Louisiana Delta Community College Launches New Medical Program
Louisiana Delta Community College Launches New Medical Program
MONROE, La. — Louisiana Delta Community College (LDCC) is set to launch a new Medical Lab Technician program this fall, aimed at providing students with immediate employment opportunities in the medical field upon completion.
"Students will be able to secure jobs in the medical field as soon as they finish the program," said Jasmine Bingham, a spokesperson for the college. "The program is designed to prepare students to provide 70 percent of the diagnoses used by physicians."
LDCC has established partnerships with local hospitals, including Monroe Surgical, St. Francis Medical Center, Morehouse General, Bastrop, and Affinity Health Clinic. These partnerships will offer students hands-on training, combining in-class education with field experience.
The program features multiple exit points, allowing students to gain qualifications progressively. "In their first semester, students will train to become phlebotomists," Bingham explained. "By their second semester, they can become medical lab assistants, and after their final semester, they will earn the designation of Medical Lab Technician (MLT)."
Students will be immersed in the practical aspects of laboratory work, learning the daily responsibilities of a lab technician. "They will perform mid-to-moderate-level testing, which is critical given the current shortage of medical lab technicians," noted a laboratory manager at Monroe Surgical Hospital. "This program will provide a larger pool of trained professionals to meet the growing demand."
The curriculum covers patient and sample preparation, specimen handling, test analysis, and result reporting, equipping students with the necessary skills to succeed in a laboratory environment.
The Medical Lab Technician program at LDCC is scheduled to begin in the upcoming fall semester.
