General Information

Thank you for visiting the Amarillo College Medical Laboratory Technology program web site. Our program is fully accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

Students in the program serve a practicum in clinical laboratories, within the cities of Lubbock, Levelland, and in other towns and cities throughout the Texas panhandle and eastern New Mexico. Due to the limited number of clinical sites, the maximum enrollment in our program cannot exceed 20 students per year. Students are required to successfully complete their classroom instruction and practicum prior to graduation.

Each new class begins once a year, with the start of the Fall semester. Twenty students are accepted according to the criteria stated elsewhere on this site. Applications are accepted all year around, however, students are encouraged to submit their applications in the Fall semester or at the beginning of the Spring semester, in order to ensure a slot in the class beginning the following year.

Our Mission

"The Medical Laboratory Technology program at Amarillo College is dedicated to providing students with the academic knowledge, the technical training, and the professional skills to enable them to serve as vital members of the healthcare team, within the framework of the Medical Laboratory Technician, in order to enhance the quality of life for individuals in and beyond our service area."

Program Goals

Upon successful completion of the Medical Laboratory Technology program at Amarillo College, and initial employment, graduates of this program should be able to demonstrate entry level competence in the following areas of professional practice:

• Analysis and clinical decision-making, information management, regulatory compliance, education, and quality assurance/improvement wherever laboratory testing is researched, developed or performed.
• Accurate performance of routine and special clinical laboratory tests as the primary analyst, making specimen oriented decisions based on predetermined criteria, including a working knowledge of critical values.
• Knowledge and communication skills that extend to collaborative, consultative, and educational interactions with laboratory professionals, other healthcare professionals, patients, and the general public.
• Demonstrated capacity for calm and reasoned judgment, taking responsibility for one's own actions, and a strong commitment to patient welfare.
• Steadfast ethical and moral attitudes and principles necessary for gaining and maintaining the confidence of patients, professional associates, and the community at large.
• Positive attitudes and practice in the areas of professionalism, work ethics, and commitment to lifelong learning.

Program Competencies

• Collecting, processing, and analyzing biologic specimens and other substances
• Applying basic scientific principles in learning new techniques and procedures
• Performing analytical test of body fluids, cells, and other substances
• Recognizing factors that affect procedures and results, and taking appropriate actions within predetermined limits when corrections are indicated
• Performing and monitoring quality control within predetermined limits
• Performing preventive and corrective maintenance of equipment and instruments or referring to appropriate sources for repairs
• Applying principles of safety
• Demonstrating professional conduct and interpersonal communication skills with patients, laboratory personnel, other health care professionals, and with the public
• Recognizing the responsibilities of other laboratory and health care personnel and interacting with them in a professional manner with respect for their jobs and patient care