Congratulations -- So you're thinking that you may want to be a medlab tech too.
Basic Info: Starting Salary at entry level is about $50 000, with pay increases as you gain experience and responsibilities. You can be employed at hospitals, research centres, vetrenary centres, private labs, or in commercial pharmeceutical development. This job is not suitable for those who are squeamish, who have open sores/bad acne, colour-blindness, or who cannot make appropriate decisions under pressure. It is suitable for those who love science, enjoy helping people, and solving problems under the clock.
First things first. Do you have a solid science background in highschool? Have you taken(and done well in) Biology 12, Chemistry 12, Physics 11, University Math 12, and English 12?
These are all baseline necessary for entry.
Note that the links of below schools have a list of basic requirements, but also all have a fine print line stating that most sucessful applicants have at least first year university science experience as well. I would recommend at least first, and maybe second year university science before applying to the program -- Of the six fresh-from-high-school students in our class of sixty-five, only one graduated with us. That girl's mother was a medlab tech.
'Nuff Said.
Also note that all practicums below are UNPAID. Do not rely on having to have a job to get through that year period, as working practicum full time and being responsible for online classes is not a good formula for keeping a second job.
Most programs fill up at least a year in advance, so apply early. For example, this year's BCIT intake in 2012 is already full. They are starting to take applications for 2013 now.
There are four main schools in Western Canada that are able to prepare you for the CSMLS exam necessary to work in Canada. I'm going to go over the basic differences of each.
1) BCIT: (2.5 year program) Includes interspersed practicum to make those all important
contacts. Students can finish early, and work as QNR(Qualified
Not Registered) to make some extra cash while waiting to take
their CSMLS exam. Usually about 60 to 70 seats available each
year. Requires 30+ hours of health care volunteer experience.
2) NAIT: (2.0 year program) Includes one year of in school studies, one year of practicum.
Special post-secondary requirements of an Accredited Medical
Terminology course and a year of university Anatomy and
Physiology with a minimum grade of 60%. Typical successful
Applicants have a 80-83% average in these. Seats unknown.
3) SAIT: (2.0 year program) Includes one year of in school studies, and a second year of 1/2
practicum/1/2 in class studies. No special requirements over
high school classes. 48 seats available each year.
Already full for Fall 2011.
4) U of Alberta (4.0 year program)
Format is two years university classes, then a year of practicum,
followed by a final year of university classes. Note that the first
year is a "pre-professional year" at any university. That's when
you take the same 30 credits of courses as all the other hopefuls
and then apply to the Medical Laboratory Program at the
beginning of second year. B- average at university or higher was
last year's standard to get in. 29 seats are available each year.
Whoah, information dump. Wrapping this up and will continue in a followup post.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Medical Laboratory Education -- Bachelor's versus Certification
At first glance, the question of which of a bachelor's degree at a nationally recognized university or a three year certificate at a technology institute is more employable looks rhetorical.
Of COURSE a bachelor's degree in Medical Laboratory Science will get you job in a hospital faster...right?
Wrong.
One of the traps students fresh from high school fall in each year is thinking that a Bachelor's in Medical Laboratory Science from UBC/U of Calgary will enable you to work in hospital laboratories. They don't. Such programs are for job steams that focus on either university research(mainly in universities, so you will be competing will all those other Science degree graduates for graduate student salaries), or for those who already have a certificate and are returning to gain ART or management level equivilents.*
In order to work in a hospital laboratory here in British Columbia, one must pass the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science national exam.
In order to be eligible to even take said exam, one must have taken an accreditted CSMLS course. The University of British Columbia is not accreditted by CSMLS, so thus you are not even eligible to take the qualifying exam.
Thus, to become employable, the student rockets off to to BCIT, NAIT, or SAIT to take the full three year course to qualify for hospital work. That's right -- seven year's minimum of school to start working, if you take the university route. Ug. And that's wishing that you knew straight from the starting gate what you wanted to do with your life. Many of my classmates at BCIT had bachelor's or Master's degrees in biology, chemistry, and microbiology before starting at BCIT.
If you're interested in becoming a medical laboratory technologist, there is a post coming about just that.
*The exception here the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science of the University of Alberta. The program is four years in length, and focuses on university theory, the nitty gritty needed in the workplace, and the knowledge base to pass the CSMLS exam.
Of COURSE a bachelor's degree in Medical Laboratory Science will get you job in a hospital faster...right?
Wrong.
One of the traps students fresh from high school fall in each year is thinking that a Bachelor's in Medical Laboratory Science from UBC/U of Calgary will enable you to work in hospital laboratories. They don't. Such programs are for job steams that focus on either university research(mainly in universities, so you will be competing will all those other Science degree graduates for graduate student salaries), or for those who already have a certificate and are returning to gain ART or management level equivilents.*
In order to work in a hospital laboratory here in British Columbia, one must pass the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science national exam.
In order to be eligible to even take said exam, one must have taken an accreditted CSMLS course. The University of British Columbia is not accreditted by CSMLS, so thus you are not even eligible to take the qualifying exam.
Thus, to become employable, the student rockets off to to BCIT, NAIT, or SAIT to take the full three year course to qualify for hospital work. That's right -- seven year's minimum of school to start working, if you take the university route. Ug. And that's wishing that you knew straight from the starting gate what you wanted to do with your life. Many of my classmates at BCIT had bachelor's or Master's degrees in biology, chemistry, and microbiology before starting at BCIT.
If you're interested in becoming a medical laboratory technologist, there is a post coming about just that.
*The exception here the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science of the University of Alberta. The program is four years in length, and focuses on university theory, the nitty gritty needed in the workplace, and the knowledge base to pass the CSMLS exam.
Links of Interest
Been a while since I've posted, so I thought I'd toss out a couple links on interesting developments in the medlab world.
1)Should herbalists use lab tests in their practise? Jake Fratkin discusses.
2) The development of a painless needle -- Japanese Researchers are working on the development of a serrated needle, based on the shape of the probiscus of a mosquito. See here for more information.
3) The development of a patch to apply vaccinations instead of needles -- See here.
4) An article on needle-free injections, including nasal sprays, patches, and genetically-altered potatoes that protect you from cholera -- here.
5)Here's an older peice detailing the pain patches that hospitals such as BC Children's Hospital have in use for before-venipuncture. In short, the patch uses a small electric current to dispense lidocaine directly to the venipuncture area, numbing it up. It's always good to know your technology before you need it.
1)Should herbalists use lab tests in their practise? Jake Fratkin discusses.
2) The development of a painless needle -- Japanese Researchers are working on the development of a serrated needle, based on the shape of the probiscus of a mosquito. See here for more information.
3) The development of a patch to apply vaccinations instead of needles -- See here.
4) An article on needle-free injections, including nasal sprays, patches, and genetically-altered potatoes that protect you from cholera -- here.
5)Here's an older peice detailing the pain patches that hospitals such as BC Children's Hospital have in use for before-venipuncture. In short, the patch uses a small electric current to dispense lidocaine directly to the venipuncture area, numbing it up. It's always good to know your technology before you need it.
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