"I
had no idea there were
so many cells in our body
until I got into medical
laboratory technology,"
said SCC student Fatima
Ammons as she draws a
blood sample from SCC
network systems manager
Jason Rogers during the
college's recent MLT recognition
day. SCC's MLT program
was approved for accreditation
by the National Accrediting
Agency for Clinical Laboratory
Sciences. |
Southwestern Community College's
Medical Laboratory Technology
program has been awarded Continuing
Accreditation for the maximum
of seven years by the National
Accrediting Agency for Clinical
Laboratory Sciences.
"This accreditation was
particularly meaningful since
this is the first time the program
has gone through accreditation
since it migrated to an online
delivery system," said
program director Andrea Kennedy.
SCC's program is one of the
first MLT programs based on
the on-line learning format
that has been approved for accreditation.
While some other programs
now offer MLT online, most
still require on-campus visits
which SCC does not, Kennedy
pointed out. Students can
complete the "hands-on"
portion at a clinical lab
in their geographical area.
The accreditation is based
on 22 standards developed
through a process that requires
the input and review of peer
groups, sponsoring and participating
organizations, affiliating
organizations and other interested
professional groups.
"The timing on this
is really good," said
Kennedy, "since we just
recognized and celebrated
National Medical Laboratory
Professionals week. It brings
more awareness to our program
and the critical role laboratory
professionals play as members
of the health care team. Most
of them are behind the scenes
in the laboratories of doctors'
offices, medical facilities
and hospitals."
"If you don't get a
good specimen or it isn't
properly collected, you can
have inconclusive results,"
said Sarah Hanson of Franklin,
who is in SCC's MLT program.
"The general population
doesn't realize all the things
you do in a lab and all the
training it takes."
"I had no idea there
were so many cells in our
body until I got into MLT,"
said student Fatima Ammons
of Waynesville. "Our
body is simply amazing and
it's wondrous how it all works
together." While her
background is in business
and finance, Ammons realized
with all the downsizing in
that area that the medical
field "will be around
for a long time."
Fellow student Danny Pinder
of Franklin agreed. "A
year ago I was working at
Fruit of the Loom. All the
manufacturing jobs seem to
be going to China and I decided
at 50 years old I needed to
get into something that wouldn't
go overseas. That's why I
chose this medical field."
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