Raritan Valley Community College, Labcorp partner to launch medical lab technician degree

Staff report
·4 min read
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Sharing their expertise to train the next generation of skilled medical laboratory technicians, Raritan Valley Community College and Labcorp, which is expanding its Northeast Division headquarters in Raritan Borough, announced a new partnership creating an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Technology at the college.

The AAS degree, which began in the summer, was officially launched at a Sept. 29 ceremony at the college. The event was attended by leadership from RVCC and Labcorp, as well as state Sen. Andrew Zwicker, D-Hillsborough. The ceremony also included a tour of the new Labcorp laboratory in the college’s Christine Todd Whitman Science Center.

"Labcorp is proud to partner with RVCC to support their new Medical Laboratory Technology program," said Mary Williamson, vice president of laboratory operations for Labcorp’s Northeast and North Central divisions. "Once enrolled in this program, students will have the opportunity to train with our team of incredible laboratory professionals during their clinical rotations, and upon completion, explore the many opportunities for qualified candidates to join our team of over 800 laboratory personnel working inside Labcorp’s Raritan laboratory."

Students enrolled in the program will take the required academic courses at RVCC’s Branchburg campus and then complete their clinical rotations at Labcorp’s regional lab in Raritan.The first group of 10 students has already completed its prerequisite courses at RVCC and is now beginning the program’s core courses and practical experience.

The 68-credit program, which takes two years to complete and includes summer sessions, provides students with the foundation in clinical laboratory sciences required as a medical laboratory technician. It also prepares students to work effectively as a member of a medical laboratory team.According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the field is projected to grow 7% from 2021 to 2031.

"The new Medical Laboratory Technology Associate of Applied Science Degree program at RVCC represents the very best in public-private partnerships and is a model for others to follow," said Michael J. McDonough, president of RVCC. "We are grateful for Labcorp’s commitment to establishing this new academic track and for the 'workforce-ready' talent it will produce."

Mike Marion, executive director of the RVCC Foundation, second from left, with the first three recipients of the Labcorp MLT Scholarship at Raritan Valley Community College, from left, Essa Conteh, Laura Bacino and Qunying Zhao.
Mike Marion, executive director of the RVCC Foundation, second from left, with the first three recipients of the Labcorp MLT Scholarship at Raritan Valley Community College, from left, Essa Conteh, Laura Bacino and Qunying Zhao.

The concept for a partnership between RVCC and Labcorp originated about five years ago when students in the college’s Authentic Engineering program were working on a project at Labcorp’s Raritan facility. Initial conversations identified a need to expand the company’s talent pipeline for medical laboratory technicians.

Labcorp managers and RVCC faculty and administrators worked together for many months on program design, curriculum development, licensing approval, staffing and program promotion.The program has two segments: the MLT Pre-Clinical Program, which consists primarily of 100-level General Education foundation courses, and the MLT Clinical Program that includes 100- and 200-level clinical laboratory courses and clinical rotations at Labcorp’s facility.

The program is designed to train students to immediately enter the workforce in medical reference, hospital labs, and independent laboratory companies such as Labcorp. The program also prepares students to pursue additional education and training in laboratory science and further career opportunities.

The company’s commitment to the partnership with RVCC is multifaceted and includes direct support to students through the Labcorp MLT Scholarship at RVCC.

The first three recipients of the Labcorp MLT Scholarship are Laura Bacino of Union, Essa Conteh of Franklin and Qunying Zhao of Green Brook.

"The Labcorp MLT Scholarship means a lot to me because I had been wondering how to fund my MLT program at RVCC," Conteh said. "I was planning to work two jobs to help pay my tuition for the program. I thank God it all worked out for me, and I am grateful for this opportunity."

"I am incredibly honored to be selected for this scholarship. I worked so hard to be where I am today, and I will continue to work hard to achieve my goals,” Bacino said.

“This scholarship not only helps financially, but more deeply, it is a personal affirmation of my hard work, encouraging me to continue to do my best to achieve my goals and not give up easily," Zhao said. "I hope that I can become a valuable member of Labcorp in the future and demonstrate that RVCC and Labcorp are a wonderful team."

RVCC is currently seeking accreditation by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences and has initial application of accreditation approved. Once accredited, graduates of the MLT program will be eligible to sit for the Board of Certification examination.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Raritan Valley Community College, Labcorp training medical lab techs