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Oct. 1, 2024 is the deadline to apply for the next cohort of the Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) degree program. The first cohort graduated earlier this year — and most of the new alums already are working at UVA Health! The program prepares students to perform essential lab testing on blood and body fluids — critical to detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Medical lab technicians (MLTs) work with pathologists, medical laboratory scientists, and phlebotomists.

Full Circle

PVCC’s 71 credit hour Associate of Applied Science degree emphasizes hands-on practice in a state-of-the-art lab, followed by clinical experience at affiliating healthcare organizations including UVA Health. Students may qualify for free tuition, fees, and books in this G3: Get a Skill. Get a Job. Get Ahead. program. 

It’s full circle for our health system. “Projected staffing shortages in the lab led UVA Health Medical Laboratories to reach out to PVCC in 2018 to partner on establishing the MLT program,” says Briana Shelton, MLS (ASCP), SH (ASCP), UVA Health Medical Laboratories Education Coordinator, who also teaches in the PVCC MLT program. “Now, four out of five graduates of the first cohort already are working for our UVA Health Medical Laboratories Clinical Core Laboratory.” 

“For me, being able to promote the profession through teaching PVCC MLT students speaks volume about PVCC and their commitment to this program,” says Carolyn Smith-Lee, MS, MT (ASCP), UVA Health Clinical Core Laboratory. “The next generation of MLTs has a vast array of opportunities in the hospital, research, and technology fields. Our students are making it happen by learning cutting edge information and technology.”

Getting There

A prospective student can:

• Apply for admission directly to the MLT program.
• Or, “stack” the credentials from these other PVCC programs: Phlebotomy Certification, Medical Lab Assistant Certification (MLA), Medical Lab Technician (MLT). For example, begin as a phlebotomist, and while working, take MLA classes using educational assistance, then begin work as an MLA and continue with coursework to become an MLT.

In addition, a student can work in their credentialed area while moving forward with the MLT program. MLTs also can continue on to a bachelor’s level program through several online MLT-to-Medical Lab Scientist (MLS) programs.

‘Win-Win’

In Virginia, there’s a projected 19 percent increase of MLT openings through 2030 — mostly hospital-based. Other MLT roles can be found in physicians’ office labs, reference labs, and with industry partners such as healthcare and food production companies.

"There is an ever-increasing demand for patient testing, further challenged by staffing shortages,” explains Trish Rinald, MS, MLS (ASCP), SBB, Program Director, PVCC MLT, who previously worked at UVA Health’s Blood Bank. “Because of the shorter program timeframe, MLTs are able to enter the workforce more quickly than students in four-year programs.”

She enthusiastically adds, “It's really a win-win! Students get the entry-level skills they need for a meaningful job with room for growth — while employers are filling laboratory needs with qualified individuals who most likely already live in our community."

Next Steps

Are you, or is someone you know, interested in an MLT career? See the Spring 2025 Admissions Information Book for program requirements, minimum eligibility requirements, applicant ranking criteria, and more. Questions? Email Briana Shelton at BMS7H@uvahealth.org, UVA Health Medical Laboratories Education Coordinator.