Academic Program Proposal

Date Proposal Activated	Institution and Proposal	Degree Awarded	Academic Program Name	Objection Deadline	MHEC Final Action	Final Decision Date
	Anne Arundel Community College Proposal	Lower Division Certificate (L.D.C.)	Medical Laboratory Assistant	9/7/2019	Approved	9/27/2019
Medical Laboratory Assistant Program Description
Anne Arundel Community College is requesting approval for a new lower division certificate in Medical Laboratory Assistant. The proposed Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) certificate will prepare students as trained clinical laboratory assistants in a variety of clinical laboratory settings including hospitals, clinics and physician office laboratories. This proposed MLA program is designed to ensure that students will learn the practical skills needed to excel as a Medical Laboratory Assistant in both in-patient and out-patient phlebotomy and processing, blood donor phlebotomy and processing, specimen accessioning, Point-of-Care and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA'88) waived testing, and computer and customer service skills. The program will also serve as a career ladder from the Phlebotomy Letter of Recognition into the Medical Laboratory Assistant Certificate and into Medical Laboratory Technician A.A.S. degree. MLA Certificate graduates will qualify for entry-level specimen processor positions in the clinical laboratory sector.