profession – The MT, CLS and MLS professionals run the medical testing facilities in major medical institutions, diagnostic laboratories and even small county hospitals. They are also involved in research and industry.  Their areas of expertise involve Blood Banks, Clinical Chemistry, Hematology, Immunology, Microbiology and Urinalysis.  Blood Banks store blood and perform multiple tests to ensure safe transfusions.  They can also separate blood into medically useful components. Clinical Chemistry determines normal vs. abnormal organ function and blood chemistry.  Hematology studies the health of the patient’s blood cells and clotting factors.  Immunology covers a wide variety of antibody tests for health situations from pregnancy to infection to autoimmune disease.  Microbiology grows and identifies infectious microbes and determines antibiotic sensitivity.  Urinalysis determines not only kidney function but also can detect liver and genetic diseases. The increasing need for these tests in providing proper health care has made this one of the most secure jobs in the nation. For information on the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (ASCLS) click here.

The Job – GREAT JOB OPPORTUNITIES - There are several levels of Medical Technologist from Staff to Supervisor to Manager.  Many Laboratories now must maintain operations 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  This allows the technologist to choose daytime or nighttime hours.  There is also need for part-time technologists.  This job flexibility also attracts many people to medical technology.  One example is women who want to work professionally part-time while raising a family.  Salaries vary by location and level of responsibility.  Starting salary for an MT (this also means CLS and MLS) in staff level position in Indianapolis is now $21.00 per hour.  The 2008 ASCP Wage and Vacancy Survey gave the following average annual, full-time salary by position in the U.S. as: $47,840 for staff level MT, $58,240 for Supervisor MT and $70,720 for Manager MT.

Employment Rates – Nationally there is a growing demand for MT, CLS and MLS professionals because positions exceed available professionals.  By 2012 138,000 lab professionals will be needed, but less than 50,000 are being trained.  This means there is a great demand for technologists.  The need for Medical Technologists is seen in Indiana job rates for Medical Technologists.  In the last three years; 96-98% of graduates of Indiana Medical Technology programs had jobs within three months and 70-86% had jobs secured before they graduated. 

Saint Joseph's College Medical Technology acceptance and employment rates - 80% of our students who apply are accepted into Medical Technology programs.  100% of those accepted into Medical Technology programs, became certified and now have jobs in their field.  Here are several examples:
   Katrina (Ruhe) Golden is Point of Care Supervisor at Saint Margaret Mercy in Hammond
   Bridgette (Qwik) Bonilla is head technologist at Loyola University Flow Cytometry Lab
   Anne Marie Vidal sells reagents for Flow Cytometry
   Angie (Moster) Alford is General Laboratory Manager at Morgan County Hospital and Medical Center in Martinsville, Indiana

Getting the degree and certification.  There are two major paths for a degree in Medical Technology.

PATH 1 – This path takes four years and is often called the "3 plus 1" program. The student takes med-tech preparatory courses at Saint Joseph’s College for three years.  The student does his or her fourth year as an intern in an accredited Medical Technology Program.  After successful completion of the four years, the student receives a Bachelor Degree in Medical Technology from SJC and is certified as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS).

PATH 2 – This path takes five years.  It is sometimes called the "4 plus 1" program. The student takes four years at Saint Joseph’s College and gets a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. The student then takes a year of clinical training with any accredited Medical Technology program.  This will earns certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS). 

GRADES – A student must have a GPA of at least 2.50 to apply to an Indiana Medical Technology program.  These programs are competitive and the average GPA of those accepted into these programs is 3.25 with the average for some programs being as high as 3.5 GPA.

PATH 1 – This degree has differences from the typical biology degree.  The student must be sure to take the proper courses otherwise he or she will not be accepted into one of the training schools. Advice on the courses to take is found by clicking here.  In the third year, the student applies to an NAACLS accredited Medical Technology Program.  Those in Indiana are listed below.  The easiest path is to apply to one of the programs permanently affiliated with Saint Joseph’s College (these are listed below).  A student can apply to any accredited program but would need time to create a temporary affiliation with Saint Joseph’s College.  The student does his or her fourth year as an intern in that program.  Upon completion of that program and the graduation requirements at Saint Joseph’s College the student receives a Bachelor Degree in Medical Technology.  On passing the certification test the student is certified as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS). 

PATH 2 - This path takes five years.  In this path you would take four years at Saint Joseph’s College and get a Bachelors degree in Biology.  ADVICE on courses to take is found by clicking here. You then take a year of Medical Technology with any accredited Medical Technology program. This will give you a second degree.  Find accredited programs in your state by clicking here.  Once on the web page put your state in the search window.

At the beginning of your Senior year, you apply to ANY accredited Medical Technology program. In Indiana, the Medical Technology programs belong to the Consortium of Indiana Medical Laboratory Educators (CIMLE).  Most of the CIMLE programs use a "match" system. You and graduates from other schools apply to programs in CIMLE. The program director will tell you how to apply for the match system.  About 70% of applicants get their first choice. St. Margaret Mercy does not use the match, you apply to it directly. The better your preparation and GPA, the more likely you are to get your first choice. Applications to out of state programs are not handled with a match system.

Medical Technology Programs permanently affiliated with Saint Joseph’s College:

Rosemary Duda, MT (ASCP)
Program Director, Medical Technology Program
Saint Margaret Hospital
5454 Hohman Ave.
Hammond, IN 46320
Phone 219-932-2300 x 34199
Email: Rose.Butkiewicz@ssfhs.org

DeAnn Maxwell, MT (ASCP)
Program Director, CLS
St. Francis Hospital 
1600 Albany Street
Beech Grove, IN 46107
Phone: 317- 783-8195
FAX: 317-783-8801 Email: deanne.maxwell@ssfhs.org

Michaele McDonald, MS, MT(ASCP)  (This affiliation agreement is pending but should be finalized before 2010)
Program Director, School of Medical technology
Good Samaritan Hospital
520 South 7th St.
Vincennes, IN 47591
Phone: 812-885-3688
Email: mmcdonald@gshvin.org

Other Indiana (CIMLE) Medical Technology Programs (you would need to apply after getting your Saint Joseph’s College BS or seek a temporary affiliation with these if you want to do a 3 plus 1 with the program).

Clara Clem, MS, MT (ASCP)
Program Director, Medical Technology Program
Clarian Health Partners cclem@clarian.org
3501 W. 11th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Phone: 317- 491-6217
Email: cclem@clarian.org

Brian Goff
Program Director, Medical Technology Program
Parkview Hospital
328 Ley Rd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805
Phone: 260-373-9406
Email: brian.goff@parkview.com

Diane Leland, PhD, MT(ASCP)
Dept. of Pathology and Lab Medicine
Indiana University School Of Medicine
CPL Room 6002
350 West 11th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Phone: (317) 491-6646
Email: dleland@iupui.edu
* Students register, apply for financial aid and pay fees through Indiana University

An Illinois Medical Technology Program (Find accredited programs in your state by clicking here then put your state in the search window).

Carol Becker, MS, MT(ASCP)
Medical Technologist Program
OSF Saint Francis Medical Center
530 NE Glen Oak Ave.
Peoria, IL 61637
Phone: (309) 624-9021
Fax: (309) 624-9150
Email: becker@osfhealthcare.org

Be aware, there are other schools in Indiana with Medical Technology programs.  They are geared toward high school graduates and grant a two year Associate Degree.  Their graduates do not have a graduate degree but can be employed as Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLT).

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