Medical Laboratory Technology

The coursework in general education, life sciences, and specific medical laboratory sciences is supplemented by actual clinical experience in a medical laboratory. Upon completion of the MLT Program you will receive an Associate in Applied Science degree and will be eligible to take national certification examinations. This is a recommended degree for students who intend to use it as a bridge to other medical careers or pathways.

Associate in Applied Science
Medical Laboratory Technology (68 hours - degree guide)

Find information below on the MLT program's additional costs per class. * Please note: all costs are subject to change.

Refer to the Registration and Enrollment section of the website for current information on Barton's Cost per Credit Hour.

The total cost of books, lab manuals and supplies are estimated to be $1500, including the student owned Castlebranch account.

You are required to have certain immunizations. The cost of these can vary considerably. You can usually get these economically at your local county health department. Immunizations that are currently required are TD/DPT, polio, MMR, flu, and HBV; a TB skin test is also required.

You are required to document training in adult CPR. If you do not have a current card, you are responsible for making the arrangements to obtain this training. Fire departments, county health departments, recreation commissions and continuing education providers are sources for this training. The cost of this training can vary considerably, but is usually from $5 to $45.

The cost of food and lodging and transportation will vary considerably depending upon your place of residence.

Be aware of costs associated with the clinical internships, such as travel expenses. If you work, consider your "lost income" while you are gone from your workplace.

If you are an online student, consider the travel and possible "lost income" expenses associated with your commitments to the cooperating laboratory.

Upon completion of the Barton MLT Program you will take one or more certification examinations. At the time of compilation of information for this document, the additional cost of MLT (ASCP) certification examination is $215.

* Please note: additional MLT costs are used to defray the cost of a number of items, including but not limited to liability insurance, name tags, laboratory supplies and technology for delivery of the course materials. The liability insurance is obtained through a group policy and more information is available upon request.

You must visit with your Barton MLT Advisor before each semester's enrollment. 

You must be able to manage the financial impact. Obvious costs include the tuition, regular fees, special technology fees and textbooks for the courses. You can see textbook list, ISBN and cost on the webpage. But you must also plan for the financial impact presented by your commitments to your cooperating lab, and your commitments to your assigned clinical affiliate for the clinical internships. Expect travel expenses, and consider the "lost income" while you are gone from your workplace.

You must identify and solicit the support of a cooperating laboratory. Your cooperating laboratory must agree to provide learning experiences that "mirror" those provided by our on-campus laboratory. The cooperating laboratory must be approved by the course instructor or the program director. If your primary cooperating laboratory does not have sufficient volume and variety of testing in certain areas (e.g. microbiology), you will need to have a second cooperating laboratory.

You must make arrangements and plans to complete the required clinical practica (internships). These internships must be in a laboratory that has a formal clinical affiliation with Barton's MLT Program. Three months BEFORE you plan on your clinical practicum, contact the MLT program director to see if a current Clinical Affiliation Agreement with the facility that is offering to support you. Clinical Practicum I (Approx. 122 hours) is a commitment, usually done during the summer following the successful completion of Heme/Coag, Immunology and UA/Body Fluids. Clinical Practicum II (Approx. 240 hours) is a commitment, usually done during the summer following the successful completion of Clinical Chem, Pathogenic Micro and Immunohematology. Will your employer allow you sufficient leave time?

You must have a manageable balance of employment, classes and family commitments. You must be able to budget sufficient time to study and complete assignments and exams. If you must work full-time, consider a lighter course load and extend the MLT Program over more than two years.

You will be required to have an online video proctor provided by the MLT Program to monitor you while you are taking your online exams.

You must make arrangements and plans to take the necessary general education courses. You must complete your general education courses with a C or better and be Phlebotomy National Certified eligible. Resources for the general education courses include your local community college or university, distance learning departments or colleges or universities (e.g. FHSU, KSU, and KU), and consortia (e.g. EduKan.edu or Western Governor's University)

You must have appropriate personal management attributes. Do you stay on course-related tasks without direct supervision? Can you prioritize your own study workload? Can you follow direction? Are you planning to allocate as much time in your schedule for your online courses as you would for a more "traditional" classroom course? Are you good at assessing your own progress?

You must have basic computer skills. Are your keyboarding (typing) skills good? Do you know how to install software? Can you create, save and manage files on your computer? Do you know how to send and receive e-mail? If you need to upgrade your computer skills, check for classes at your local Internet provider or library or community college or university.

You must have reliable access to a computer that is capable of running the necessary software and accessing e-mail and the World Wide Web. It is by far the best to have your own computer. If that is not possible, the computer you plan to use must be available to you on a frequent and convenient basis, outside of your workplace. It must have webcam capability and be able to download and use software needed for the online program and proctoring.

You must have reliable Internet access. The Internet service provider should have a "good track record."

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, the number of medical laboratory technicians in the U.S. is expected to increase by 30 percent from 2012 to 2022. In contrast, the number of jobs in all other industries is expected to increase by only 11 percent during the same time frame. While many lab techs work in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and other medical facilities, job opportunities are also available in other industries. Possibilities include medical research laboratories, blood banks, universities, and manufacturers of pharmaceutical and medicinal products. 

Barton Community College Medical Laboratory Technology is offered as an online program, however cooperative/clinical lab hours and English language skills are required to complete the program.  For this reason, international students who wish to enroll in the program must meet certain requirements for both Barton Community College and the MLT program.  

Barton Community College International student information can be found on the International student information webpage. Please complete the International Student Checklist found on that page.  

An international student is defined by meeting the following criteria: Enters or is in the US specifically for the purpose of study. Does not have US citizenship or legal permanent resident status but is currently in the US on a non-immigrant visa (F-1, J-1, etc.). Does not hold permanent resident status. 

Transcripts 

Barton Community College MLT program requires applicants to submit official foreign transcripts to an approved foreign transcript evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report. Evaluation does not guarantee acceptance of transferred credits.   

TOEFL Scores

A score of high-intermediate must be obtained on all sections of the TOEFL iBT test. This is to ensure students can understand the complex medical content contained in the MLT courses.  

Reading   High-Intermediate (18-23)
Listening High-Intermediate (17-21)
Speaking High-Intermediate (20-24)
Writing    High-Intermediate (17-23)