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The Certified Medical Laboratory Assistant (CMLA) program prepares students for entry-level employment as medical lab assistants in hospitals, clinics, diagnostic labs, and public health institutions.
Students gain essential knowledge in specimen collection, laboratory procedures, quality assurance, infection control, and basic clinical testing. The course emphasizes safety, professionalism, and compliance with CLIA, OSHA, and HIPAA standards. Upon completion, students are eligible to sit for the Certification Exam.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion, students will be able to:
Understand the roles and responsibilities of a medical laboratory assistant
Collect, process, and label specimens following safety and infection control standards
Operate laboratory equipment and assist in basic clinical testing
Understand quality control and regulatory standards (CLIA, OSHA, HIPAA)
Demonstrate administrative, clerical, and communication skills in a lab setting
Prepare to take the AMT CMLA certification exam
(Note: You will be responsible for selecting your externship site)
Medical Laboratory Assistant Online Course
Module 1: Introduction to Medical Laboratory Assisting
Overview of the healthcare system, role of the CMLA, scope of practice, laboratory team, work environments, ethics, and professionalism.
Module 2: Medical Terminology and Anatomy for Laboratory Personnel
Terminology, root words, suffixes, prefixes, and basic anatomy and physiology relevant to lab testing and specimen source identification.
Module 3: Infection Control, Safety, and OSHA Compliance
Infection control techniques, PPE usage, needle safety, exposure control plans, biohazard disposal, OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.
Module 4: Specimen Collection and Handling
Best practices for labeling, handling, transporting, and storing specimens, chain of custody, and pre-analytical variables that affect test results.
Module 5: Phlebotomy Techniques and Procedures
Venipuncture, capillary puncture, order of draw, complications, and patient interaction. Emphasis on Aseptic Technique and safety.
Module 6: Laboratory Equipment and CLIA Waived Testing
Operation, cleaning, and maintenance of common equipment (centrifuges, microscopes, autoclaves). Performing basic CLIA-waived tests.
Module 7: Hematology and Urinalysis
Introduction to hematologic tests (CBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit), and urinalysis (dipstick, microscopic examination).
Module 8: Microbiology and Immunology Fundamentals
Overview of pathogen types, specimen collection for cultures, antigen/antibody reactions, and rapid tests.
Module 9: Laboratory Mathematics and Quality Control
Metric conversions, dilutions, percentages, calibration, controls, and documentation of errors. Quality assurance programs.
Module 10: HIPAA, Documentation, and Laboratory Information Systems
Confidentiality, data entry, reporting test results, lab logs, EMRs, and proper charting and recordkeeping.
Module 11: Professionalism and Communication in the Laboratory
Effective communication, conflict resolution, patient interaction, diversity and cultural sensitivity, and teamwork in lab environments.
Module 12: Certification Exam Preparation