Medical Laboratory Technology

Behind every lab result, a trained medical laboratory technician has prepared, examined, and analyzed the sample. Their expertise in biology and chemistry (and behind-the-scenes investigative skills) supports physicians in making diagnoses that help patients receive better treatment. No day is ever the same, but they can count on advancing research and impacting lives.

Oakton’s curriculum blends theoretical knowledge and practical experience. A large part of your learning will take place in assigned clinical laboratories. This position is found in various settings, including hospitals, clinics, physicians' offices, and laboratories. Between the classroom and practicum, you will be ready to sit for the national certification exam.

You will learn from technicians who bring years of experience to the classroom and know exactly what you need to know to succeed on the job.

This is a limited enrollment health care program. For additional information, contact a health career specialist at healthcareeradvising@oakton.edu.

Degrees and Certificates

Oakton offers an associate in applied science (A.A.S.) in medical laboratory technology for students who wish to start a career in clinical laboratory science. Students who complete this program are eligible to take the MLT certification examination administered by the Board of Certification of the American Society for Clinical Pathology. Oakton offers certificate programs in Phlebotomy and Pharmacy Technician. Courses in these certificates fall under the Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) Department.

The goal of the Medical Laboratory Technology curriculum is to provide a broad science background and courses in both theoretical and practical aspects of clinical laboratory science. Medical laboratory technicians work to determine the presence, extent or absence of disease and provide data needed to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment in hospitals, clinics, physicians’ offices and commercial laboratories.

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The goal of the Phlebotomy Certificate program is to train individuals to perform phlebotomy procedures, the collection of blood for diagnostic testing. The curriculum at Oakton is in compliance with standardized educational curricula and accepted routes for national certification, in preparation for qualification by national and state agencies. This certificate is of value to health care professionals, including nurses.

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The Pharmacy Technician program is designed to teach fundamentals of being a pharmacy technician for those interested in becoming pharmacy technicians, pre-pharmacy students, or those interested in completing the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Examination. Classes are taught by a Registered Pharmacist or Doctor of Pharmacy. The course covers various pharmacy practice settings, drug classes, basic physiology, drug interactions, pharmacy calculations, and daily pharmacy operations.

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What's Next?

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Take Career Assessment

Enrolling at Oakton College can save you thousands of dollars and help you earn more over the course of your career. Our tuition is among the lowest in the region, and we offer many ways to bring your costs down even more.

99 percent of Oakton students graduate without debt.

To help you get there, you can apply for a scholarship, which you don’t have to pay back. We award $12 million in scholarships annually. Financial Aid includes grants, loans, and other forms of financial assistance that can reduce your costs of attending college.

We offer payment options that give you control over how you pay. Pay all at once or spread your payments over the course of the semester.

Learn more about your options for paying for your education

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As your community college, we serve students from various backgrounds. We aim to make the application process as easy and as clear as possible for everyone.

We can help you get started on a degree or certificate. Applying to Oakton is fast and easy.

Your first step before you begin your studies is filling out an admission application and completing your enrollment process.

Get Started at Oakton
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How to Apply and More Information

The minimum qualifications are:

High school graduation or High School Equivalency certificate

High School grade point average of 2.0 or higher

One year of high school or one semester of college:

  • Algebra (completed within the last 7 years) with a minimum grade of C (Oakton-MAT 140 or equivalent)
    Math assessment test may be required.
  • Biology (completed within the last 10 years) with a minimum grade of C (Oakton-BIO 101 or equivalent)
  • Chemistry (completed within the last 7 years) with a minimum grade of C (Oakton-CHM 101 or equivalent)

Foreign high school graduates or students with foreign college credits need to send English translated copies of their transcripts to Educational Perspectives, www.edperspective.org/oakton. Students with foreign college credits should request a catalog match.

Limited Enrollment Health Career Accuplacer reading placement test, taken at Oakton’s Testing Center.
Required minimum score of 250. Results expire after three years.

Prove placement into Oakton English (EGL) 101 through Oakton accepted placement measures, or prove Oakton EGL 101 equivalent taken in college by sending an official transcript for evaluation.

 

ACT score of 21 or higher, or SAT score of 1060 or higher, or minimum of 12 credit hours from the following courses with a grade of C or better: Biology 231, 232, and Chemistry 121, 122

Cumulative college GPA of 2.0 or better

Additionally, each medical laboratory technology student must be able to perform each of the following Essential Skills. Those admitted will be required to submit a current and complete physical examination record, clear criminal background check and drug screen. Also, pass a color eye screening - color vision exam. (Applicants schedule a vision screening appointment with Oakton's Health Services Office before receiving an MLT interview invitation).

All applicants are encouraged to meet with a Health Career Specialist, healthcareeradvising@oakton.edu.

We also recommend that you view an Information Session video below prior to applying.

This is a limited enrollment program.

Application Process

  • New students should apply online. Current Oakton students should apply through their myOakton account.
  • View your Admission Checklist. Your New Student Portal includes Admission Checklist and next steps.
  • Submit admission documents, including transcripts (high school, college, AP, military) and proof of residency.
  • Complete the minimum requirements for admission.
  • Interview with program chair and/or admission committee. A completed file is required prior to an interview.

All applicants are encouraged to meet with a health career specialist, healthcareeradvising@oakton.edu.

Clinical placements require a health assessment, certain immunizations, yearly flu vaccine, substance abuse testing, criminal background check, specific skill certification (i.e., CPR) and health insurance. These requirements represent an additional cost to the student.

All Oakton College Health Career students in nursing, physical therapist assistant, medical laboratory technology, pharmacy technician, phlebotomy, health information technology, cancer registry management, and medical assistant programs must have "clear" criminal background checks and drug screens in order to participate in any and all clinical components of any health career program courses. See the career programs pages for further details.

To comply with state statutes and clinical affiliation agreements, and to provide a safe environment for students, employees, and patients cared for by students, those accepted into Oakton's health career programs will be required to complete a criminal background check and drug screening through a company contracted by the College. Health Career students will be charged a fee for this service.

Timelines for completing criminal background checks and drug screens may vary among the various programs. Deadline dates for each program will be provided by the individual department chairs at the time of a student's acceptance into a health career program.

Students without a clear criminal background check and/or clear drug screen will not be allowed to enroll in clinical practicum courses or attend clinical programs. This would further necessitate that the student withdraw from the health career program at that time.

Students who refuse a criminal background check and/or drug screen will not be considered "clear" and will not be authorized to participate in the clinical component of the health career program, necessitating withdrawal from the program at that time.

Individual results of student background checks and drug screens are considered confidential.

Determination of whether or not a student can participate in the clinical component of a particular health career program will be communicated to the respective department chairs by the Background Check/Drug Screen vendor. Students may view their personal results on the vendor's website.

Essential skills represent the non-academic ability of the applicant or the student to accomplish the essential requirements of the medical laboratory technology program. These standards are based on the essential skills of the medical laboratory technology student. They must be mastered in order to obtain credit for the educational program. Students are expected to perform satisfactorily in the following domains:

Physical

  • Identify sizes and shapes.
  • Discriminate colors or shades both macroscopically and microscopically.
  • Ability to freely maneuver around the assigned laboratory work areas and patient care settings.
  • Safely and accurately perform diagnostic laboratory procedures.
  • Lift, operate instruments, perform tests and phlebotomy procedures.

Cognitive

  • Communicate fluently in English by written and oral and/or alternate means.
  • Successfully receive and transmit information.
  • Read and follow instructions.

Emotional/Psychological

  • Accurately perform laboratory duties in a stressful environment.
  • Identify and respond to emergency and non-routine situations.

Year

Graduation Rates

ASCP (American Society of Clinical Pathology) Pass Rates

Job Placement Rates

 2024

 87%

 100%

92.3%

2023

100%

100%

100%

2022

100%

100%

100%

2021

 100%

 89%

100%

The Oakton College Medical Laboratory Technician program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Services.

Email: naaclsinfo@naacls.org

Address: NAACLS, 5600 N. River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018
Phone: 773.714.8880
Fax: 773.714.8886

Meet Your Faculty and Experts

Meet our full-time faculty

Christine Hoang
Instructor of Medical Laboratory Technology, Chair,
Medical Laboratory Technology
B.A. Long Island University
M.S. Rush University
847.376.7063
204B Lee Ctr. Des Plaines
choang@oakton.edu

Joanna Soupos
Assistant Professor of Medical Laboratory Technology, Coordinator, Medical Laboratory Technology and Phlebotomy
B.S. University of Illinois at Chicago
847.376.7113
206 Lee Ctr. Des Plaines
jsoupos@oakton.edu

Meet our part-time faculty

Kyung Jung
Lecturer
847.635.1684
100 Lee Ctr. Des Plaines
kjung@oakton.edu

Panagiota Salgado
Program Director, Lecturer
Medical Laboratory Technology
A.S. Oakton Community College
B.S. Benedictine University
M.S. Benedictine University
847.635.1862
100 Lee Ctr. Des Plaines
psalgado@oakton.edu

Maha Shahin
Lecturer
847.635.1684
100 Lee Ctr. Des Plaines
mshahin@oakton.edu

Richa Bedi
Administrative Laboratory Director
Alverno Laboratory
Amita St Francis Hospital

Merle Essex
Illinois Education Coordinator
ACL Laboratories

Sonal Gandhi
Laboratory Manager
NorthShore University Health System
Skokie Hospital, Lab Services

Barbara J. Herredia
Microbiology and Serology Manager
Quest Diagnostics

Arlene Lim
Laboratory Director
Alverno Lab at Amita
Resurrection Medical Center

Claudia Miller
Advisory Committee Co-Chair
Professor, Health Studies
National Louis University
Illinois North Shore Campus

Priyanka Patel
Education Coordinator and Clinical Instructor
NorthShore University HealthSystem- Glenbrook Medical Center


Deepika Zafar
Laboratory Director
NorthShore University HealthSystem
Highland Park Hospital


Ex-Officio Members:

May Alimboyoguen
Dean of Health Careers
Oakton College

Contact Us

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Licensure Requirements: Each state and territory has different licensure and certification requirements.  Oakton has researched and/or contacted state licensing authorities to confirm that the program meets the educational requirements leading to professional licensure.  Other licensure requirements may include professional certification exams, background checks, years of work experience, fingerprinting, etc.

Licensure information is reviewed and updated on this site in June of each year. Licensure information is reviewed and updated on this site in June of each year. As of July 1, 2020, we have determined that individuals that successfully complete Medical Laboratory Technology AAS Degree Program curriculum:


Meets the education requirements leading to licensure/certification in these states and U.S. Territories: Illinois


Does NOT meet the education requirements For licensure/certification in these states and U.S. Territories: 


We have not made a determination if the program curriculum meets the requirements for licensure/certification in these states and US Territories: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada,New Hampshire, New Jersey,New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming


If you intend to practice in any state other than Illinois, you should contact the appropriate licensing agency to independently verify whether Oakton’s program satisfies the educational requirements for licensure in a particular state before beginning Oakton’s program. Be aware that state licensure requirements may change from time-to-time and that states may have conditions for licensure in addition to educational requirements. 

This information is provided to meet the Disclosure Requirements for Academic Programs Leading to Professional Licensure or Certification.

Licensure Requirements: Each state and territory has different licensure and certification requirements.  Oakton has researched and/or contacted state licensing authorities to confirm that the program meets the educational requirements leading to professional licensure.  Other licensure requirements may include professional certification exams, background checks, years of work experience, fingerprinting, etc.

Licensure information is reviewed and updated on this site in June of each year. Licensure information is reviewed and updated on this site in June of each year. As of July 1, 2020, we have determined that individuals that successfully complete Phlebotomy Certificate Program curriculum:

Meets the education requirements leading to licensure/certification in these states and U.S. Territories: Illinois

Does NOT meet the education requirements For licensure/certification in these states and U.S. Territories: 

We have not made a determination if the program curriculum meets the requirements for licensure/certification in these states and US Territories: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada,New Hampshire, New Jersey,New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

If you intend to practice in any state other than Illinois, you should contact the appropriate licensing agency to independently verify whether Oakton’s program satisfies the educational requirements for licensure in a particular state before beginning Oakton’s program. Be aware that state licensure requirements may change from time-to-time and that states may have conditions for licensure in addition to educational requirements. 

This information is provided to meet the Disclosure Requirements for Academic Programs Leading to Professional Licensure or Certification.