Ivy Tech's Medical Laboratory Technology program emphasizes hands-on learning — including experience in a hospital lab. Each course features lab and lecture components, teaching skills such as:
Collecting, processing and analyzing biological specimens
Performing analytical tests of body fluids and cells
Identifying and factors that affect lab procedures and results and making necessary corrections
Practicing quality control and safety principles
Relating lab findings to common diseases
Interacting with other lab and healthcare personnel, patients and the public
Career Options
After completing the Ivy Tech Medical Laboratory Technology program, you can pursue medical or microbiological lab technician roles for:
Hospitals
Physician offices
Research labs
Food manufacturers
HOW TO APPLY
Future Students
Students interested in the Medical Laboratory Technology program must apply to Ivy Tech first using the Ivy Tech general application. In this application, apply for the Healthcare Specialist program with a concentration in Medical Laboratory Technology. Apply to Ivy Tech Now
The Medical Laboratory Technology program at Ivy Tech has a selective admissions process, which means not all students who apply to the program will be accepted. Learn More about Selective Admissions
Associate Degree – Career-Ready Degree
Ivy Tech's Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Medical Laboratory Technology degree program emphasizes hands-on learning that can lead to a career as a medical lab technician. The degree also can prepare students to conduct microbiological testing for various industries. Students learn how to:
Safely collect, process and analyze biological specimens and other substances
Interact professionally with patients, lab personnel, other healthcare professionals and the public
Due to the nature of the medical field and the hands-on learning Ivy Tech's program incorporates into the curriculum, courses are generally taught in a traditional, in-person format. Instructors do creatively use other methodologies (such as Zoom or Ivy Learn) in some instances, though.
Sample Careers
As medical lab technicians, graduates of the Medical Laboratory Technology AAS degree program can pursue roles working for medical and biological laboratories in:
Hospitals
Physician offices
Research labs
Industries like food manufacturing
Student Outcomes
Student Outcomes (SOs) are the competencies that Ivy Tech students should
be well versed in upon graduating from the program.
Medical Laboratory Technology is offered at 3 Ivy Tech locations in Indiana. Each location offers a unique combination of certificate and degree options:
In the Medical Laboratory Technology program, students work with microscopes and chemistry analyzers and conduct microbiology testing. They also spend a semester learning in a real hospital lab.
They work with biological specimens, body fluids, cells and other substances.
Ivy Tech Medical Laboratory Technology is full-time, daytime-only program. Students must provide their own transportation to and from clinical sites.
A successful medical laboratory technology student and professional develops and strengthens skills like:
Dependability
Initiative
Working well with others
Strong judgment
Organization
Professionalism
Honesty
Attention to safety
Sound Like You?
If you identify with the details, skills and traits above, medical laboratory technology may be the path for you! Take the next step to get started, or speak with your local advisor to learn more.
The Ivy Tech Medical Laboratory Technology program can be challenging, but rewarding for the student who is passionate about this field. Before you apply, review the following requirements and expectations for students in the program.
Time Commitment
The Medical Laboratory Technology associate degree program is a large commitment. Students must be enrolled as full-time students with daytime courses. Students may also need to schedule additional general education courses each semester. It is essential that you plan for the same amount of study time as class time per week. Medical Laboratory Technology course schedules and assignment due dates will not be adjusted to accommodate individual work schedules.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend all course meetings. Attendance is necessary to maximize student-learning opportunities. Students who are absent are responsible for missed material. Clinical courses require that the student be present to effectively evaluate successful achievement of clinical course objectives and concepts, as clinical course objectives cannot be accomplished or evaluated outside the clinical setting. There are no make-up sessions for missed clinical hours; therefore, regular clinical attendance is mandatory for successful clinical course and program completion.
Students will be required to provide their own transportation to and from clinical sites. Schedules vary based on campus. Please reach out to your campus of interest to learn more about meeting times and dates.
Mandatory Drug and Criminal Background Screenings
Students will be required to complete a background screening, drug screening, and required vaccinations (including COVID) upon acceptance into the program.
Connect with the Financial Aid team at your home campus to find out if you can receive financial aid for the program of your choice. Make sure that you have completed the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) by the established deadlines to be considered for financial aid assistance.
Prerequisite Courses for Medical Laboratory Technology
Completion of the following prerequisite courses with a grade of “C” or higher is required for admission to the Associate of Applied Science Science in Medical Laboratory Technology program:
APHY 101 Anatomy and Physiology I
ENGL 111 English Composition
MATH 123 Quantitative Reasoning
IVYT 112 Student Success - Health Sciences and Nursing
For admission to the program, students also must display the following essential functions and skills:
Motor skills
Physical strength and endurance
Mobility
Hearing
Visual
Touching
Smell
Communication
Emotional stability
Students accepted into the program must pay for and submit to a criminal background check, drug testing and physical exam. They also must have required vaccinations, including COVID.
No Expiration of Credits
There is no expiration date for course credits that were earned in previous years from Ivy Tech Community College.
Transfer Credit for Prerequisite Courses
Prerequisite courses completed at colleges other than Ivy Tech will only be considered for general education selection points if transfer credit has been awarded and courses appear on the Ivy Tech transcript prior to the application deadline.
TR grades are not recognized by the online application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that transfer credit has been awarded and that TR grades are updated to transfer letter grades (TA, TB, TC) on their Ivy Tech transcript.
It is recommended that college transcripts be submitted to the Registrar’s office for evaluation and transfer credit at least 4 weeks prior to the program application deadline to ensure adequate time for processing.
Medical Laboratory Technology Courses
Descriptions of medical laboratory technology courses can be found in our online course catalog:
View required courses and descriptions for Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Medical Laboratory Technology.
Upcoming Courses
See when specific courses will be offered by searching our class list in Schedule Builder. First, select the semester you’re looking for and then enter the name of the course in the search bar.
If you're a current student, upcoming courses are easy to find in Schedule Builder in MyIvy.
Class Format
Due to the nature of the medical field and the hands-on learning Ivy Tech's program incorporates into the curriculum, courses are generally taught in a traditional, in-person format. Instructors do creatively use other methodologies (such as Zoom or Ivy Learn) in some instances, though.
Step 1
Apply to Ivy Tech
Students interested in the Medical Laboratory Technology program must first submit the Ivy Tech general application and complete requirements for admission to the college. During this application, you should apply for the Healthcare Specialist program with an interest in Medical Laboratory Technology. Admission to the college does not ensure acceptance to a health science program, but students can be working on prerequisite courses for the Medical Laboratory Technology program after admission to the college and before applying to the program itself.
Apply to the Medical Laboratory Technology Program
Following completion of prerequisite courses, you may apply for the Medical Laboratory Technology program through the online application for health science programs.
Please note that the Medical Laboratory Technology program is a selective admission program, which means there are a limited number of spots each year.
The Medical Laboratory Technology program begins each fall. The application window is between March 15 and May 15. Program schedules vary according to campus.
Filling Out the Medical Laboratory Technology Online Application
If you are not a current Ivy Tech Community College student, please Apply Now. You will need a C# (Ivy Tech student ID number) and Ivy Tech single sign-on login credentials in order to apply.
Gather all required or optional documentation that you will need to upload into the system. View more about requirements here. You will have the ability to save your application in progress until you are able to secure documentation
If you are transferring from another institution, please make sure that your transcripts are evaluated at least 4 weeks prior to the application deadline.
Check to make sure your personal information is accurate.
Select the programs and campuses you would like to be considered as an applicant. You can select up to three different programs and three different campuses. (Some students choose to apply to multiple programs within the School of Health Sciences.)
You must meet all of the prerequisites for a program in order to submit your application. If you receive a message indicating that you do not meet the prerequisites, then please remove that program selection in order to proceed with the application.
Upload any necessary documents.
Make sure grades in the system are accurate. If not, please contact your home campus registrar or advisor.
You will be able to submit your application if you are currently enrolled in a course identified as a prerequisite for the program.
Once complete, submit your application.
You will receive an email confirmation in your Ivy Tech email account that your application has been submitted and is pending review.
Once you have submitted your application, you have the option to reopen it to make changes.
Note: DO NOT USE THE “BACK” function on your computer. Use the navigation pane at the side of the page to navigate.
To learn more about the Health Sciences and Nursing application process, watch the below video, read the FAQ, or contact your campus of interest.
Offers of Admission
Students can select up to three programs and three campuses each on the application. Offers of acceptance are for a specific program and campus. The offers are determined through eight rounds of auto-selection and six rounds of manual selection.
If a student is accepted, they will receive an email from the online application system to their Ivy Tech email account offering a seat in the program. Offers are emailed beginning within one week of the application close date and continue until program capacity is met or one week before the start of semester classes. Each round of offers begins at 6:00 am and applicants have until 11:59 pm the following day to either accept or reject an offer.
Depending on their rank and offers, a student could potentially receive multiple offers. Once one offer is accepted, the student is immediately withdrawn from all other offers and will be contacted by the chair or dean of the program with information about the program orientation date, time, and location.
If a student fails to respond, then the offer expires. If a student rejects an offer three (3) times, the application is removed from the auto-selection application pool but will then be available for manual selection rounds that occur later in the process.
Students do have the ability to withdraw an application at any point during the admission cycle. However, once an application is withdrawn, another one cannot be submitted until the next application cycle.
After You're Accepted
If you are accepted into the program—first off, congratulations!—you will be required to attend an orientation session at your local campus during the summer semester prior to beginning classes. An email will be sent following your acceptance with details about the session.
What If I Don’t Get Admitted?
The Medical Laboratory Technology program does not maintain a waitlist. Non-admitted applicants can reapply in the next application cycle, but we recommend that they meet with an advisor to begin planning and preparing for the reapplication process. Advisors can also assist students in exploring other programs of interest in Ivy Tech’s School of Health Sciences if they have applied several times and have not been accepted into the program.
What is Selective Admission?
The Medical Laboratory Technology program is a selective admissions program. Due to the nature of this program and the high number of applications received, we are only able to accept a small number of students each year.
Weighted Point System
A weighted point system is used to evaluate applicants for admission. Student applications are assigned points based on their grades in prerequisite courses. Point totals for applicants receiving admission offers will vary between campuses. Point totals are not shared.
If there is a tie, the tiebreaker will be determined by the student's Ivy Tech GPA from the spring semester.
General Education Weighted Point System
When multiple course attempts are reported on applicant transcripts (including transcripts from other colleges and universities), the highest earned grade of the first three attempts will be used for the selection decision score through the application period. Points for courses transferred from other institutions will be awarded from the grade recorded on the transcript from the other institution provided transfer credit appears on the Ivy Tech transcript.
If you’re not yet an Ivy Tech student, contact us at 1-888-489-5463 and we’ll be happy to help.
Current Students
Contact your academic advisor, who can answer any questions you have about the Medical Laboratory Technology program and your certificate and degree options.
Find Local Advising Contact Info
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Call 1-888-489-5463 and we'll get you started.
Madison Advising Center
590 Ivy Tech Drive
Madison, IN 47250
Fax 812-265-4028
Zoom Video Calls Available by appointment only. Call 812-256-2580, ext. 4502 to make an appointment.
Advising Team Tricia Miracle 812-265-2580 ext. 4137 tmiracle2@ivytech.edu Text during business hours 812-510-3844 Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours: Wednesdays 9:00-1:00pm & Thursdays 2:00-5:30pm Zoom Link
Lisa Kelley 812-265-2580 ext. 4163 lkelley3@ivytech.edu Text during business hours 502-414-1597 Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours: Tuesdays 1:30pm-5pm & Thursdays 8:30am-12pm Zoom Link
Starting Oct. 28th Tuesdays: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All other days by appointment from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. **Special Saturday December 7 @ 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
1 Source: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage estimates: Indiana.(2023). Lightcast™, lightcast.io. Occupational Overview for Indiana, 2023-2024
2 Associate degree cost is determined by tuition for an in-state, full-time student. Certificate and technical certificate costs are determined by tuition for an in-state, part-time student. Additional fees may be applied. Visit the Tuition & Fees page to learn more.
The Medical Laboratory Technology program is accredited by: