Contact: Katryn Conlin, Communications Director
651-385-6364, [email protected]
For Immediate Release
Southeast Technical’s Medical Laboratory Technician program moves into brand new facilities, announces NAACLS accreditation award through 2020
Winona, MN (June 30, 2015) -- Minnesota State College – Southeast Technical is pleased to announce that its Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) program was awarded accreditation in April 2015 by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
According to MLT instructor Carol Cantlon, the college completed a self-study, describing how the program met each one of 22 standards. "The self-study was submitted in March 2014, and NAACLS sent two representatives to do a site visit last fall. We received the official award of accreditation in April," Carol says. "We are now accredited through April 2020."
Accreditation assures that the students are getting the level of training they need to begin a career in this critical area of health care. Med lab techs test blood and body fluids in hospitals, doctors' offices, and diagnostic laboratories.
In related news, the college has recently completed construction of dedicated classroom laboratories for the program. The new state-of-the-art med lab tech facilities will welcome students in Fall 2015. There are two large laboratory/classroom rooms, a lab preparation room, a dark room designed for the use of fluorescent microscopy, and two offices.
Southeast Technical offers the two-year associate of applied science degree in medical laboratory technician. According to the most recent Bureau of Labor statistics, 2012 national median pay was $22.99 per hour, and employment is expected to rise 22% between 2012 and 2022, much faster than for most occupations.
For those seeking a shorter-term education pathway, Southeast Technical also offers a one-semester, 9-credit certificate in phlebotomy.
"Our graduates provide the information that healthcare providers need to diagnose their patients," Carol Cantlon says. "Doing that work accurately is critical — patients' lives are at stake."
Applications are being accepted now for fall enrollment in medical laboratory technician. For more information about the Med Lab Tech program, visit southeastmn.one or call 877-853-8324.
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About Minnesota State College – Southeast Technical
With a clear mission of "Education for Employment," Minnesota State College – Southeast Technical provides students a strong foundation for acquiring the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they will need for a lifetime of learning. Its Winona and Red Wing campuses merged in 1992, becoming Minnesota State College – Southeast Technical in 1999. For more information, visit www.southeastmn.one.