Students observe National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week
Students begin their lab project with Sheila Johnson, MLT program coordinator and
instructor, guiding them.
Meridian Community College first-year Medical Laboratory Technology Program classmates Ieisha S. Porter and Jessica Suarez are making the most of their studies.
Nearing the end of their second semester of the first year of study, both students admit the MLT Program is a good fit with many future opportunities.
"You learn more when it's hands-on, you see more," said Porter, 34, of Meridian, who currently works at a health care facility as she is studying full time in the MLT program. "I like to plate things and see them grow," she said as she explained what she was working on in the lab.
Suarez, 24, from Quitman, added, “I'm enjoying it; I'm learning new things that I didn't know before.”
The two and others in their program are recognizing National Medical Laboratory Professionals (NMLP) Week, which begins Monday, April 24, and will continue through Saturday, April 29. This week-long celebration started in 1976 to stress the importance of laboratory professionals as a part of the healthcare system.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, at least 70 percent of medical decisions made in the healthcare setting are based on laboratory tests. Officials say there are 260,000 accredited laboratories and 14 billion laboratory tests are performed in the U.S. each year.
Suarez said being behind the scenes in the medical arena was one of the things she liked best about this field. “You're able to help the doctor diagnose a patient without having to be physically there with the patient,” she said.
Sheila Johnson, the MLT program coordinator and instructor, applauds current students and alums of the program. "We want to thank them for their hard work and dedication to the profession," she said.
Since 2019, the College's MLT program has posted a 100 percent board certification pass rate for its graduates. But that’s not all; there is a 100 percent job placement rate and graduation rate, too.
The program is looking ahead to the next class of students, which begins in August. If you know someone interested in becoming a medical laboratory technologist or want more information, contact Johnson at sheila.johnson@meridiancc.edu or call 601.484.8755. Or visit, meridiancc.edu/mlt.