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    Florida State College at Jacksonville
   
 
  May 31, 2023
 
2022-2023 Catalog [Aug. 2022-Aug. 2023] 
  
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2022-2023 Catalog [Aug. 2022-Aug. 2023]

Medical Laboratory Technology (2220) (A.S.)


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Associate in Science

This is a Limited Access program.

Mission/Purpose

The mission of the Associate in Science in Medical Laboratory Technology (AS-MLT) program is to provide access to an affordable high-quality educational program designed to train and educate competent and ethical entry-level clinical laboratory professionals in partnership with affiliated healthcare institutions. The program focuses on comprehension and mastery of the profession’s body of knowledge in conjunction with clinical skill development.

The Program

This program enables graduates to sit for the national certification exams and to be licensed through the State of Florida, Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel, Department of Health. Students may be admitted fall semester. Students may find it difficult to work during the professional phase of the program due to clinical demands. Students will be expected to perform in a professional manner during the campus and clinical phases and must have excellent coordination skills.

A minimum grade of C or higher must be achieved in all professional coursework and students must complete all campus-based courses with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher before entering the clinical phase of their education.

Program Outcomes

The three year average pass rate on the ASCP exam is 91% (National means for these years were 77.8%, 78.9% and 77.42%).

The Career

Medical laboratory technicians/technologists play an important role in the diagnosis and management of disease. Medical laboratory professionals have unlimited choices of practice settings: hospitals, reference laboratories, clinics, business, and industry. Areas of scientific exploration open to students are the immune system, cell marker technology, and cancer research. In the clinical area, drug testing, therapeutic drug monitoring, and biogenetics are a few of the specialties with openings. For a qualified laboratory professional, the possibilities are as limitless as the imagination. Visit the Medical Lab Tech Career Network at aftercollege.com/groups/listings.asp?id=166731944 to view sample job opportunities and career resources.

For additional information about a rewarding career as a medical laboratory technician, contact the Board of Certification, American Society for Clinical Pathologists, P.O. Box 12270, Chicago, IL 60612 or ascp.org/content/board-of-certification.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics: “Employment of medical laboratory technologists is projected to grow 14 percent from 2012 to 2022, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Employment of medical laboratory technicians is projected to grow 30 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations.”

Upon completion of coursework, Florida State College at Jacksonville does not guarantee employment or salary in a given field of study. Any jobs or salaries mentioned are given as examples of potential employment not a representation of guaranteed income. Graduates may need to seek employment outside the local area.

Program Accreditation

The Medical Laboratory Technology program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) at 5600 N. River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, Illinois 60018-5119, (773) 714-8880.

Application Procedure

  1. Applicants to the program must be admitted to Florida State College at Jacksonville.
  2. Complete the required program prerequisite coursework.
  3. Complete the Medical Laboratory Technology program application.
  4. Prior to acceptance into the program students must complete a background check and drug screen.

Prior to contact with patients or patient specimens, students must furnish both proof of childhood and hepatitis B immunizations. Contact program director for additional information.

Note: Admissions preference is given to fully qualified candidates who have met all entrance criteria, including the satisfaction of prerequisite courses. Should seats remain available in the program cohort, applicants who fulfill admissions criteria prior to the start of the program will be considered next, followed by those with the highest number of completed prerequisite courses. Qualified applicants with pending prerequisite course requirements will receive a conditional acceptance letter outlining the remaining criteria for full program admission.

Application Deadline(s)

  • Fall Term: May 15

Need More Information? Contact:

Call (904) 646-2300

More Information Online

Curriculum


General Education Coursework

Credit Hours: 28

Professional Coursework

Credit Hours: 48

A minimum grade of C or higher is required in all Professional coursework.

Total Credit Hours: 76

Record of Conviction of a Crime


Effective July 1, 2009, pursuant to Section 456.0635, Florida Statutes, health care review boards shall refuse to renew a license, certificate or registration, issue a license, certificate or registration and shall refuse to admit a candidate for examination if the applicant has been convicted or plead guilty or nolo contendere, regardless of adjudication, to a felony violation of: chapters 409, 817, or 893, Florida Statutes; or 21 U.S.C. ss. 801-970 or 42 U.S.C. ss. 1395-1396, unless the sentence and any probation or pleas ended more than 15 years prior to the application, terminated for cause from Florida Medicaid Program (unless the applicant has been in good standing for the most recent five years) or terminated for cause by any other State Medicaid Program or the Medicare Program (unless the termination was at least 20 years prior to the date of the application and the applicant has been in good standing with the program for the most recent five years). The Florida nursing or allied health licensure or certification application requires disclosure of any criminal history and the disposition of all cases prior to board review. Being convicted of, or having entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, any of the listed felonies in Florida Statute 456.0635 or termination for cause from the statutorily-described Medicaid programs will preclude an applicant from obtaining a nursing or allied health license or certification in the state of Florida. Entry and acceptance into the nursing or allied health program does not guarantee licensure or certification in the state of Florida.

Criminal Background Check and Drug Screen


Most clinical agencies require students to undergo drug screen and criminal background checks prior to placement in the agencies for clinical experiences. Students whose drug screening and criminal background checks are deemed unsatisfactory may be denied access to clinical experiences by the clinical agencies. Failure to qualify for and meet clinical requirements at clinical sites may prevent completion of the program. Withdrawal from the program may be necessary if students cannot be placed for clinical experiences.

Some practice settings may have additional requirements including health insurance, a volunteer application, references, additional fingerprinting and background check (e.g. the Jessica Lunsford Act for school environments), drug testing, flu shot, Covid-19 testing/vaccine and/or an interview prior to the start of the clinical experience. The additional requirements are the responsibility of the student, including expenses.

The cost of the background check(s) and drug screen(s) is borne by the student. Additionally, it is the student’s responsibility to have all paperwork completed by the program’s published deadline.

Students who are unable to complete the clinical requirements after acceptance into Limited Access or Selective Access programs are not eligible for refunds of tuition and fees.

A physical examination will be required upon acceptance to the program.  It is the students’ responsibility to renew their annual physical examination as well as tuberculosis (TB) test.

Graduation Requirements


In order to be awarded the associate in science degree, students must have met the following requirements:

  1. Fulfill all academic requirements for the chosen program of study as outlined in the Florida State College at Jacksonville catalog and curriculum.
  2. Earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) at Florida State College at Jacksonville in courses eligible toward the Associate in Science degree programs, excluding developmental education courses (A.S. Florida State College at Jacksonville GPA).
  3. Earned an all-college cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) on a 4.0 scale on all courses attempted. This includes Florida State College at Jacksonville college-credit semester hours and transferred credits (excluding developmental education) in lower division courses (All college cumulative).
  4. Complete a minimum of 25 percent of the total hours required for the program in residence at Florida State College at Jacksonville. Credit by examination and credit for prior learning do not count toward this residency requirement.
  5. Complete the required semester hours, as specified by the degree, of which a minimum of 15 semester hours must be General Education requirements.
  6. Demonstrated competency in civic literacy in accordance with s. 1007.25, Florida Statutes (F.S.) at bit.ly/FS-gen-ed-courses and State Board of Education Rule 6A-10.02413, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) at bit.ly/FR-civic-lit-comp. Pursuant to guidelines established by Senate Bill 1108, competency is demonstrated by completion of one of two civic literacy courses (either AMH 2020  or POS 2041 ) with a grade of C or higher AND by achievement of the standard score on a state-approved assessment.
  7. Earned a grade of a C or higher in each course used to satisfy the general education requirements and any other area designated with a C or higher requirement.
  8. Fulfill all obligations, financial or otherwise, to the College before graduating.
Note: Students are cautioned to pay particular attention to the following statements.
  • A student’s graduation date will be the date of the end of the College term in which the student has fulfilled all academic requirements. (The removal of an incomplete grade does not affect students’ graduation dates since the grade change is effective at the end of the term in which the incomplete grade was assigned rather than the term in which the incomplete work was made up.)
  • Students who enter under the (2022/2023) catalog will be assigned to the degree or certificate requirements in effect during the 2022/2023 academic year. The student’s assigned catalog year will remain in effect as long as the student maintains continuous enrollment. Changes to requirements as mandated by law or by rule of the District Board of Trustees may supersede this provision.
  • Many courses in this catalog have prerequisite and/or corequisite courses which are listed in the course descriptions. Students are advised to be guided by these requirements.
  • Students who place into developmental education courses are required to complete designated developmental education courses with a grade of C or higher regardless of program of study.
     

Baccalaureate Transfer


The Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degree programs are intended primarily for students who desire to complete an Associate in Science degree or an Associate in Applied Science degree and become employed. Students who decide to pursue baccalaureate transfer study must meet certain course and test requirements. For details, visit the Transfer Services page at fscj.edu/transferservices or refer to the Baccalaureate Transfer Guide at fscj.edu/transferguide.

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