Medical Laboratory Technology - Southwestern Illinois College

Overview Of The Medical Laboratory Technology Program

Applications for Fall 2024 are accepted Sept. 1, 2023 – May 1, 2024.

Students must apply and be formally accepted into the Medical Laboratory Technology program prior to enrolling in any MLT program courses.

Requirements to apply:

  – Online application is available in your eSTORM Student Center

 – Online Application Procedures

    1. Log in to eSTORM
    2.  Click the tile that says “Program Applications”
    3.  From the drop-down bar, select the program you wish to apply for. Active and upcoming applications will be listed after clicking the appropriate program.
    4. Select “Apply Now” for the cohort you wish to apply for.
    5. Complete the application by following the steps as indicated
    6. Click “Submit”

 – Steps to Apply

 – Download the MLT Planning Guide for Application Requirements

Program Capacity

Belleville Campus

The MLT program generally accepts 14 students each fall semester at the Belleville Campus.

Program Location

The Medical Laboratory Technology program consists of general education courses, MLT prefix courses and assigned clinical courses. Specific locations depend on the course type.

General Education Courses

The required general education courses can be taken at the Belleville, Sam Wolf Granite City or Red Bud campuses or online.

Medical Laboratory Technology Courses

The MLT program courses are only offered at the Belleville Campus during the day.

Clinical Experience Courses

Clinical experiences are completed at hospitals and clinical facilities throughout the district and in the St. Louis area. Students are assigned two nine-week clinical experience/practicums in the second year of the program. Students may be required to travel outside the college district for clinical experience courses. Background checks and/or drug testing may be required prior to clinical experiences. Specific clinical placement cannot be guaranteed.

Program Cost

Medical Laboratory Technology Degree program

For details, see the MLT cost sheet

Financial Assistance is available!

SWIC Financial Aid Office

Financial aid is available subject to financial need and satisfactory academic progress requirements set by the college.

The student work program does not require financial aid eligibility.

SWIC Foundation

The SWIC Foundation offers more than 200 scholarships based on residency, enrollment and GPA criteria.

Time Commitment

MLT courses are only offered during the day. The program can be completed in four semesters and two summers.

First-Year Students

(Course schedule is primarily general education courses during the first year.)

Summer Semester:

MATH 112

Fall Semester:

Two days per week

Spring Semester:

Two days per week

Second-Year Students

Summer Semester:

MLT classes are three days a week, 8 a.m. to noon

Fall Semester:

First eight weeks of MLT classes are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Second nine weeks – 40 hours/week clinical experience

Spring Semester:

First eight weeks of MLT classes are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Second nine weeks – Combination of clinical experience and on campus simulation lab. Five days a week with either hour days at clinical or mornings for campus simulation lab.

Program Accreditation

NAACLS Accreditation

The SWIC Medical Laboratory Technology program is accredited by:

The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences

5600 N River Road, Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018
772-714-8880

Verification of accreditation can be viewed at the NAACLS website.

Accreditation Benefits

The program’s curriculum is guided by the standards developed by the NAACLS. Our accreditation status means that SWIC has met the NAACLS’s required standards and assures the public that our curriculum will graduate competent clinicians. SWIC’s MLT program has received the maximum seven year accreditation status since the program’s inception. It also allows SWIC MLT graduates to take the National Board of Certification exam, which most employers require.

MLT Outcomes

View the Medical Laboratory Technology program’s student outcomes summary data below.

Certification Requirements

National Certification Exam

Upon successful completion of the MLT curriculum, graduates are awarded an Associate in Applied Science degree in Medical Laboratory Technology and are eligible to take a national certification examination. The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and the American Medical Technologist (AMT) both offer national certification testing, which earns technicians the title of Certified Medical Laboratory Technician.

Employment Requirements

Regulations vary from state to state, but certification is highly recommended because many employers require it within one year after graduation.

Certification Pass Rate

The SWIC graduate certification pass rate average over the past three years is 100 percent.

MLT handbook

The MLT Handbook is available to review by perspective students and anyone else interested.

Get Started

For more information, please fill out the form on the contact page.

CONTACT THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Dianne Iberg
Dianne.iberg@swic.edu
618-222-5386