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| Dale Hall (right), clinical coordinator of SCC’s Medical Laboratory Technology program, shows student Crystal Thomas of Franklin one of the new testing instruments that was given to SCC by Andrews Internal Medicine. |
Andrews Internal Medicine recently donated three testing instruments to the Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) program at Southwestern Community College.
Dale Hall, clinical coordinator of the MLT program, worked closely with Brett Woods, director of the SCC Foundation, and Andrews Internal Medicine to secure the donation. Hall said that the new purchase cost for this equipment would exceed $120,000.
“We appreciate the efforts of all our clinical sites that work with our program, but this type of donation allows the program to take our students to a new level of understanding about instrumentation and its operation,” said Hall. “Having the analyzer equipment on campus allows integration of theory and operation. This means the students will be at a higher level as they move into clinical which in turn translates in a higher performance level for our graduates.”
The equipment was received prior to the start of the spring semester, so Hall is already putting it to use in class.
“Gifts like this one are game-changers for our students,” said Brett Woods, director of the SCC Foundation. “Just a few weeks ago, this same equipment was being used by professionals in the workplace at Andrews Internal Medicine. Now our students are able to learn on exactly the type of testing instruments they’ll use when they graduate.
“My hope is that other agencies and businesses will also consider making similar donations whenever they have surplus inventory of cutting-edge equipment like this,” Woods added.
The analyzers allow testing for many common needs of medical patients.
The various testing that can be performed include white and red cells counts for hematology studies, calcium, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides and potassium in routine blood chemistry studies. The student lab will now have all of the capabilities of any moderately complex testing laboratory.
"Our practice is pleased to make this donation, which will hopefully assist Southwestern Community College in providing leading edge technology to the students of the Medical Laboratory Technology program,” said Pam Rose, office manager for Andrews Internal Medicine. “It’s an outstanding program that benefits students and our medical community as a whole."
The MLT program starts a new cohort each August. It is a two-year program in which much of the study can be accomplished on-line. It is fully accredited and is eligible for Federal financial aid for those who qualify. Application deadline for the fall semester is January 31.
For more information contact Andrea Kennedy, MLT program coordinator, at (828) 339-4312.
