CLINICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN OR MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
Job readiness or transfer    Limited enrollment
CONTACT PERSON: Angela Uhlich • Jack Science Center 220 • 224-5669 or 323-5482 • Angela.Uhlich@bsc.nodak.edu

The mission of the Clinical Laboratory Technician/Medical Laboratory Technician (CLT/MLT) Program is to provide a high quality learning-centered education in clinical laboratory theory and practice that maximizes student learning and makes students partners in their education.

The CLT/MLT, under the supervision of a physician or clinical laboratory scientist, performs many general laboratory tests which aid physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. CLTs/MLTs are in demand throughout the nation in clinical, research and public health laboratories.

The goals of the Bismarck State College CLT/MLT program are to train competent CLTs/MLTs with the knowledge and skills necessary to demonstrate entry level proficiency in all areas of clinical laboratory science, to provide a two-year associate degree program for students in North Dakota and surrounding states, and to operate a program in which a maximum number of credits will fulfill requirements for four-year Clinical Laboratory Science programs in the state. The curriculum outlined below is prescribed to allow a student to meet these employment and transferability goals.

Clinical laboratory science is a demanding field of study and career. Success depends on self-discipline, self-motivation, self-reliance, integrity and the ability to work independently to solve problems and produce accurate laboratory results under stressful conditions.

Students receive both theoretical and experiential study, including a 7-month rotation through one of the program’s clinical affiliate laboratories at Medcenter One Health Systems or St. Alexius Medical Center. Minimum grade requirements for those enrolled in the program are a 2.00 grade point average in all science and math courses and a 2.00 grade point average overall. Those who complete the requirements earn an associate in science degree and are eligible to write a national board examination to become certified as a CLT or MLT.

A strong science background (completion of high school units in chemistry, biology and algebra, or equivalent) is recommended for success in this program. The CLT/MLT program is highly selective and has a limited enrollment. Selection depends upon academic preparation as well as early date of application. The deadline for applications is May 1.

An interview and tour of Medcenter One Health Systems laboratory are required prior to acceptance into the program.

The purposes of the tour and interview are to assist students in making the right career choice, and to design a semester-bysemester curriculum plan for each student, which will afford him/her the greatest opportunity for success.

BSC’s CLT/MLT program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science, 8410 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 670, Chicago, IL 60631. Phone: 773-714-8880.

PHLEBOTOMY TECHNICIAN
CONTACT PERSON: Angela Uhlich • Jack Science Center 220 • 224-5669 or 323-5482 • Angela.Uhlich@bsc.nodak.edu

The mission of the Bismarck State College Phlebotomy Technician (PBT) program is to provide a high quality learningcentered education in phlebotomy theory and practice that maximizes student learning and makes students partners in their education. Phlebotomy is the skill of drawing blood for diagnostic purposes. BSC’s PBT program will provide students with the most comprehensive training possible to keep up with the demands of a rapidly changing health care environment.

Students who successfully complete the two-semester program will earn a program certificate and be qualified to take a national certification exam.

The demand for certified phlebotomists is increasing. Clinical laboratories in many states now require phlebotomists to possess a certificate of completion from a nationally-approved and recognized program. Reasons include the steadily increasing numbers of diagnostic tests available to physicians, the growth in technology, and recent changes in the scope of phlebotomy practice itself. Blood-drawing was the domain of clinical laboratory scientists and clinical laboratory technicians 20 years ago. Phlebotomy is now a profession in its own right. This practice allows clinical lab scientists and technicians to work more exclusively with the diagnostic procedures of laboratory medicine.

The tasks of phlebotomists today go beyond drawing blood, however. They are also required to interpret physician’s orders, use computers to enter patient demographics and send reports, process specimens and perform point-of-care test procedures in some facilities. BSC has offered a phlebotomy lecture/student lab course for many years. This program consists of one semester of courses at BSC, plus a four-week clinical rotation at one of the laboratories of the Q&R Clinic/ Medcenter One Health Systems in Bismarck, Mandan, or Dickinson, or at Mid-Dakota Clinic and St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck.

The phlebotomy technician program has a limited enrollment of five students per semester. Selection depends upon early date of application as well as academic preparation. This is a demanding program. Successful students are those who are highly disciplined, self-motivated, self-reliant and capable of working independently.

Application deadline is May 1 for the fall semester and Oct. 1 for the spring semester. An interview is required prior to acceptance into the program.

BSC’s Phlebotomy Technician program is approved by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science, 8410 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 670, Chicago, IL 60631. Phone: 773-714-8880.

CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENTIST OR MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIST
Transfer
CONTACT PERSON: Deb Shipman • Jack Science Center 201B • 224-2458 • Deborah.Shipman@bsc.nodak.edu

Besides being qualified to perform general laboratory tests, clinical laboratory scientists are also qualified to supervise a clinical laboratory, specialize in specific areas or go into clinical education.

To become a registered clinical laboratory scientist, a student must complete three years of academic studies and one year of professional training at an accredited school of clinical laboratory sciences.

Bismarck State College offers the first two years of academic training necessary for a bachelor of science in clinical laboratory science from most colleges and universities. Pre-professional courses offered in the first two years of study are designed to give the clinical laboratory science student the necessary scientific background to transfer into their junior year.

Students should contact the school they plan to transfer to for the specific prerequisites of that college.

Students majoring in clinical laboratory science at Bismarck State College should apply to an accredited clinical laboratory science program the second semester of their sophomore year. Those who complete the requirements earn an Associate in Science degree.