Atlantic Cape Partners with Mercer County Community College on MLT Program

Students interested in pursuing a career in medical laboratory technology can now do so through a cooperative program between Atlantic Cape Community College and Mercer County Community College.

The Medical Laboratory Technology Program (MLT) is designed to prepare students for a career as a medical laboratory technician. Medical laboratory professionals perform laboratory analysis on body fluid samples, which provide physicians with data and information used in the assessment of a patient's health status. They work in all the departments of the clinical laboratory including the areas of clinical chemistry, hematology, blood bank transfusion services, immunology and microbiology using the principles of chemistry, physiology, cell and molecular biology.

Myrna Morales Keklak, division chairperson of nursing and allied health programs at Atlantic Cape, said, “The Atlantic Cape Community College and Mercer County Community College Medical Laboratory Technician cooperative program provides an opportunity for residents of Atlantic and Cape May counties to complete the MLT degree and secure national certification. MLTs are medical laboratory professionals who are being highly sought out for employment by all the hospital and medical laboratories within Atlantic and Cape May counties.” 

This NACCLS accredited program of study is offered in two phases. The pre-professional phase, first year of study, includes courses in general education, mathematics and sciences offered here at Atlantic Cape. The second phase or the Professional Phase, which includes the clinical experiences, is conducted at Mercer County Community College and laboratories located in Mercer, Atlantic and Cape May counties. Upon completion of the pre-requisite courses at Atlantic Cape, students apply to Mercer County Community College for admittance to the professional phase of the program. Acceptance to the professional phase of the program is competitive and requires a special application for admission. To be considered for admission, all Atlantic Cape courses must be completed by the end of the spring semester for admission. A minimum of a 2.5 GPA is required for admission.

The professional phase of the program begins each year at the end of May, is 14 months in duration, and is scheduled as full-time daytime classes with a structured progression of courses in the curriculum.

For more information, visit Mercer County Community College's website.