So you want to be a Medical Laboratory Technologist --Schools

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.