Answers to Your Questions 

The following questions represent some of the most frequently asked questions about the medical technology/clinical laboratory science programs. The questions and answers are divided into different sections: 

Admissions
Licensing and Certification for the Profession
Courses and Attendance
Employment

What are my chances of being admitted into the on-campus program? What about the off-campus/distance program?
The programs are fairly competitive, favoring those students with higher GPAs. An interview is also required and may be a determining factor in your admission process. Each year is different, however. We may receive many applicants one year and few applicants another year. The only sure way to determine your chances are to apply...and apply early. 

A two year off-campus/distance program for certified MLTs who want a BS degree is available for approximately 10 students at a time. We do accept more students into our 2+2 BSMT Distance program.

When is the cutoff date for applications?
Applications are accepted until the classes are full.  However for the best chances of acceptance 4 + 1 program applications should be in by February 1 (classes starting Summer semester) and 2 + 2 applications by March 1 (classes starting Fall semester) 

What is the minimum SAT, GPA?
SAT: No longer required.

GPA: 2.5 Math/Science; minimum 2.5 overall for the 2 year program.  2.75 for the 4+1 program.

"D" and "F" grades are NOT accepted for transfer credit. 

What is required for international students?
Foreign transcripts must be evaluated by an agency in the United States.  The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) must be taken by applicants whose first language is not English.  The minimum acceptable score is 600.  Prerequisites must be completed prior to admission. 

What if I have a transcript or degree from a non-U.S. college or university?
Your transcript must be evaluated by a professional agency in the U.S. prior to admission. 

Can I attend the program part-time?
Part-time attendance is discouraged but applicants may request special consideration in writing.  Preference is given to full-time students for placement in clinical settings. 

Can I take just one or two courses without being enrolled as a student in the program?
You may take some didactic courses as a special student, but this applies primarily to lecture courses, as laboratory and clinical space may be limited. Fully enrolled students receive preference for placement in student laboratories and at clinical sites. 

What about exemptions for coursework if I already work as a laboratory technician or have laboratory experience?
Up to 30 semester hours may be awarded as experiential credit for certified MLTs. Each applicant must be evaluated individually on a case-by-case basis. 

Can I be accepted into the last year of study in your program if I already have some coursework from another Medical Technology/Clinical Laboratory Science program and just need my clinical internship?
We are not accredited for this type of program, which in reality is a 3 + 1 program.  You might be able to exempt some of the junior level courses on transfer, but you would have to apply to the two year program.  If you obtain a BS degree you would be eligible for the 4+1 program.   Internship spaces are limited and preference is given to those students already enrolled in our regular programs. 

What graduate programs are available?
Our department offers both the MHE (Masters in Health Education) and the MS (Masters of Science) degree. The MHE program offers an emphasis in education and teaching in the laboratory profession and requires a project. The MS program has a research emphasis and requires a thesis. 

What are the admission requirements for graduate programs?
Our Masters programs require a GRE score of 1000, baccalaureate degree, TOEFL of 550 for all international students from non-English speaking countries, and professional credentials (or eligibility) in any allied health related discipline. Grade point average (GPA), letters of recommendation, and interview are also considered in admissions decisions. International transcripts must be evaluated by a U.S. professional evaluation agency prior to application. 

When should I apply for admission to graduate programs?
You may apply any semester, but for best chance of acceptance, application should be made by June 1st. Classes begin Fall semester, mid-August. 

Licensing and Certification for the Profession

Do I have to take a licensing exam after I graduate?
National certification exams are given by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP), the National Certification Agency (NCA) and several other professional organizations. States vary as to licensing exams, with California, Tennessee, and Florida requiring state exams. The states of Nevada, Hawaii, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Montana, Louisiana, and the island of Puerto Rico require licensing based upon national certification, but do not have a state exam. 

Certification is not required in other states, but strongly suggested because most individual employers will require that their laboratory employees have certification. 

What's on the national exams?
National certification exams are comprehensive and have basic knowledge recall, computation, and problem solving questions in all five major areas: blood banking, chemistry, hematology, immunology, microbiology as well as laboratory practice and management. 

Do all your students pass the national exams?
80% - 100% of our students pass national exams yearly. 

Courses and Attendance

Where do I take my courses?
On campus,  students take most didactic and laboratory courses in the Shepeard Building. The LAST 20 weeks are spent in clinical settings: hospital affiliates found throughout the southeast. 

Off-campus/distance students will take didactic courses by electronic interactive audio/video systems, satellite systems, and/or computer and e-mail systems. Their clinical training will also take place at our hospital affiliates. 

What degree do I receive at the end of my studies?
All students may receive the B.S. in Medical Technology from the Medical College of Georgia. 4 + 1 students may choose to receive a certificate instead of a second B.S. degree. A decision to select the certificate instead of the degree makes no difference in qualification for national exams or for employment opportunities. 

Employment

Will I get a job after graduation?
Healthcare is undergoing massive changes and upheavals at the present time and no one can project what will happen in the future. The members of our last graduating class were employed within a month of graduation. 

What kinds of jobs am I qualified for after graduation?
You can work in hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices, research laboratories, reference laboratories, manufacturing and industry, veterinary clinics, forensic serology laboratories, private pathology laboratories, public health clinics. 

What kind of job security will I have?
No one can say for certain, but your education gives you a broad base for employment in a variety of settings and prepares you for further education in Masters or Doctoral programs in science, medicine, education, management, law, or business. Your degree is very versatile and allows you wide flexibility in career choices.  A variety of career choices will continue to be available to qualified individuals.