Clinical Lab Assistant

Program Description:

Clinical Assistants (CA) are multi-skilled clinical laboratory professionals competent to perform waived and low-to-moderate complex laboratory testing. As a critical component of the health care team, the clinical laboratory is responsible for approximately 90% of the information physician’s use to detect, diagnose, and treat medical conditions and infectious disease. Typically, Clinical Assistants work under the supervision of a Medical Laboratory Technician or Medical Technologist.

The multi-faceted role of the Clinical Assistant includes collection of blood and non-blood specimens, preparation of blood and body fluid specimens for laboratory analysis, as well as laboratory testing in the areas of chemistry, hematology, microbiology, urinalysis, immunology, and blood product screening/component processing. Clinical Assistants perform laboratory testing using low-to-moderately complex automated instruments for specimen analysis, and routinely use Laboratory Information Systems for ordering tests and result documentation.  The Clinical Assistant is capable of comparing laboratory test results to normal reference ranges, as well as recognizing abnormal laboratory test results and their relationship to common disease states.  Strict adherence to safe laboratory practice and infection control policies is an essential element of this profession. A successful Clinical Assistant must be detail-oriented, possess excellent customer service skills, and be capable of prioritizing tasks in a manner to maintain workflow and productivity.

The A.A.S. Clinical Assistant Degree includes a total of 63 credit hours, of which 24 credit hours focus specifically on the field of laboratory medicine.  Successful completion of the CA Program will include a clinical internship at an affiliated health-care facility.  Many states require licensure in order to perform laboratory testing. The West Virginia Office of Laboratory Services (WVOLS) currently requires licensure of all laboratorians performing moderate-complex laboratory testing.  Upon completion of the Clinical Assistant Program, graduates will be eligible for WV state licensure as a Clinical Laboratory Practitioner-Point of Care Technician, with appropriate documentation as required by WVOLS.

REQUIRED COURSES
(Suggested Sequence)

1.         AH 151 has a prerequisite of REA 098, or placement 100-level reading.
2.         ENL 111 has a prerequisite of ENL 095, or placement of 100-level English, and REA 098, or placement 100-level reading.
3.         MAT 145 has a prerequisite of MAT 096, or MAT 097, or placement 100-level math.
4.         BIOL 260 has a prerequisite of BIOL 257 minimum grade of C or ACT Composite 19 or BIOL 258 minimum grade of C.
5.         SCI 220 has a prerequisite of MAT 145 or MAT 120.
6.         BIOL 265 has a prerequisite of BIOL 258 minimum grade of C or BIOL 257 minimum grade of C or BIOL 260 minimum grade of C or ACT Composite 18.
7.         PSYC 215 has a prerequisite of REA 098, or placement in 100-level reading.
8.         AH 207 has a prerequisite of AH 151.
9.         CLA 200 has co-requisites of CLA 201, CLA 204, CLA 205 and a prerequisite of BIOL 257 or BIOL 260.
10.      CLA 201 has co-requisites of CLA 200, CLA 204, and CLA 205.
11.      CLA 204 has co-requisites of CLA 200, CLA 201, and CLA 205 and a prerequisite of BIOL 257 or BIOL 260 with a minimum grade of C.
12.      CLA 205 has co-requisites of CLA 200, and CLA 204 and a prerequisite of BIOL 257, BIOL 260, and BIOL 265.
13.      AH 205 has a prerequisite of BSC 227 or BIOL 257 or BIOL 260.
14.      CLA 202 has a prerequisite of MAT 145.
15.      CLA 203 has co-requisites of CLA 22 and CLA 206 and a prerequisite of BIOL 257 or BIOL 260 minimum grade of C and CLA 2100 minimum grade of C and CLA 201 minimum grade of C and CLA 204 minimum grade of C and CLA 205 minimum grade of C.
16.      CLA 206 has a prerequisite of BIOL 257, BIOL 260, or BIOL 265.
17.      CLA 299 requires a minimum grade of C in all courses included in the Clinical Assistant degree curriculum, admission to the CA/POCT program, and permission of the program coordinator.

"Click here for the 2012-2013 Advising Sheet"