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Medical Technologist Degree

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: March, 5 2010

Is a medical technology degree is required for a job in this field?

A four-year bachelor’s degree in medical technology or another related science field, along with passing a national certification exam administered by American Society of Clinical Pathologists, is required to work as a medical technologist. In order to pass the medical technologist certification exam, it helps to have completed a degree specific to medical technology.

Are internships required to graduate from a medical technology program?

Each school and medical technology program has different requirements in terms of internships, however almost all programs require some type of internship or practical experience in order to graduate. Some programs require just one semester, and others require a full year of clinical rotations. There are even programs that allow students to take classes online their final semester so they have the ability to relocate. Oftentimes, especially due to the shortage of medical technologists, students are hired at the lab or hospital they complete their clinical rotation at.

What types of medical technologist schools are available?

Typically a degree in medical technology can be earned from a larger four-year university. There are some online programs for this field as well.

What types of courses are included in a medical technology degree program? Each medical technology bachelor’s degree will differ in the courses required to graduate, but there are some main courses all programs include. Examples of classes typically in a medical technology program include:

• Human anatomy and physiology – the study of the body, its processes, and how everything works together
• Mathematics, including statistics
• Microbiology – the study of organisms and bacteria
• Lab Management
• Chemistry –this class usually pertains to more of the clinical level of chemistry such as how your body produces chemicals and uses byproducts.
• Coagulation –pertains to the process your blood goes through in order to clot, and how to determine different types of deficiencies
• Disease Processes – the processes of disease and how medications can affect those processes
• Hematology – the study of red and white blood cells and what is present in these cells during disease states and illnesses