The 7th & 8th graders went to Medical Technologist School at Virginia Baptist Hospital. The Instructors from the MLT school gave the students an overview of what Medical Technologists do and the important role they play in patient care. Students were also shown various bacteria and parasites that might be found after one visits a doctor. It was fascinating to learn a something about the various departments found in the hospital lab. We all left with a better understanding of how important it is to keep our hands washed.
The program at this school that trains to people to be a medical laboratory technician provides students with clinical and academic skills to prepare a person for a career as a medical laboratory technician (MLT). The program is held at Virginia Baptist Hospital, but works with both local hospitals, and the training is a cooperative effort between Centra Health Medical Group and Central Virginia Community College (CVCC). Graduates of the program will have earned an associate degree in applied science from CVCC, as well as a certificate of completion from Centra Health. At that point, the graduates are eligible to take a nationally recognized certification exam and are qualified to perform the type of highly complex laboratory procedures done at hospitals, such as our local Lynchburg General Hospital and Virginia Baptist Hospital. Not only are the graduates qualified to work in hospital laboratories, but they may also work in private laboratories, health department laboratories, physicians’ office laboratories, and industrial medical laboratories.
