Over the last few years, the number of medical laboratory technicians in Canada has decreased sharply. Given the rise in requirements of medical laboratory employers, the need for medical lab technicians is high. Accordingly, medical laboratory technician programs are becoming increasingly popular. Centennial College’s Medical Laboratory Technician program exposes students to the exciting and rewarding world of the medical laboratory. The medical lab offers a unique combination of technical employment and the satisfaction of working with a diverse client population, and graduates are fully prepared to meet the rising need for qualified medical lab technicians in Canada.
With the role of the medical lab technician expanding, there are numerous opportunities for full- and part-time employment in both clinics and hospital laboratories. In addition, career opportunities exist in government, research and veterinary laboratories. Centennial’s medical laboratory technician courses cover theoretical and practical portions which are completed within a year. The compressed delivery format makes this program an ideal choice for students who wish to quickly enter the workforce.
Centennial’s laboratories are well-equipped and faculty members have experience in clinical laboratories and hospitals. Students gain experience in a real work environment during a clinical internship that takes place in the third and final semester. Graduates of the program have eligibility for certification as Medical Laboratory Assistants/ Technicians (MLA/ T) with the Ontario Society of Medical Laboratory Technologists and the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science. Centennial’s graduates are prepared to work in areas such as phlebotomy, performing ECGs and holter monitoring
specimen processing, assisting in clinical or veterinary labs, physicians' offices, private and public health labs, research labs and diagnostic supply companies. The program prepares them for the rising need for technicians in Canada and employment openings and vacancies can expect to be filled by them over the coming years.