BA in Chemistry wanting to be MLT

I've been searching for answers and I'm so glad that I found this forum. I have a BA in Chemistry and have been working in labs for about 6 years. I don't have clinical experience but I have worked in pharma with biological samples. I wanted to take the certification test for MLT or MLS but I'm finding I'm a little short on the biology credits. I have been in discussions with my alma mater but I'm getting some dead ends. They said that I might be able to do some post-bacc programs but I'm not sure of the courseload, cost and the time commitment as I have a full time job that (unfortunately) isn't flexible on my hours and I can't just quit. Any advice from anyone (especially someone in a similar situation) would be fantatstic!

I'm located in Elwood IN.-

You won't be able to take a certification test without first completing a program. Dealing with stuff in a real hospital lab and working in the private sector are very different jobs. You need to start off with a very strong background in CLINICAL microbiology, chemistry, hematology and blood banking. This means you need to an internship at an accredited hospital before the ASCP will let you sit for an exam.

www.ascp.org/Board-of-Certification/GetCertified#tabs-1

(Navigate to Technician certification > Medical Laboratory Technician to see the official requirements for sitting for the MLT(ASCP) exam)

I have read through this site which has left me confused. I don't see how I can get experience when most places require you to get this certification. I'm not exactly in a position to quit my job and work for free for a year. Are there paid internships that pay decently?

Lisa Harting in Elwood, Indiana said: I have read through this site which has left me confused. I don't see how I can get experience when most places require you to get this certification. I'm not exactly in a position to quit my job and work for free for a year. Are there paid internships that pay decently?

Sorry but paid internships are nonexistent. You'll have to take out loans and/or quit your job.

So you want to just take a paid internship and be a pharmacist? How about a doctor?

There's a lot of very specific knowledge necessary to become an MT. A new grad needs to know how to read blood differentials, analyze urine, do microbiology, proper QC on hospital lab instruments etc. Not knowing this could put patients at risk.

You need to enroll in an entirely different academic program. The program requires you to take classes and enroll in a hospital internship. This can be hospital based or university based but its really the same. And most good hospitals will require you to pass the ASCP afterwards (some of the better paying states even require it as a condition of employment). The good news is once you do all the prereqs you can complete it in a year (mind you thats with no breaks) and get right to work. There's probably more job openings available to MTs in south dakota than chemists however, and probably better paying as well.

May also want to look into pathologist assistant programs if you like lab work. Much more expensive schooling but better paying as well.