Medical Laboratory Assistant at Red Deer Polytechnic

The Accredited Medical Laboratory Assistant program is designed to produce health care professionals who have the basic technical and theoretical skills to work in heathcare laboratories. Their duties consist mainly of sample collection, specimen processing and various clinical laboratory procedures. Graduates will attain all the specified MLA competencies that are outlined by the Canadian Society of Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS).  They will be eligible to write the CSMLS MLA exam and obtain national certification. 

The program is completed over 29 weeks and includes classroom and laboratory study on campus and a 7 week practicum off campus for clinical laboratory training. Students are trained to collect, process, and prepare patient specimens, enter data, perform clerical and reception services, perform electrocardiograms and urinalysis, and carry out basic laboratory procedures. During practicum experience, students will address a selection of competencies in simulation labs.