Click Here for Clinical Laboratory Technician Requirement Checklist (PDF)
NOTE: The Nicolet College Admission Office accepts applications for the Clinical Laboratory Technician program for one week each year, in February. The next time Nicolet will be accepting applications for this program is February 2-6, 2009.
1) Complete Application.
2) Submit $30 application fee to Nicolet Area Technical College.
3) Submit official copy of high school transcript or high school equivalency (HSED) to Nicolet.
4) Submit official copy of any college transcripts to Nicolet.
5) Complete college entrance testing or have ACT within the past two years with the following scores:
|
Accuplacer |
ACT |
|
Reading 89 |
Reading 19 |
*Any student not meeting the above scores will be required to remediate through Basic Education or by taking Prep classes. This will be determined by your academic advisor.
*Testing may be waived for students who have completed 12 or more college credits (maintaining a GPA of 2.0) within the past 5 years or for students with an advanced degree. Please talk with your advisor regarding this.
Testing for the Accuplacer is available Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 1:30pm. There is no cost associated with this test. Testing is located in the Art Tech building (first building on the left), second floor. If you have more questions related to testing, please contact Lori Vance, at 365-4448.
6) Meet with an admission counselor for an admission interview.
Once you have completed steps 1-6, you may make an appointment to meet with your academic advisor, by calling 365-4493.
1) Chemistry - two semesters of high school chemistry with a grade of "C" or better or college equivalent (Survey of Chemistry).
2) Biology - two semesters of high school biology or one semester college equivalent.
3) All students are expected to have entry-level computer skills or complete computer literacy course.
4) Current Health Care provider level CPR.
5) Complete Background Information Disclosure form.7) Acceptable Wisconsin Criminal Caregiver Background Check (http://wi-recordcheck.org).
6) Complete Job Shadow experience at local health care facility
What does a Clinical Laboratory Technician (CLT) do?
Clinical laboratory testing plays a crucial role in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Clinical laboratory technicians examine and analyze body fluids, tissues and cells by performing a variety of tests on the tissues, cells and fluids. They use a variety of instruments and tools to perform these tests, including microscopes, automated equipment, cell counters, and other equipment. The clinical laboratory technician usually works under the supervision of medical and clinical laboratory technologists or lab managers.
Do you have what it takes to be a Clinical Laboratory Technician (CLT)?
Clinical laboratory technicians are trained to work with infectious specimens. Few hazards exist when properly trained in infection control and sterilization. Protective masks, gloves and gowns are often worn to ensure the safety of laboratory personnel. You should expect to work with all types of body fluids (blood, stool, sputum, etc)
Laboratory workers spend most of their time on their feet - standing. Laboratories are typically well lighted and clean; however, specimens, solutions and reagents used in the lab may produce fumes. Clinical laboratory technicians typically work day shift, evening shift and night shift in larger hospitals or independent laboratories, with evening and weekend call.
What is the Clinical Laboratory Technician (CLT) like at Nicolet?
Nicolet will accept two students into the program every fall semester. Nicolet Area Technical College (NATC) offers its Clinical Laboratory Technician (CLT) program in cooperation with NorthCentral Technical College (NTC). As a student in the CLT program you will take all general education courses at Nicolet College (either online or face to face instruction). All core program courses, excluding clinical courses, are taken at NTC. Students are expected to travel to NTC for all class/laboratory core classes. Travel to NTC for the first and second semester of the program will be 3 days/week. Travel to NTC the third semester of the program will be 4days/week. No travel to NTC fourth semester as students are in clinical. Clinical experience will be completed within the Nicolet district at an area healthcare facility. Students should expect to travel to various clinical sites within the Nicolet district for the clinical competencies of this program.
What about after graduation?
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates of NTCs Clinical Laboratory Technician program are qualified to sit for the Board of Registry examination from the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, as well as the credentialing examination of the National Certification Agency for Laboratory Personnel. More information regarding the Registry exam is provided in core courses of the CLT program.
What about furthering my education?
Students may choose to articulate their Associate Degree from NTC as a CLT to The University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, for a Bachelor of Science Degree as a Clinical Lab Technologist. Students may apply to UWSP and enter in as a junior status student. All application requirements, policies and procedures of UWSP must be met.
Online options for Bachelor of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Technologist are also available. Check out University of Cincinnati for more information.
Are there jobs available?
The majority of Clinical Laboratory Technicians work in hospital or clinic labs. Some clinical laboratory technicians may choose to work for veterinary laboratories, industrial labs, insurance companies, research facilities, environmental labs or public health.
Employment of clinical laboratory technicians is expected to grow 14% from 2006-2016, faster than the average of all occupations. The volume of laboratory tests continues to increase with both population growth and the development of new types of tests.
Job opportunities are expected to be excellent because the number of job openings is expected to continue to exceed the number of job seekers.
According to the American Society for Clinical Pathology, median hourly wages of staff clinical laboratory technologists and technicians in 2006 various specialties and laboratory types were:
|
Specialty |
Hospital |
Private Clinic |
Physician Office |
|
Phlebotomist |
$11.70 |
$12.15 |
$11.25 |
|
Clinical Lab Technician |
$17.41 |
$16.94 |
$16.63 |