Medical Laboratory Science

Kingston Campus | Program Code: 0134

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Overview

Medical Laboratory Technologists conduct sophisticated diagnostic tests on blood, body fluids and tissues to provide important information used in detecting illness and monitoring health. They enjoy rewarding careers where they use their skills to; measure chemical components in blood and body fluids, detect diseases in blood cells, perform blood typing and cross-matching for blood transfusion, detect and identify infections caused by bacteria and fungi, and prepare surgical and autopsy tissues for analysis. Medical Laboratory Technologists (MLTs) represent one of the largest groups of professionals in health care.

The final year of the program occurs inside the laboratories of partner hospitals and private institutions and is arranged by the College. Students are expected to finance clinical placement costs (tuition, travel, room and board). The start date and location for third-year placement are determined by the program and clinical site requirements. Locations may include Kingston Health Sciences, Brockville General Hospital (rotations at Kingston Health Sciences), Quinte Healthcare (Belleville Site), Mount Sinai Hospital, LifeLabs (Belleville site, rotations at Quite Healthcare), EORLA (Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association) Ottawa sites including The Ottawa Hospitals (Civic, General and Riverside Campuses) with possible rotations at Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), The Montfort (Hospital), and Queensway Carleton Hospital, Sick Kids (Toronto), and Grand River/St. Mary’s Hospitals, Kitchener and Peterborough Regional Health Centre and Stratford General Hospital.

Graduates are eligible to write the general certificate exams of the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science. To practice in Ontario, graduates of the program must meet strict requirements established by their regulator – the College of Medical Laboratory Technologists of Ontario (CMLTO).

For more information on a career as a Medical Laboratory Technologist (MLT) please visit the following sites:

Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS)

College of Medical Laboratory Technologists of Ontario (CMLTO)

Medical Laboratory Professionals' Association of Ontario (MLPAO)

This allied health program is accredited by:

Program Details

Code 0134

Start Date September

Credential Ontario College Advanced Diploma

Campus Kingston

Program Length 3 Years

Delivery Full-Time

Program Highlights

Quick Facts about the Medical Laboratory Science Program at St. Lawrence College

For prospective students, written with input from current students!

Getting your immunization status checked, recorded and sent to the college Health Center prior to the first semester is crucial to ensure that you can attend laboratory classes and ultimately the clinical labs. This program is training you for a profession in which your exposure to dangerous materials, samples and infectious agents is higher than in many other professions.
You will take blood and have your blood is taken (unless you physically are unable to do so) in this program.
You must make a continuance grade in all core courses (theory and labs) to continue in the program. The continuance grade is 63%.
The program is preparing you to become part of a regulated health profession and is academically challenging; time management skills are necessary!
Some students find the workload prohibits them from working while going to school.
Laboratory attendance is mandatory.
Problem-solving, critical thinking and math skills are a big part of the program!
Transfer credits are processed prior to 1st semester start via the college's main website under the tab Transfer Credits and Exemption at SLC. There is an administrative fee involved due to the need to check course outlines, and transcripts and ensure graduation requirements.
You will have multiple assessments including comprehensive exams and practical “hands-on” assessments throughout the program to ensure the retention of material and ensure national competencies are met. Current students write comprehensive exams for all clinical subjects at the end of the second year during an exam week. Students also write clinical discipline exams throughout placement. Students also can expect to write a pre-certification exam at the end of the program to prepare them for the national certification exam.
This is a competency-based program which means the curriculum is based on the national standards (CSMLS) for entry-level general medical laboratory technologists (MLTs).
Students are responsible for arranging and paying for their own certification exams.
Placement is not paid and is not a co-op. You pay tuition and the costs of living in your placement area.
Your police check, CPR and First Aid must be on a date for placement so the best time to do this is the 4th semester, right before your clinical placement.
Clinical placement is 2 semesters in duration and consists of the entire 3rd year of the program. You may be placed anywhere in Ontario and placement is by random draw. The program arranges placement so that the necessary competencies are met. The program works collaboratively with sites in the scheduling of student rotations and start dates.
The use of email and program resources such as the Blackboard Learning Platform is essential to good communication while in the program. There is no “Fast Track” for university students/other post-secondary programs; credits may be transferable but it will take 3 years to complete the program if you start in 1^st semester.

Program Outline

2023-2024

BIOL 151 is a first-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory Integrated Course in the Medical Laboratory Science program. While developing and demonstrating entry-level professional behaviours, students will learn the principles of bright field microscopy. The focus of this course is the application of microscopy skills through the introduction of a wide variety of cell and tissue types.

BIOL 1001 is an introductory course for Medical Laboratory Science students, covering the biological and chemical principles of the cell with reference to energy flow, structure and function, anatomy, reproduction, genetics and cell diversity. This course also begins a comprehensive study of the fundamentals of human anatomy and physiology which continues in BIOL 1002 in the winter semester.

CHEM 101 introduces Medical Laboratory Science students to important principles and applications in general, organic and biological chemistry. Atomic structure, chemical bonding, reaction kinetics, stoichiometry, solutions, acids and bases will be discussed with an emphasis on mathematical calculations used in basic inorganic chemistry. Nomenclature of inorganic compounds and the major organic functional groups will be introduced and the structure and properties of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids and the biochemical relationships connecting these macromolecules and their metabolism will be discussed. The properties and roles of enzymes, vitamins and chemicals will also be discussed.

CHEM 154 is a first-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory integrated course in the Medical Laboratory Science program that will introduce the student to the use and maintenance of common chemistry/laboratory materials, tools and equipment, WHMIS and lab safety rules, preparation of solutions and calibration curves. The successful student will acquire the knowledge and the skills to operate basic laboratory equipment and the ability to proceed to more complex laboratory procedures.

COMM 150 equips Medical Laboratory Science students with effective verbal, nonverbal and written communication strategies. Students practice active listening skills, learn how to interpret non-verbal messages and how to avoid common barriers to effective communication. Students practice researching and analyzing scientific data and producing professional-quality correspondence and reports using basic medical/scientific vocabulary. Groups will introduce peers to the roles, responsibilities and challenges facing professional groups in healthcare delivery.

MATH 149 provides the necessary scientific mathematical skills for students in the first semester of the Medical Laboratory Science program. Medical laboratory applications are emphasized with topics including the use of a scientific calculator, the use of algebra and logarithms in laboratory calculations and formulas, conversion of units, dimensional analysis, solutions, dilutions, spectrophotometric calculations, graphing of data, linear regression techniques, acid-base calculations, and statistical calculations related to Quality Control processes.

BIOL 2 is a first-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory integrated course that introduces students to the fundamentals of Clinical Molecular Biology. Topics include nucleic acid isolation techniques, nucleic acid quantification and visualization, PCR techniques, electrophoresis, and protein characterization within the clinical laboratory environment. Students will apply theoretical knowledge of molecular laboratory techniques and communicate results accurately and effectively.

Prerequisite(s): BIOL1001 + CHEM101 + CHEM154

BIOL 230 is a first-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory integrated course that introduces students to immunological principles such as recognition of self, triggers and participatory cells and mediators in the immune system, antigen-antibody interactions and the complement system. In the laboratory, students will perform immunoassay techniques on biological samples using common tools and equipment.

Prerequisite(s): CHEM101 + CHEM154 + MATH149 + BIOL1001

BIOL 1002 completes a comprehensive study of fundamentals in human anatomy and physiology begun in BIOL1001, illustrating structural and functional relationships in the endocrine, nervous, circulatory, digestive, urogenital, respiratory and lymphatic systems. Students will also consider how these systems collectively contribute to homeostasis.

Prerequisite(s): BIOL1001 + BIOL151

HLTH 1000 explores the history and current model of health care delivery nationally and provincially as it relates to a career as a Medical Laboratory Technologist. Trends and issues in the utilization and allocation of Canadian health services will be studied and compared with those of other models. Students will investigate how legislation and professional regulation influence healthcare practices including laboratory services and patient care.

Prerequisite(s): COMM150

MATH 151 introduces Medical Laboratory Science students to the basic principles, scientific calculations and the decision-making processes that can be utilized during the application of statistics within the laboratory. The student will have the opportunity to apply statistical methods used in collecting, tabulating, analyzing, presenting and interpreting data. Major topics include data description and presentation, probability determinations, distribution analysis, sampling, hypothesis testing, regression, correlation and quality control utilization.

Prerequisite(s): MATH149

MICR 45 is a first-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory integrated course that introduces interpretive methods, safety procedures and aseptic techniques in clinical microbiology. A successful student will be able to articulate introductory classification, physiology and genetics of bacteria and viruses. The clinical lab’s role in infection control will be examined. Practical skills developed include isolation, identification, enumeration and staining of common microbial pathogenic organisms.

Prerequisite(s): BIOL151 + CHEM101

LABS 205 is a first-year introduction to laboratory specimen collection and it is a Didactic Laboratory-Lecture Integrated course in the Medical Laboratory Science Program. Students will develop and demonstrate professional behaviours in the collection of blood by venipuncture and capillary sampling. Students will gain knowledge regarding the methods of collection, preservation, transport and handling of most body fluids and tissues required for diagnostic testing. Students will perform within the laboratory safety guidelines and consider legislation and professional standards/guidelines governing the practice of the profession.

Prerequisite(s): BIOL151 + CHEM154 + MATH149 + BIOL1001

CHEM 201 is a second-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory Integrated Course in the Medical Laboratory Science program. While developing and demonstrating entry-level professional behaviours, students will learn quality and safety procedures as they apply in the clinical laboratory and the correct measures for data and specimen procurement, analytical techniques, interpretation, reporting and validation in Clinical Chemistry. Students will use their critical thinking and investigative skills to make connections between the chemistry of the biomolecules present in urine, blood and other body fluids and their significance in diagnosing disease.

Prerequisite(s): BIOL2 + CHEM101 + CHEM154 + COMM150 + LABS205 + MATH151 + BIOL1002 + HLTH1000

HEMA 200 is a second-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory Integrated Course in the Medical Laboratory Science program. While developing and demonstrating entry-level professional behaviours, students will learn quality and safety procedures as they apply in the clinical laboratory and the correct measures for data and specimen procurement, analytical techniques, interpretation, reporting and validation in Clinical Hematology. Students will study the production and destruction of hematopoietic cells and blood-forming tissues. Relationships between normal and abnormal blood cell morphology and results of other routine hematology analyses will be explored. Students will also study the hemostatic process, including coagulation, in detail.

Prerequisite(s): BIOL230 + LABS205 + MATH151 + BIOL1002 + HLTH1000

HSTO 204 is a second-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory Integrated Course in the Medical Laboratory Science program. This course introduces histotechnology and includes the principles, theory and application of procedures and equipment related to tissue fixation, decalcification, processing, embedding, sectioning and cryostat sectioning. Students will be introduced to the staining of routine slides by Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) as well as immunohistochemistry staining methods. Also included will be the study of the human body on a microscopic level as well as an appreciation of the intricate relationships among organ systems.

Prerequisite(s): MATH149 + LABS205 + BIOL1002 + HLTH1000

MICR 203 is a second-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory Integrated Course in the Medical Laboratory Science program. While developing and demonstrating entry-level professional behaviours, students will learn quality and safety procedures as they apply in the clinical laboratory and the correct measures for data and specimen procurement, analytical techniques, interpretation, reporting and validation in Clinical Microbiology. Students will use their critical thinking and investigative skills to make connections between the isolation/detection of microorganisms in clinical specimens and health and disease.

Prerequisite(s): BIOL1002 + BIOL230 + LABS205 + MICR45+ HLTH1000

TRAN 202 is a second-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory Integrated Course in the Medical Laboratory Science program. Included in this course will be the study of genetics and immunology as related to blood group immunology and blood group systems for pre-transfusion testing. Also included will be the methods, practical experience and equipment needed to gain a full understanding of a transfusion laboratory.

Prerequisite(s): BIOL230 + LABS205 + BIOL1002 + HLTH1000

CHEM 207 is a second-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory Integrated Course in the Medical Laboratory Science program. While developing and demonstrating entry-level professional behaviours, students will learn quality and safety procedures as they apply in the clinical laboratory and the correct measures for data and specimen procurement, analytical techniques, interpretation, reporting and validation in Clinical Chemistry. Quality Control, the major organ systems, immunoassay, toxicology and homeostasis will be critically examined. A final comprehensive examination assesses students’ retention and agility with an expanded knowledge base of CHEM201 and CHEM207 learning outcomes.

Prerequisite(s): CHEM201

HEMA 206 is a second-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory Integrated Course in the Medical Laboratory Science program. While developing and demonstrating entry-level professional behaviours, students will learn quality and safety procedures as they apply in the clinical laboratory and the correct measures for data and specimen procurement, analytical techniques, interpretation, reporting and validation in Clinical Hematology. Important blood diseases and associated laboratory findings will be studied in detail. A final comprehensive examination assesses students’ retention and agility with an expanded knowledge base of HEMA200 and HEMA206 learning outcomes.

Prerequisite(s): HEMA200

HSTO 210 is a second-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory Integrated Course in the Medical Laboratory Science program. This course introduces students to the principles, theory and application of the techniques and mechanisms involved in staining routine tissue sections and the special stains used to demonstrate connective tissue elements, carbohydrates, pigments, minerals, microorganisms and lipids. This course continues the review of microanatomy from HSTO 204. A final comprehensive examination assesses students’ retention and agility with an expanded knowledge base of HSTO 204 and HSTO 210 learning outcomes.

Prerequisite(s): HSTO204

MICR 208 is a second-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory integrated Course in the Medical Laboratory Science program. While developing and demonstrating entry-level professional behaviours, students will learn quality and safety procedures as they apply in the clinical laboratory and the correct measures for data and specimen procurement, analytical techniques including antimicrobial susceptibility testing and mass spectrometry, interpretation, reporting and validation in Clinical Microbiology. Students will use their critical thinking and investigative skills to make connections between the isolation/detection of microorganisms in clinical specimens and health and disease. A final comprehensive examination assesses students’ retention and agility with an expanded knowledge base of MICR203 and MICR208 learning outcomes.

Prerequisite(s): BIOL2 + MICR203

TRAN 208 is a second-year Didactic Laboratory-Theory Integrated Course in the Medical Laboratory Science program. This course introduces students to the study of genetics and immunology as related to blood group immunology, blood groups, hemolytic disease, transfusion practices, blood components including compatibility testing and donor requirements. Also included will be the methods, practical experiences and equipment needed to gain a full understanding of the transfusion laboratory. A final comprehensive examination assesses students’ retention and agility with an expanded knowledge base of TRAN 202 and TRAN 208 learning outcomes.

Prerequisite(s): TRAN202

Under supervision, within the clinical laboratory setting, students in this course will efficiently, accurately and safely process, interpret and validate a variety of specimens for clinical chemistry analysis. Students will document and report results as required to meet quality standards and will demonstrate the required entry-level behaviours in their role as part of the healthcare team. Students will also demonstrate a well-developed knowledge base of course and program learning outcomes.