LAB – Lab Technician

This course is designed to expose the student to basic skills and techniques used in the clinical laboratory. Topics to include lab safety, lab units of measurement and calculations, preparation of solutions, care and use of lab equipment, pipetting and concepts of quality control.

Course is structured to expose the student to the analysis of urine by macroscopic, chemical, and microscopic techniques to determine the presence of soluble, insoluble substances and their relationship to disease. The class uses urine specimens, prepared slides, and case histories. Course introduces topics of information, composition, and function of synovial, cerebrospinal, serous, amniotic, and seminal fluids. Course will describe the methods used in the routine analysis of these fluids, along with correlation of results with normal and disease states.

This course covers basic hematological procedures. Topics include automated and manual blood cell counting techniques, red cell indices and morphology, reticulocyte counts, total eosinophil counts, platelet counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rates, normal white blood cell differentials and abnormal white blood cell differentials by using unknown blood samples, prepared abnormal slides, and case histories. Course will introduce the basic principles of hemostasis (coagulation) and the tests used to screen for disorders of hemostasis.

An introduction to the principles and procedures of various tests performed on Clinical Chemistry. Presents the physiological basis for the test, the principal and procedure for the test, and the clinical significance of the test results, including quality control and normal values. Also includes basic chemical laboratory technique, chemical laboratory safety, electrolytes and acid-base balance proteins.

The course introduces the immune system and the concepts of the immunologic response in health and in disease, as well as how serologic techniques are used in the clinical laboratory testing. Topics include the cells and components involved in the immune response, which will include the immunoglobulins and complement system. Abnormal immune responses such hypersensitivity and autoimmunity and their clinical significance will be discussed. Common serologic techniques which utilize antigen-antibody reactions for diagnostic testing are presented. The laboratory activities will include dilutions, agglutination, and other antigen-antibody serologic techniques.

This course introduces the concepts of basic genetics of red cell antigens. The student will study the significance of the blood cell antigens and antibodies. The course includes ABO and Rh typing, crossmatching procedures, antibody detection and identification. A study of hemolytic disease of the newborn, its treatment and detection are included. Other topics in the course are composition and use of the specific blood components and overview of donor requirements.

Students are assigned to an affiliated laboratory and can perform clinical laboratory testing using modern equipment, under the supervision of a practicing laboratorian. Experiences include operating and maintaining sophisticated laboratory analyzers, evaluation of test results, refining dexterity skills, interaction with the professional laboratory staff.

This course reviews medical laboratory professionalism, diversity, successful employment, and current laboratory trends. Students will write resumes and attend mock interviews in order to demonstrate competency as an entry-level Laboratory Technician.