Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College (SKYCTC) will offer the Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree beginning in 2023.
 
Medical Laboratory Technicians perform lab tests that help medical professionals diagnose and treat diseases. Students in the MLT program at SKYCTC will learn how to collect and analyze blood and body fluidsand other necessary skills to work in a clinical laboratory, hospital, or other health agency. Graduates of the program will receive an associate of applied science degree.
 
“We are pleased to add the Medical Laboratory Technician program to the College’s Allied Health & Nursing division,” said Dr. Angie Harlan, Dean of Allied Health and Nursing at SKYCTC. “SKYCTC strives to provide an affordable and flexible college education that prepares students for high-demand careers in our region. Like most careers in the healthcare sector, the demand for skilled medical laboratory technicians continues to grow locally and nationally. Graduates of our program will be well-positioned to begin careers in our local hospitals, outpatient clinics, and laboratories.”
 
MLT careers are on the rise in Kentucky. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that positions for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, a similar job title to medical laboratory technicians, are expected to grow 7% between 2021 and 2031 (BLS, 2022). At this rate, 21,800 new openings will open in this field nationally. By comparison, this predicted growth rate is faster than the average across all occupations during that same decade (5%). Specific to Kentucky, growth in this field is projected to increase by 3% from 2022-2026. The average salary for an MLT in Kentucky is $42,259.
 
The Medical Laboratory Technician program at SKYCTC will seek accreditation by the National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), the premier agency for international accreditation and approval of educational programs in the clinical laboratory sciences and related healthcare disciplines.
 
For more information about the MLT program, contact Dr. Bridget Ledford Waters at 270-901-4370 or [email protected].