October 23, 2023
Julia Clark, a Waverly native, found her career inspiration at Shawnee State University as a student in the Medical Laboratory Technology degree program.
“My mom and sister came to Shawnee and were both in the respiratory therapy program,” she said. “I knew that program wasn’t for me but after shadowing Med Lab Techs, I became super interested in blood-borne pathogens. I looked into the Med Lab program and knew that it was the one for me.”
SSU’s Medical Laboratory Technology program is a five-semester program that prepares students for a career as a Medical Laboratory Technician. Focused on cognitive thinking skills, proficiency in laboratory skills, and best laboratory practices, this program sets students up to be well-educated, proficient, and prepared employees.
“I have only been in the program this semester, but I am really enjoying it,” Clark said. “We have already started learning about blood-borne pathogens which is what piqued my interest in the program in the first place.”
Clark, as a sophomore, is also obtaining a Biomedical Science degree in the Natural Sciences Department at SSU. Upon graduation she hopes to study blood-borne pathogens such as HIV and hepatitis to make a difference in the world with the skills she’s gaining in her classes.
Medical Laboratory Technicians are trained to work in a variety of clinical settings and their training prepares them to impact patient lives from day one on the job. MLTs work as the science and chemistry behind patient blood work and laboratory testing to allow practitioners to make diagnoses, make therapeutic decisions, and to monitor patient health and wellness.
To learn more about the Medical Laboratory Technology program at Shawnee State University, visit shawnee.edu/mlt.