NOVEMBER, 1967

ESSENTIALS
FOR ESTABLISHING
AND EVALUATING
LABORATORY
MEDICAL
ASSISTANT
PROGRAMS

DIVISION OF VOCATIONAL,
TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

CARL W. PROEHL, Assistant Superintendent

TECHNICAL and HEALTH
OCCUPATIONS EDUCATION

THOMAS W. STRICKLAND, DIRECTOR

BULLETIN 77 L-2

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INTRODUCTION

The Florida State Department of Education presents this guide-

line for training certified laboratory assistants as one part of

its continuing effort to provide guidance in the development of

effective educational programs in the health occupations. Require-

ments for the technical portions of any program for supportive

level medical laboratory personnel are equivalent to the standards

established by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists and

the American Society of Medical Technologists which are recognized

by the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association.

Approval by the appropriate medical professional group provides

the graduates with the option for admission to examination for

certification and licensure coincident with full access into the

practice of laboratory medicine on the technical level. The flexi-

bility inherent in the specialty standards allows the local community,

in cooperation with the Technical and Health Occupations Education

Section, to design a total program which best meets the particular need

of that area. In addition, opportunities for graduates to obtain

additional study in accredited colleges and universities are enhanced

by recognizing medical training standards recommended by the pro-

fessional group and required by the Florida State Department of

Education.

At its regular meeting on November 2, 1967, the Advisory Committee

to the State Department of Education considered in detail programs for

training students in approved programs. It also considered the rela-

tionship of programs of this type to the education of laboratory

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technical personnel in junior colleges. The following recommenda-

tions were presented by the committee.

1. The certified laboratory assistants program, approved

by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists and

American Society of Medical Technologists has been an

excellent program and has been a great help in developing

properly qualified laboratory assistants wherever the pro-

gram has been properly developed.

2. The programs for training medical technologists to be

certified by the ASCP and designated as M.T. (ASCP) is

an outstanding program developed for the purpose of train-

ing supervisory personnel for medical laboratories. This

program is not within the limits of activity of this

advisory committee.

3. Graduates of medical laboratory assistant programs in

junior colleges or vocational schools should be eligible

to take the examination as offered by the Board of Certified

Laboratory Assistants unless and until some other program

of examination and certification is established by the

appropriate groups.

4. Program development should be within the framework ap-

proved by the American Medical Association Council on

Medical Education and Hospitals.

5. Development of all programs must be kept on an "open-end"

basis in order to see that programs are properly responsive

to the requirements of changing times.

Organization and Administration

1. CLA educational programs may be established in junior colleges

and vocational schools, provided faculty and hospitals suit-

able for directed experience are available. Participating

hospitals and laboratories must be accredited or be otherwise

acceptable to the FSDE, THOE section. Formal agreement should

be executed with the clinical affiliations.

2. The primary responsibility for administration and planning is

assumed by the school personnel. These responsibilities in-

clude organization and administration, periodic review, con-

tinued development and general effectiveness of the educational

program. An advisory committee composed of representatives of

the participating hospitals, county medical association,

hospital association, appropriate medical professional group,

and other appropriate institutions is essential to total

planning. It is recommended that this committee be appointed

by the county superintendent or junior college president for

one or two year terms. The organization and operation of the

program, including curriculum, shall be consistent with the

requirements of the State Plan for Vocational Education and

the policies of the State Board for Vocational Education,

based on standards recommended by the Technical and Health

Occupations Education Section, Division of Vocational, Technical,

and Adult Education, Department of Education, State of Florida.

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3. School Bulletin information should be reviewed annually and

kept up to date. It should include information regarding the

organization of the program and a listing of required courses,

entrance requirements, tuition and fees, and general information

concerning hospitals and facilities used for directed clinical

experience.

4. Selection of students should be made by the admissions personnel

in cooperation with those directly responsible for the educa-

tional program in accordance with the practice generally fol-

lowed in the school for technical programs requiring applicants

to be high school graduates. All applicants should be required

to submit adequate evidence of satisfactory physical and psycho-

logical health commensurate with adequate performance in the

program. Admissions data should be on file at all times in

the college or vocational center.

5. A record of class performance and accomplishment of each student

should be kept in accordance with the college or vocational

center requirements. Because the final "grade" will be based

on a combination of evaluations, it is strongly recommended

that the program director and instructional staff determine

weighting and construct evaluative instruments which will

reflect the best methods available to teachers for fair evalua-

tion of students. A detailed analysis of the performance in

the teaching laboratory and clinical practice experience of

each student should be on file.

6. Copies of the course outlines including behavioral objectives,

sample instruments for evaluation, directed practice schedules

and teaching plans for all phases of the technical classroom

and clinical learning experience should be on file and available

to instructors in both the departmental office and affiliated

clinical facilities. Description for academic courses included

in the total program as "supportive to the technical program"

should be included.

7. It is the responsibility of the school administration to provide

an approvable program in order to guarantee the graduates the

option for admission to certification examination and licensure.

Services and Facilities;

8. Student health services should be available.

9. Counseling service should be available for student guidance.

10. Library facilities should be readily accessible and should

contain an adequate supply of books, periodicals, and other

reference materials related to the educational program.

Each reference book should be available in a ratio of one

copy to every 3 or 4 students.

11. Classroom space, storage, equipment and supplies appropriate

to the objectives of the program and in sufficient quantities

for demonstration and full student participation should be

provided by the college or vocational center. Appropriate

teaching aids should be available and readily accessible to

the teaching laboratory and classrooms.

12. Office space for the program director or teaching supervisor

should be provided by the college or vocational center.
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13. The clinical practice may be provided in several affiliated

clinical facilities. These affiliations should be in institu-

tions which have sufficient qualified, experienced professional

personnel, adequate equipment and practice material to provide

the type and amount of experience for which the student is

assigned. Each facility should be under the direction of a

qualified medical technologist whose qualifications are ac-

ceptable to the Technical and Health Occupations Education

Section staff as outlined by the appropriate medical professional

group and required by the Florida State Department of Education.

The qualified medical technologist appointed as director of

the program by the school will coordinate all teaching functions

in the school and affiliated facilities. All programs are

entirely separate and distinct from concurrent training of

other laboratory personnel.

Faculty

14. The instructional staff should be qualified through academic

preparation and experience to teach the subjects) assigned.

15. The program director or teaching supervisor should have at

least a baccalaureate degree, registration with the American

Society of Clinical Pathologists, three years experience in

the practice of laboratory medicine and be licensed as a medical

technologist, medical technologist supervisor, or medical

laboratory director in the State of Florida in order to meet

medical specialty requirements. In addition, minimum standards

governing persons who serve in an instructional capacity in

the State of Florida must be met. The exact requirements are

determined by the Division of Teacher Certification. In most
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instances this requirement will necessitate completing a pro-

scribed program in education courses. The required education

courses will be defined in relation to the program setting:

junior college or vocational school. All instructional staff

in the school employed to teach in the technical portion of

the program for certified laboratory assistants must meet

these standards with the exception of the experience require-

ment 2 years are acceptable.

16. A pathologist who is a Diplomate of the American Board of

Pathology or has equivalent qualification acceptable to the

medical professional group and the Florida State Department

of Education shall be appointed as the medical director and

shall serve as consultant in designing the curriculum and

shall assure the adequacy of the directed clinical learning

phase of the program.

17. In each directed practice area, there shall be qualified per-

sonnel with adequate experience in the specialized areas of

the practice of laboratory medicine to which the students

are assigned under the general direction of the director or

the teaching supervisor of the program. The placement of stu-

dents in clinical areas shall not exceed a ratio of two students

to each member of the teaching staff. The student-instructional

staff ratio during the formal, teaching laboratory classes

should be in the same proportion as similar educational pro-

grams sponsored by the educational institution.

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Educational Program

18. Admission requirements: candidates for admission should have

completed the requirements for high school graduation or should

have passed a college entrance examination for admission to a

junior college.

19. Technical program content: The curriculum shall be designed

to assure students a strong foundation for the practice of

the skills unique to the supportive role in.the medical labora-

tory, working relationships as a member of the medical care

team, and of the ethical and legal principles governing the

practice of laboratory medicine.

The director or teaching supervisor shall assume responsibility

for cooperating with other school faculty and clinical instructors

to design the program for the preparation for certified labora-

tory assistants. Incorporated in the program should be planned

laboratory experiences and directed practice with academic prepara-

tion selected to complement the laboratory practice.

The technical portion of the program shall include not less

than the equivalent of six months full-time clinical practice

integrated with requisite classes to establish a full-time educa-

tional program one calendar year in length. A program in a

junior college leading to an Associate Degree will also include

elements in general education and basic science as defined by

the college.

The technical program shall include the following areas:

a. General technical background
Professional adjustments, relations and organizations
Medical ethics and conduct
Medical Terminology

Laboratory Records
Basic anatomy and Physiology
Handling identification and care of laboratory equipment
Aseptic technique and methods of sterilization
Basic laboratory mathematics
Preparation of basic laboratory solutions and media
Basic elements of quality control
Handling of histologic and cytologic specimens
Instruction in blood collecting techniques
Introduction in basic hematology, serology, blood
banking, urinalysis, BMR and Electrocardiography

b. Pathogenic bacteriology, parasitology

c. Serology and blood banking

d. Clinical chemistry

e. Urinalysis

f. Hematology

g. BMR-EKG (optional)

The sequence and exact allocation of time for each..subject

area is at the discretion of the director. Suggestions may

be found in Medical Laboratory Assistant A Suggested Guide for

a Training Program, Office of Education, OE-87017.

Admission to Approved List

20. Application for admission to the approved list of training

programs for certified laboratory assistants should be made

to the Board of Certified Assistants, 445 Ndrth Lake Shore

Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60611.

21. Approval may be withdrawn whenever a school does not maintain

an educational program in accordance with the standards of the

Florida State Department of Education and the medical specialty

board.

22. Approved schools should notify the medical specialty board

through the Technical and Health Occupations Education Section

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whenever personnel or major curriculum changes occur in rela-

tion to the administration of the program.

General Information

23. General information on the certified laboratory assistant

is contained in the Health Careers Guidebook available through

the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing

Office, Washington, D.C., 20402. This publication is rec-

ommended by the Florida State Department of Education.

24. Suggestions for program design, hourly arrangements, and other

materials may be obtained from the Technical and Health Occupa-

tions Section.

25. Information on careers in the field of laboratory medicine may

be addressed to the National Committee for Careers in Medical

Technology, 1501 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.

20036.

26. Unless stated otherwise, the Florida State Department of Educa-

tion requirements in the specialty area for approved programs

are reflected in materials available from the Board of Certified

Laboratory Assistants, 445 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago,

Illinois 60611.

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Appendix A

Administrative Responsibility for educational programs for

certified laboratory assistants.

I

A
D
V
I
S
0
R
Y

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Appendix B

Members of the Advisory Committee for Certified Laboratory

Assistant programs to the State of Florida, Department of

Education.

John Miale, M. D.
Millard White, M. D.
Lois C. Pierce, M. T. (ASCP)
Hope Whitaker, M. T. (ASCP)
Jerome Benson, M. D.

Sanford Mullen, M. D.
L. E. McHenry, M. D.
Doris Dede, M. T.
Leslie Lee, M. T. (ASCP)
Anna Bell Ham, M. T. (ASCP)

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