Michener Institute - Med Lab Tech

[kayoko]

Relevant reading material (external websites):
CSMLS – Becoming a Medical Laboratory Technologist (http://www.csmls.org/english/career/index.htm)
Human Resources and Social Development Canada – NOC 3211 Medical Laboratory Technologist and Pathologists' Assistants (http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC-CNP/app/quicksearch.aspx?lc=E&searchkey=3211)
Simon Fraser University – Career Services Informer (http://blogs.sfu.ca/departments/careerservices/?p=306)
jobboom – MLTs do a body good (http://jobboomcc.canoe.ca/News/2002/03/06/1224856-sun.html)
YouTube Videos about MLT's (note that in the US, MLT's are often referred to as clinical laboratory technologists) - video 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw2sXiNR7vc), video 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xleuGE3QINY) (thanks danny411!)
Career Voyages - Health Care - Medical Laboratory (http://www.careervoyages.gov/healthcare-medicallab.cfm) with video (http://www.careervoyages.gov/healthcare-videos.cfm)

[vanessie]

Good luck to you! I'm thinking about Michener when I graduate :) MLT seems really interesting.

[samm]

i dunnoooo... doing bloodwork, ecg, urine/blood/cell analysis doesn't seem all that interesting... but thats just me!

[kayoko]

i dunnoooo... doing bloodwork, ecg, urine/blood/cell analysis doesn't seem all that interesting... but thats just me!

Yeah? I think it'll be repetitive work, but there's always new things to learn! I suppose I want it to be my way of helping other people since I don't have what it takes to be a doctor or a nurse. It's more of a behind-the-scene job and I like it like that. :cheesygri

[ERIKAAMORRIS]

Definitely an in-demand job right now.

I'd even consider it if it wasn't such a long program (done PT, on nights, in my mid 30s)

I'll stick with Sleep Medicine for now! :)

[kayoko]

Definitely an in-demand job right now.

I'd even consider it if it wasn't such a long program (done PT, on nights, in my mid 30s)

I'll stick with Sleep Medicine for now! :)

*nod* I went to their open-house and I had student tell me that they were offered a job at their clinical. It was definitely one of the aspects that drew me to the program.

Sleep Medicine sounds awesome (2 weeks!) Too bad I don't qualify the requirements. Besides the fact that the application deadline has past.

[HSK]

Yup, definately in demand. Ultrasound etc are also on that list. A lot of Michener grads land jobs before they're done their clinicals.

[nalababe]

While not a MLT, I'll give you a perspective from someone who works routinely with MLT's and Diagnostics Industry.

First, on a day to day basis, the MLT position can be very repetitive. Now, depending on the size of the institution, you could be at one bench for weeks, or months or have to perform duties at all benches...

There is a tremendous shortage of MLT's in Canada and the US. Now, in the city cores, there is more saturation, but if you are willing to relocate, you can make very nice money.

On top of this, hiring away MLTs from laboratories is a key source of our Technical Specialists (this is true many Diagnostic companies). So a MLT can be the end of the line or the start...(I also know MLTs that are running hospital laboratories (completed the MBA etc...).

Good Luck

[kayoko]

First, on a day to day basis, the MLT position can be very repetitive. Now, depending on the size of the institution, you could be at one bench for weeks, or months or have to perform duties at all benches...

On top of this, hiring away MLTs from laboratories is a key source of our Technical Specialists (this is true many Diagnostic companies). So a MLT can be the end of the line or the start...(I also know MLTs that are running hospital laboratories (completed the MBA etc...).


I've done a bit of research into MLT as a career so I have a vague idea (perhaps a little idealistic) of what their work is like. Thank you for being able to give me an insight into what their work is really like.

Actually, I believe that being able to handle repetitiveness is one of the major reasons they should accept me into this program. I worked in a research lab for about 2 years and I would look through 100-200 protein sequences every day then organize the results. It was very dry and very repetitive work, but being in a small lab with people I got along was made it fun. So I think the most important thing I'd like to get out of a career as a MLT would be to be able to work in a small group environment and enjoy it.

What is the difference between "Technical Specialists" at a diagnostic company and a MLT at a lab? I always thought that they were the same thing except that a diagnostic company was privately owned while a hospital lab would be publicly owned.

Right now at this point in life, I'm simply seeking a stable career that would let me settle down and get married. There doesn't seem to be much wiggle room in terms of career development except for management positions as you mentioned or perhaps teaching positions. It's something I understand but cannot foresee as a problem. Maybe I'll remember your words when I start having a middle-life crisis. :cheesygri

Only problem that I see is if I don't get accepted into the program since I don't have much of a back up plan other than to find a half-decent administration job. I feel like I should be able to do better than administration work with a B. Sc, but it's just such a useless degree. :|

[ERIKAAMORRIS]

I've done a bit of research into MLT as a career so I have a vague idea (perhaps a little idealistic) of what their work is like. Thank you for being able to give me an insight into what their work is really like.

Actually, I believe that being able to handle repetitiveness is one of the major reasons they should accept me into this program. I worked in a research lab for about 2 years and I would look through 100-200 protein sequences every day then organize the results. It was very dry and very repetitive work, but being in a small lab with people I got along was made it fun. So I think the most important thing I'd like to get out of a career as a MLT would be to be able to work in a small group environment and enjoy it.

What is the difference between "Technical Specialists" at a diagnostic company and a MLT at a lab? I always thought that they were the same thing except that a diagnostic company was privately owned while a hospital lab would be publicly owned.

Right now at this point in life, I'm simply seeking a stable career that would let me settle down and get married. There doesn't seem to be much wiggle room in terms of career development except for management positions as you mentioned or perhaps teaching positions. It's something I understand but cannot foresee as a problem. Maybe I'll remember your words when I start having a middle-life crisis. :cheesygri

Only problem that I see is if I don't get accepted into the program since I don't have much of a back up plan other than to find a half-decent administration job. I feel like I should be able to do better than administration work with a B. Sc, but it's just such a useless degree. :|

Why don't you try sleep medicine? Nights? The B.Sc. was the important part of the pre-reqs.

Of course, it's pretty repetitive too (and noisy - darned SNORERS ;) )

[samm]

as a technician, you have no autonomy. are you always working under someone, and will not have say in what you do. you are basically told what to do and you must do it.

[nalababe]

I've done a bit of research into MLT as a career so I have a vague idea (perhaps a little idealistic) of what their work is like. Thank you for being able to give me an insight into what their work is really like.

Actually, I believe that being able to handle repetitiveness is one of the major reasons they should accept me into this program. I worked in a research lab for about 2 years and I would look through 100-200 protein sequences every day then organize the results. It was very dry and very repetitive work, but being in a small lab with people I got along was made it fun. So I think the most important thing I'd like to get out of a career as a MLT would be to be able to work in a small group environment and enjoy it.

What is the difference between "Technical Specialists" at a diagnostic company and a MLT at a lab? I always thought that they were the same thing except that a diagnostic company was privately owned while a hospital lab would be publicly owned.

Right now at this point in life, I'm simply seeking a stable career that would let me settle down and get married. There doesn't seem to be much wiggle room in terms of career development except for management positions as you mentioned or perhaps teaching positions. It's something I understand but cannot foresee as a problem. Maybe I'll remember your words when I start having a middle-life crisis. :cheesygri

Only problem that I see is if I don't get accepted into the program since I don't have much of a back up plan other than to find a half-decent administration job. I feel like I should be able to do better than administration work with a B. Sc, but it's just such a useless degree. :|

A Technical/Application Specialist at a Diagnostic Company (think instrument manufacturers) need not be a MLT, though since it takes a lot of time to train people, it is easier for Siemens, Roche, Abbott etc to hire a MLT who already has the background...you can train the about the specifics of your equipment (a bonus if they are already using your equipment).

I was a Technical Sales Specialist, Applications Specialist, Technical Support Representative...call it what you will. It was a great first step. And no, I did not have a MLT. Now, that was rare, though since I came via the Molecular/Genetics route, it is not as surprising.

As for roles of a Technical/Applications Specialist. This can include installations, training, troubleshooting, selling assay additions, presentations, lunch and learns...it depends on the company. The base pay is normally better than in a lab, though no overtime. A company car is included and typically equal benefits (though stock options are possible depending on the company). Travel can be frequent, but again could include fun places (I personally went to South America, Carribean, Latin America, Japan and throughout the US).

[kayoko]

as a technician, you have no autonomy. are you always working under someone, and will not have say in what you do. you are basically told what to do and you must do it.

But isn't it like that at most jobs? Though, I'm planning to become a technologist rather than a technician.

As long as what they ask of me doesn't betray my personal ethics, it's all good.

[kayoko]

A Technical/Application Specialist at a Diagnostic Company (think instrument manufacturers) need not be a MLT, though since it takes a lot of time to train people, it is easier for Siemens, Roche, Abbott etc to hire a MLT who already has the background...you can train the about the specifics of your equipment (a bonus if they are already using your equipment).

I was a Technical Sales Specialist, Applications Specialist, Technical Support Representative...call it what you will. It was a great first step. And no, I did not have a MLT. Now, that was rare, though since I came via the Molecular/Genetics route, it is not as surprising.

As for roles of a Technical/Applications Specialist. This can include installations, training, troubleshooting, selling assay additions, presentations, lunch and learns...it depends on the company. The base pay is normally better than in a lab, though no overtime. A company car is included and typically equal benefits (though stock options are possible depending on the company). Travel can be frequent, but again could include fun places (I personally went to South America, Carribean, Latin America, Japan and throughout the US).

Oh, that is a rather interesting route you took in your career! Traveling around the world does sound rather fun. Though, I'm sure it's a little different to be there for business purposes rather than leisure.

I remember a lady from an instrument company visiting the lab I worked at every so often to check on us and see if we would be interested in any of their new products. Having to sell things like that isn't my thing. I'm not very good at convincing people that they *need* this product so I would not do very well if it was a commission-based salary. But if it were more technical support based, then I would be interested in that especially since I consider myself tech savy so technology makes me curious. Though, I don't think I've been around enough instrumentation to qualify for a job like that.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and showing me that there are different ways to develop a career.

[cyrene]

After a quick search on Google, I found three schools offering medical lab tech programs, but all of them are different in lengths:

Mohawk - distance education (aren't there any labs requiring fancy equipment/chemicals that you just can't do from home??!)

Centennial - 2 sem. of courses + 1 sem of internship (done in 12 months)

Michener - 4 sem. of courses + 3 sem. of intership (done in 2.5 years)

And there are probably other schools offering MLT programs that I haven't looked at yet...

So obviously going with Michener you get more training with more time and tuition, but are there heavy consequences of going with a shorter program with the other colleges? For example, will Michener grads typically get positions with higher starting salary? Or will an employer look at a Mohawk MLT diploma and think "garbage"?

[kayoko]

After a quick search on Google, I found three schools offering medical lab tech programs, but all of them are different in lengths:

Mohawk - distance education (aren't there any labs requiring fancy equipment/chemicals that you just can't do from home??!)

Centennial - 2 sem. of courses + 1 sem of internship (done in 12 months)

Michener - 4 sem. of courses + 3 sem. of intership (done in 2.5 years)

And there are probably other schools offering MLT programs that I haven't looked at yet...

So obviously going with Michener you get more training with more time and tuition, but are there heavy consequences of going with a shorter program with the other colleges? For example, will Michener grads typically get positions with higher starting salary? Or will an employer look at a Mohawk MLT diploma and think "garbage"?

Well, first and foremost, there is a difference between medical laboratory technologist and medical laboratory technician/assistant. The Centennial and Mohawk fall under the assistant/technician category while Michener's program is the technologist category.

Technologists are a regulated profession requiring registration with a professional program in order to work as MLT. Technicians/assistants are not regulated. As a result, technologists have better starting pay.

As for any consequences of choosing one over the other, I would say career advancement. If you were an employer trying to find a supervisor, would you hire a technologist or a technician/assistant?

[cyrene]

Thanks kayoko...I'm in similar boat as you - have a degree already and thinking of doing more school. But I graduated a few years back, so I've already spent several years drifting and not having a desirable career. I read your other post...wish you the best of luck of getting into Michener.

Anyways I was confused about the term "medical lab tech" - tech being short for technologist or technician...but I see which schools actually offer the "technologist" program now: http://www.csmls.org/english/career/programs.htm

[kayoko]

Thanks kayoko...I'm in similar boat as you - have a degree already and thinking of doing more school. But I graduated a few years back, so I've already spent several years drifting and not having a desirable career. I read your other post...wish you the best of luck of getting into Michener.


Ah, I think there are many of us out there in this situation. I think Michener offers some incredible programs that offer you a profession. The only problem is that a lot of their programs take 2-3+ years full time to complete.

Although, if you find your qualifying for their graduate programs, they're great cause they're much shorter, but they still provide you with a good stepping stone into a career. Examples like sleep medicine, diagnostic cytology, genetics technology, etc.

One non-Michener program I applied to was "PHARMACEUTICAL REGULATORY AFFAIRS AND QUALITY OPERATIONS" (http://www.senecac.on.ca/fulltime/RAQC.html) from Seneca. It's an awesome program since it runs only for 1 year and you get a co-op opportunity. I have a friend from high school who's in the program right now and she's really enjoying it. She told me that the top supervisor in her department only has a B. Sc so there's not that much pressure to go back for a M.Sc or PhD.

I didn't bother writing Seneca's English assessment test for the program cause in the end, I like health care a whole lot more than pharmaceutical industry. Personal choice mostly, cause I'm sure I have a heck of a better chance getting into Seneca than Michener.

It's been a crazy process for me deciding what career to choose and by the first week of May, I'll know my fate (that's when acceptances will be sent out). Wish you good luck in this process and hopefully, you'll be able to find something that you like as I did. :cheesygri

[cyrene]

kayoko - from your posts, I'm assuming Michener admission is quite competitive? Since the med lab tech program only needs high school courses requirements, wouldn't you have an advantage since you already have a B.Sc and more mature? Or does it actually hurt to be not coming straight from high school...

Yeah, another 2-3 years...seems like lots of ppl have the bachelor-degree-is-not-enough issue. I have also been looking into the pharmacist option (yes, not your cup of tea) - my GPA has a shot (not too long of a shot, but not a sure thing either), but another 4 years plus ridiculous tuition - I'll be a very broke thirty-something after I graduate.

[kayoko]

kayoko - from your posts, I'm assuming Michener admission is quite competitive? Since the med lab tech program only needs high school courses requirements, wouldn't you have an advantage since you already have a B.Sc and more mature? Or does it actually hurt to be not coming straight from high school...

Yeah, another 2-3 years...seems like lots of ppl have the bachelor-degree-is-not-enough issue. I have also been looking into the pharmacist option (yes, not your cup of tea) - my GPA has a shot (not too long of a shot, but not a sure thing either), but another 4 years plus ridiculous tuition - I'll be a very broke thirty-something after I graduate.

Med Lab Tech program is competitive, but not so bad. I'm pretty sure I have a good chance of getting into it. Most of the students in the program that I've talked to through open house and what not actually have B.Sc. The number of students straight from high school is usually in the single digits. I was comforted by a student who told me not to worry about being old in the program! *laughs*

Diagnostic Cytology is another story since they only take in 12 people out of the 250 that apply. Genetics Technology is even tougher to get into (there are lots of genetics students out there).

Pharmacy would be awesome! Starting salary is good enough that loans shouldn't be a problem. As long as they lend you enough for you to make it through school, I think it'd be worth it if that's what you want to do. Though, I do admit that $12,000/year of tuition is ridiculous.

Personally, I wouldn't let age be an issue unless you've got a family to feed/raise. Career changes are normal. I think the most important part is being proud of what you're doing. Of course, this is my young idealistic self talking. Wishful, but nice.

[nalababe]

Keep in mind that there is considerable demand for MLT's. Hospitals are currently desperate as a large number of current MLTs are close to retirement. There are many hospitals that are now offering signing bonuses to attact MLTs...there is a huge demand NA wide.

You want the Technologist not the technician.

Consider the college programs as well. These are the same programs as the Mitchner (the mitchner was started for a different purpose). As for MLT's. Many already have degrees, yes, but there are many that I know that are successful with the College program.

FWIW, current trend is to move most midsize or larger hospital labs to automation...until recently, hospitals like Brantford or Toronto East would have been though of too small for Autmating Chemistry/IA/Coag/Hematology...but technology has changed and the threshold is lowering.

What this means is that someone with a high degree of comfort with the MLT side and very comfortable with computers will be in even higher demand as the automation systems all require middleware/linecontrol stations.

As a final thought, a few years as a successful MLT showing strong abilities with equipment is a great way to get hired by the Diagnostic companies (again, this is how we hire our Techincal Specialists: the troubleshooters, trainers etc). When I was in the role, I believe that I was the only technical specialist who did not have a MLT designation.

[xOnic_]

I am definitely interested in this field in the future, but i was just wondering about the wages. So far, i gather average wage per hour is $30/h - $40k/year, anyone got more accurate figures since this field is indeed in demand. Also, does the program also include phlebotomy?

[nalababe]

I cannot speak for actual wages at each institution; however, I can say that with a few years experience 50-70k is very possible...add overtime and you can earn more.

Now, it can be repetitive...no question.

It can also be a job where you work your shift and that is it. For some, a midnight shift is great...for others, a morning or evening is better....

As I have said before, it is a great "in" to the instrument companies (roche, abbott, Siemens, Beckman etc...).

[stevethewheel]

I worked in a research lab for about 2 years and I would look through 100-200 protein sequences every day then organize the results. It was very dry and very repetitive work, but being in a small lab with people I got along was made it fun. So I think the most important thing I'd like to get out of a career as a MLT would be to be able to work in a small group environment and enjoy it.


You are prepared for the "worst" the job has to offer and you're OK with it. That's great. Many MLT jobs are like that.....but there are quite a few that are better or lead to something better down the road.

Taking the technology program is worth it, you'll get more theory and be better prepared to get away from the bench routine.

[nalababe]

In Alberta, salary ranged from $40,500 to $82,100 a year. The average salary was $61,300 a year. [Source (http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?aspAction=GetHTMLProfile&format=html&OCCPRO_ID=71003140)]
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in Ontario: $954.62 - $1,090.18 (MplusM) per week [Source (http://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/Preview.aspx?JobID=7456)]

If you want more detailed information about salaries, go to job boards and you can see how much they're offering relative to the amount of experience required. Regardless, 40k for a college diploma isn't bad.

Yes, the medical laboratory technologist position includes phlebotomy. You start off practicing on your peers (in turn, your peers practice on you!).


If anyone wants to PM, I can provide more info from a outside eye position....again I work with MLT's daily and we hire MLT's routinely.....

[mmhassa2]

Just a off topic question....I have a friend who goes to Michener. I was wondering those who graduate does your certificate really come from UofT? She mentioned it's part of UofT and when you do graduate you are seen as a UofT graduate...can anyone confirm this?

[kayoko]

Just a off topic question....I have a friend who goes to Michener. I was wondering those who graduate does your certificate really come from UofT? She mentioned it's part of UofT and when you do graduate you are seen as a UofT graduate...can anyone confirm this?

I believe your friend is in the Radiological Technology program (http://www.michener.ca/ft/rad_tech.php) which is a joint degree-diploma from UofT and Michener. One of the more competitive programs to get into, students of the program graduate with a degree from UofT and a diploma from Michener. So, to answer you question, you friend would be a graduate of both UofT and Michener.

Although note that the rad tech program is unique in this aspect. Most, if not all, other programs at Michener only result in a diploma or advanced diploma.

Dang, I must really like Michener to know this much off the top of my head. LOL.

[cyrene]

Dang, I must really like Michener to know this much off the top of my head. LOL.

kayoko, you can probably work for Michener part-time as a recruitment officer or student adviser! :razz:

[kayoko]

kayoko, you can probably work for Michener part-time as a recruitment officer or student adviser! :razz:

I should totally nominate myself for a recruitment officer position. :lol:

[quirkybun]

I cannot speak for actual wages at each institution; however, I can say that with a few years experience 50-70k is very possible...add overtime and you can earn more.

Now, it can be repetitive...no question.

It can also be a job where you work your shift and that is it. For some, a midnight shift is great...for others, a morning or evening is better....

As I have said before, it is a great "in" to the instrument companies (roche, abbott, Siemens, Beckman etc...).

Hey, I'm in the Rad Tech program at Michener and just from chatting with people in the MLT program here I have a feeling that you've been mislead. I certainly couldn't tell you for sure, but I've heard that the max you could possibly make with an MLT diploma is 50k/yr at management level. So But if what you're saying is true, then I'm definately in the wrong program. Maybe I'm biased but I think that even though the Rad Tech and other MRS programs might take a bit longer than the MLT program (MRS programs are 3 yrs), your career will be much more satisfying and you will most likely be paid more. I mean, 1 yr is not that big of a difference esp when you would be increasing your salary by substantial percentage.

[mmhassa2]

I believe your friend is in the Radiological Technology program (http://www.michener.ca/ft/rad_tech.php) which is a joint degree-diploma from UofT and Michener. One of the more competitive programs to get into, students of the program graduate with a degree from UofT and a diploma from Michener. So, to answer you question, you friend would be a graduate of both UofT and Michener.

Although note that the rad tech program is unique in this aspect. Most, if not all, other programs at Michener only result in a diploma or advanced diploma.

Dang, I must really like Michener to know this much off the top of my head. LOL.

Thanks but she specifically mentioned she's taking the Med lab tech program and said she gets a degree from UofT. (I went to work with her one day and I think she tests blood, urine and etc. that comes in) So is this what you would once you graduate from the med lab tech program? :confused:

[samm]

Thanks but she specifically mentioned she's taking the Med lab tech program and said she gets a degree from UofT. (I went to work with her one day and I think she tests blood, urine and etc. that comes in) So is this what you would once you graduate from the med lab tech program? :confused:

i do not know of a school that offers a degree in MLT. and yes, when you graduate as a MLT, your would be asked to test blood, urine, stool, and all that good stuff. MLT at michener is very very competitive.

[mmhassa2]

i do not know of a school that offers a degree in MLT. and yes, when you graduate as a MLT, your would be asked to test blood, urine, stool, and all that good stuff. MLT at michener is very very competitive. Hmm I guess she's trying to convince me she'll get a degree. I thought the same that this program should not be giving out a degree AND a diploma. Thanks for confirming guys....I'm going to ask now with more knowledge :lol:

[samm]

Hey, I'm in the Rad Tech program at Michener and just from chatting with people in the MLT program here I have a feeling that you've been mislead. I certainly couldn't tell you for sure, but I've heard that the max you could possibly make with an MLT diploma is 50k/yr at management level. So But if what you're saying is true, then I'm definately in the wrong program. Maybe I'm biased but I think that even though the Rad Tech and other MRS programs might take a bit longer than the MLT program (MRS programs are 3 yrs), your career will be much more satisfying and you will most likely be paid more. I mean, 1 yr is not that big of a difference esp when you would be increasing your salary by substantial percentage.

being in the MRSc program at McMaster/Mohawk, i would say the increase in salary comes with a price, your health. and the MRS program at michener is 3 years, but you need to take a year in life science at UT prior. so doesnt that mean, a full year of chem and bio?

[kayoko]

Hey, I'm in the Rad Tech program at Michener and just from chatting with people in the MLT program here I have a feeling that you've been mislead. I certainly couldn't tell you for sure, but I've heard that the max you could possibly make with an MLT diploma is 50k/yr at management level. So But if what you're saying is true, then I'm definately in the wrong program. Maybe I'm biased but I think that even though the Rad Tech and other MRS programs might take a bit longer than the MLT program (MRS programs are 3 yrs), your career will be much more satisfying and you will most likely be paid more. I mean, 1 yr is not that big of a difference esp when you would be increasing your salary by substantial percentage.

The amount of compensation surely varies with where you are in Canada, whether you're in a public or private institution and other benefits. For example, take a look at this current job (http://www.csmls.org/english/jobDetails.cfm?id=1063) listing at CSMLS. It already disproves your theory of maximum being 50k as it states "Up to $65K + Perks + Car Allowance". I'm sure if you're worth, you can bargain for more and they'd give it to you.

Satisfaction on the job is a personal thing so it's rather difficult to say that one job is better than the other.

Perhaps your starting salary as a MRS is more, but someone with a MLT diploma could go get certified for Diagnostic Cytology or Genetics Technology and have a starting salary of 50K-70k (as per the little info sheet Michener gave out at their open house). Likewise, someone with MRS could go back for 6 months and do MRI studies and get a salary jump that way.

So, it's not like there's no way to make good money as a MLT, it may just take some time and may include a jump into the medical device industry. :cheesygri

[kayoko]

i do not know of a school that offers a degree in MLT. and yes, when you graduate as a MLT, your would be asked to test blood, urine, stool, and all that good stuff. MLT at michener is very very competitive.

Strangely enough, I stumbled upon this (https://connect.uoit.ca/uoit/program.do?from=faculty&programID=53)when I was searching for MLT job postings. Apparently, they offer a B.Sc degree in Med Lab at University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

Never heard of them, but hey, it's an option.

[nalababe]

Strangely enough, I stumbled upon this (https://connect.uoit.ca/uoit/program.do?from=faculty&programID=53)when I was searching for MLT job postings. Apparently, they offer a B.Sc degree in Med Lab at University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

Never heard of them, but hey, it's an option.

They have been around for a while and a number of their instructors work for either Pickering or Oshawa core labs. I believe that there is also a B.Sc. MLT program in BC...though I cannot recall the school.

[quirkybun]

The amount of compensation surely varies with where you are in Canada, whether you're in a public or private institution and other benefits. For example, take a look at this current job (http://www.csmls.org/english/jobDetails.cfm?id=1063) listing at CSMLS. It already disproves your theory of maximum being 50k as it states "Up to $65K + Perks + Car Allowance". I'm sure if you're worth, you can bargain for more and they'd give it to you.

Satisfaction on the job is a personal thing so it's rather difficult to say that one job is better than the other.

Perhaps your starting salary as a MRS is more, but someone with a MLT diploma could go get certified for Diagnostic Cytology or Genetics Technology and have a starting salary of 50K-70k (as per the little info sheet Michener gave out at their open house). Likewise, someone with MRS could go back for 6 months and do MRI studies and get a salary jump that way.

So, it's not like there's no way to make good money as a MLT, it may just take some time and may include a jump into the medical device industry. :cheesygri


Alright, maybe I was wrong to say that it's impossible to make more than 50k a year as an MLT. But I wouldn't be conviced that that was the norm. Consider the ratio of REGIONAL CLINICAL MANAGERS to your everyday MLTs in Canada. Your average MLT without any additional training is not likely to make such a sweet salary. Be realistic. Like I said, I'm not the expert. I would just suggest doing more research and talking to real MLTs to find out what to really expect. 65k salary for an MLT seems like wishful thinking. I'm not trying to argue, and I don't mean to offend anyone here, all I'm saying is that you should probably check out a more reliable source than the internet if you don't want to be dissapointed.

And you're right about job satisfaction. It's totally subjective.

[quirkybun]

being in the MRSc program at McMaster/Mohawk, i would say the increase in salary comes with a price, your health. and the MRS program at michener is 3 years, but you need to take a year in life science at UT prior. so doesnt that mean, a full year of chem and bio?

The increase in salary is not to compensate for any detriment to your health. The increase in salary is due to a greater pool of skills and responsibilities. A lot of people believe that being in MRS is dangerous because you're working with ionizing radiation. Yes ionizing radiation is dangerous, but you are working with a very small and controlled amount of radiation and you are not going to be exposed to it. You might be exposed to a small amount if you're doing mobile x-rays (the kind where you bring the machine to a patient's bed if they can't come down to the x-ray department) or fluoro in the OR if you're not careful. In reality, if you're careful you'll receive virtually no radiation. People are always worried about x-rays, but they'll jump on a plane and go tanning without a worry. Rad tech is very safe. I don't blame you for thinking that it's a dangerous field, it certainly does have the potential to be dangerous but generally that is just a misrepresentation of the field.

And yes, you do need a year of uni with bio, physics and calc (no chem). But assuming that you already have those prerequisites, it's only 1 more year than MLT.

[kasianman]

btw emails are coming in from Michener Institute
It seems as they've finished assessing my application and the first round of offer should come by end of the month.

[kayoko]

btw emails are coming in from Michener Institute
It seems as they've finished assessing my application and the first round of offer should come by end of the month.

Did you get an email regarding the "Statement of Intent" to continue the application for MLT? I got one for my Diagnostic Cytology application, but not the MLT one. At least, not yet.

[cyrene]

Since there were a few posts regarding rad tech vs. MLT salary: The Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists website has posted a salary scale for unionized positions of rad tech, rad therapists, etc. across Canada:

http://www.camrt.ca/english/career/SalaryScale.asp


If there's one for the MLTs or for other similar health professions, please post.

Of course, potential salary is only part of what makes a person goes for one program vs. another.

[kasianman]

Did you get an email regarding the "Statement of Intent" to continue the application for MLT? I got one for my Diagnostic Cytology application, but not the MLT one. At least, not yet.

yes I received one for MLT

I also applied to different program in Michener.
Would sending "state of intent" void application to the other program?

[kayoko]

yes I received one for MLT

I also applied to different program in Michener.
Would sending "state of intent" void application to the other program?

I don't see why it would void an application like that.

Although, my concern is about waiting lists as I'm currently on one. They never said anything about voiding my application should I choose to accept another program. They just tell you that you can terminate your wait listed spot any time until September 21st.

Yeah, didn't make it into diagnostic cytology. :cry:

[cyrene]

Yeah, didn't make it into diagnostic cytology. :cry:

Sorry to hear about that, kayoko. Hopefully whichever program you will be in next September will work out great for you down the road anyways...

I just read the McMaster Rad Sci thread which you posted that you were accepted to before...I'm also considering MRT now but more the college route instead of a degree, thinking I do prefer moving around and interacting with patients even though they are sick, and I'm not into working graveyard :) Although MLT is still an interesting option. Anyways, it will be for Sept 2009 admission anyways, so I will be thinking about it for a few more months!

[kasianman]

Thank you for your kind thoughts and words of encouragement!

I think there really is a personality aspect to working as a MRT. In a way, you have to be mentally prepared to deal with people who are ill (possibly terminally ill) so you want to be friendly. But at the same time, patients might be nervous and scared so you have to also be calm for them.

With MLT work, your patient's in a tube. A lot less personal.

It's different, but they're both awesome careers. Good luck in your search! Lots of research and talk to the students/faculty from schools!

are there many job opportunities for MLT?

[kasianman]

According to the information Michener feeds to prospective students and my own research, job prospects are good. There have been cases where students in clinical places are offered positions before they graduate.

Other websites that support this:
Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Technologists (http://www.csmls.org/english/career/index.htm) - "Excellent job prospects - medical laboratory technologists are in demand "

Manitoba Job Futures (http://mb.jobfutures.org/profiles/profile.cfm?noc=3211) - "Employment prospects for medical laboratory technologists and pathologists' assistants are expected to be good in the period 2008 - 2012. Employment in Manitoba in 2008 is estimated at 1,030."

CMLTO (http://www.cmlto.com/public/mlts/default.asp?load=careers)- "The outlook for students who wish to enter the MLT profession is very positive due to an impending national shortage of Medical Laboratory Technologists. A report released in May 2001 by the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) – estimates that 44.4 per cent of general Medical Laboratory Technologists in Canada will be eligible to retire by the year 2015. The shortage will be even greater in Ontario. Approximately 11.2 per cent of Ontario’s general medical laboratory workforce will be eligible to retire by 2005. By 2015, this will increase to 43.7 per cent. " [They even have a nice chart on the website]

Ontario Job Future (http://www.ontariojobfutures.ca/profile3211.html) - "Employment for this occupation is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2009 as the volume of laboratory tests increases with population growth and the development of new types of tests."

Job Futures (National) (http://www.jobfutures.ca/noc/3211p3.shtml) - "Your work prospects are rated GOOD because:Employement grew at an above-average rate. Hourly wages ($24.17) are above the average ($18.07), and the rate of wage growth is close to the average. The unemployment rate (2%) is below the 2004 average (7%)."

ok I like the statistics, but I've worked in labs including hospitals and ministry of health.
Current technologists just don't want to let go of their seats, and I don't think they're increasing enough room for new graduates.

When I was working as an assistant, all the contract works or volunteers hoping to land a position were struggling real bad.

[kayoko]

ok I like the statistics, but I've worked in labs including hospitals and ministry of health.
Current technologists just don't want to let go of their seats, and I don't think they're increasing enough room for new graduates.

When I was working as an assistant, all the contract works or volunteers hoping to land a position were struggling real bad.

Well, take a look at nalababe's post (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6480895&postcount=8), "Now, in the city cores, there is more saturation, but if you are willing to relocate, you can make very nice money." If you look at the statistics I provided previously, you also see this trend. Ontario's growth is average while growth in Manitoba (perhaps the West coast as well) is above average. Job opportunities are there, it's just a matter of whether you're willing to relocate.

I don't have an inside look at lab jobs like you have had, but I do have graduate employment rates from OSAP:

2004-2005 (https://osap.gov.on.ca/eng/PDF/0405/0405_KPI_Other.pdf) (p17 for Michener)
2000-2001 (http://www.ontla.on.ca/library/repository/mon/6000/10315959.pdf) (p8 for Michener)

From those statistics, you can see that not all graduates looked for a job, but those that did found them.

Hey, if I had a government job, I wouldn't want to let go of it either.

[kasianman]

Got MLT acceptance letter through email today.
I'm going if I don't get into MRT.
As soon as I get MRT, then I'll decline offer.

[kayoko]

got MLT acceptance letter through email today

Congrats!

Haven't gotten mine yet *fingers crossed*

EDIT: Got my offer in email too! w00t!

[Eureka47]

I didn't exactly graduate with A's in university and my lab experience wasn't exactly wet lab either.

Thank you in advance!

You got an acceptance from Michener into MLT and you didn't have much wet lab experience or A's in university? What was your major if you don't mind me asking and your average?

I didn't receive an acceptance and I've had a lot of wet lab experience with a mid 70 average....just curious what kind of people are getting accepted.

[kayoko]

You got an acceptance from Michener into MLT and you didn't have much wet lab experience or A's in university? What was your major if you don't mind me asking and your average?

I didn't receive an acceptance and I've had a lot of wet lab experience with a mid 70 average....just curious what kind of people are getting accepted.

Well, as far as I know, they look at your university marks, but don't rank you based on them. The ONLY requirement for MLT is a couple of science oriented courses in high school (even Biology is optional believe it or not). So it really depends on how you did in high school.

I was all over the place in university, but did well in high school (averaged 92ish in grade 12). It's not a spectacular mark that would of gotten me into Mac Health Sci, but it's good enough for most other programs.

They might be doing acceptances in groups so there might be another flood of them coming Monday/Tuesday. Did you get a "statement of intent" to sign? Cause that's a sign...

[cyrene]

EDIT: Got my offer in email too! w00t!

That's awesome, kayoko!

Haha...your good marks in grade 12 or OAC still pay off many years after! I graduated high school in the 90's(!)...if I apply for Sept 2009 entrance, does it mean those 10+ years old marks will be dug up and be the major admission criteria?

[kayoko]

That's awesome, kayoko!

Haha...your good marks in grade 12 or OAC still pay off many years after! I graduated high school in the 90's(!)...if I apply for Sept 2009 entrance, does it mean those 10+ years old marks will be dug up and be the major admission criteria?

Thanks!! XD

Well, I'm just saying this based on many assumptions on my part. They're rather secretive about how they weigh different components for ranking purposes. They won't even tell you how many people they've admitted.

You might be eligible for Mature Student (http://www.michener.ca/admissions/gen_admission_info.php) status:

A fundamental understanding of science is required for success in Michener's programs. Applicants who are 21 years of age or older and have been out of formal education for at least two years may be considered for admission on an individual basis. Please contact Office of the Registrar and Student Enrollment for more information.

I would think that they would still take those old high school marks into consideration as long as you have the required courses. If you apply and are worried about it, you could always send in voluntary supplementary information (resume, references, and any related certification).

There should be no discrimination whether you just finished high school or finished high school 10+ years ago. In both cases, you proved that you acquired that knowledge. Whether you still retain that information is another story. You may have to end up studying harder than recent graduates to recall the information, but if you're willing to give up a full time job to go back to school, you're probably ready to study harder than you've ever studied.

[keiko126]

can't believe i didn't find this site and forum until today...

i also applied for mlt at michener and got the acceptance email last friday =)

at the open house, they said they accepted around 60 people from ~600 last year and the girl who showed us around said the program is mainly made up of people with more than a high school education...

as for salary, this is what i know, i read in a magazine which ranked the top 10 highest paid professions out of an university/college, and mlt ranked 10th with an average of 50k/year.

my friend tried emailing the woman and asking her when the rest of the acceptance letters will be emailed, but she never replied back...i guess maybe she's too busy or she gets a lot of these emails and don't bother replying =p

[kayoko]

can't believe i didn't find this site and forum until today...

i also applied for mlt at michener and got the acceptance email last friday =)

at the open house, they said they accepted around 60 people from ~600 last year and the girl who showed us around said the program is mainly made up of people with more than a high school education...

as for salary, this is what i know, i read in a magazine which ranked the top 10 highest paid professions out of an university/college, and mlt ranked 10th with an average of 50k/year.

my friend tried emailing the woman and asking her when the rest of the acceptance letters will be emailed, but she never replied back...i guess maybe she's too busy or she gets a lot of these emails and don't bother replying =p

Congrats on your acceptance! And welcome to RFD where you try to save money but end up buying more! :cheesygri

I'm still waiting for my mailed package :| Have you gotten it yet?

The magazine you read, did it happen to be from the Toronto-based chinese newspaper Ming Pao? Cause my mother showed me that too. Although you have to be careful about what they tell you as the lady they interviewed was a cytologist and they get paid better then regular/general MLT's.

I suppose if you don't get an offer (email/snail mail) from them by the end of this week, then be prepared to be on a waiting list.

It's strange, in a good way, that this thread has attracted other people like you who applied and/or got accepted into the program. Whether or not we'll ever hear from them again is another story. It's like getting to know my future classmates ahead of time!

[j_13]

Hey! I am glad I found this forum. I am waiting for my package too. The e-mail said they were sent out on Friday. So we'll be getting them soon (maybe even today)

[kayoko]

Got MLT acceptance letter through email today.
I'm going if I don't get into MRT.
As soon as I get MRT, then I'll decline offer.

Just out of curiousity, when they expect to send out MRT offers?

Hope you get into MRT! *crosses fingers for you*

[kasianman]

Just out of curiousity, when they expect to send out MRT offers?

Hope you get into MRT! *crosses fingers for you*

Thanks :)

I think offers are being sent out a few at a time... but constantly.
Still waiting and crossing my fingers too lol

[AprilD]

I called yesterday to make sure they had all my midterm info (they didnt have it on file as of Friday) and she said offers are still coming out......

Kasianman.. well know soon !!!!

[keiko126]

Congrats on your acceptance! And welcome to RFD where you try to save money but end up buying more! :cheesygri

I'm still waiting for my mailed package :| Have you gotten it yet?

The magazine you read, did it happen to be from the Toronto-based chinese newspaper Ming Pao? Cause my mother showed me that too. Although you have to be careful about what they tell you as the lady they interviewed was a cytologist and they get paid better then regular/general MLT's.

I suppose if you don't get an offer (email/snail mail) from them by the end of this week, then be prepared to be on a waiting list.

It's strange, in a good way, that this thread has attracted other people like you who applied and/or got accepted into the program. Whether or not we'll ever hear from them again is another story. It's like getting to know my future classmates ahead of time!

yaa...it was from mingpao...she was a cytologist? lol...my bad...although the chinese name of the profession does suggest MLT...

i haven't gotten my mailed package yet...hopefully i'll get it today...

oh and i remembered something else from the open house, hopefully it might help some of you...the lady said the cutoff percentage from last year's admissions was 82% (high school)...and in previous years, michener had everyone answer questions like "why do u want to become a MLT?", "what skills/experiences do u have that may benefit you being a MLT?", etc...it was part of a supplementary document that applicants have to send in...this year, applicants don't have to do that, so im guessing michener is ranking their applicants solely based on grades and educational background...

[lc108]

hi i'm new here! i also applied to MLT but unfortunately i haven't gotten an offer yet. i did relatively well in high school (86% avg) so i'm hopeful but its so nerve-wracking! i'm so glad i found this thread where i can freak out a bit.

keiko126 - i don't know if your friend and i contacted the same person but i emailed the admissions person who sent me the letter of intent and she told me that if i haven't received anything by now, i haven't been considered for their first round of offers.

congrats to all those who have received acceptance!

[kayoko]

yaa...it was from mingpao...she was a cytologist? lol...my bad...although the chinese name of the profession does suggest MLT...

i haven't gotten my mailed package yet...hopefully i'll get it today...

oh and i remembered something else from the open house, hopefully it might help some of you...the lady said the cutoff percentage from last year's admissions was 82% (high school)...and in previous years, michener had everyone answer questions like "why do u want to become a MLT?", "what skills/experiences do u have that may benefit you being a MLT?", etc...it was part of a supplementary document that applicants have to send in...this year, applicants don't have to do that, so im guessing michener is ranking their applicants solely based on grades and educational background...

Nono. Don't be sorry. They are describing MLT as one of the top 10 (well, 10th spot from what I remember), but I think they're a little misleading as different MLT have different salaries, responsibilities and job prospects. It's kind of like a family doctor vs a cardiologist.

Funny that you mention a supplementary application cause when I went to the college fair back in October, I spoke with someone from admissions (forgot her name but I have her business card) and she said that they were doing "interviews" for everyone. Just to check how well you know the program/career and thoughts on things like patient-care issues (as your patient is in a tube rather than an individual in front of you).

I suppose they just don't have the resources to read through all the supplementary applications, especially considering the number of applications they must receive for MLT (I had no idea they get ~600 applicants). Although 600 applicants, I wonder how many actually have all the required courses. I suppose that I can see them giving preference to those with post-secondary education, that really isn't fair to those coming from high school. *ponder*

[kayoko]

hi i'm new here! i also applied to MLT but unfortunately i haven't gotten an offer yet. i did relatively well in high school (86% avg) so i'm hopeful but its so nerve-wracking! i'm so glad i found this thread where i can freak out a bit.

keiko126 - i don't know if your friend and i contacted the same person but i emailed the admissions person who sent me the letter of intent and she told me that if i haven't received anything by now, i haven't been considered for their first round of offers.

congrats to all those who have received acceptance!

If I get into diagnostic cytology, you can have my spot! Although, it probably won't happen. :cry: But yeah, don't give up. Lots of people apply to other programs with MLT as back up so spots will open up. Don't give up!

I would expect the second round offers to come out after the 20th (since May 19th is Victoria Day). I say this because in the first round of offers, the deadline to confirm your offer is the May 16th. Around the 20th/21st, they would know how many confirmations they got from ontariocolleges.ca and can thus start passing out second round offers. Of course, this is just assumptions on my part, but hopefully it'll help in some way.

[lc108]

If I get into diagnostic cytology, you can have my spot! Although, it probably won't happen. :cry: But yeah, don't give up. Lots of people apply to other programs with MLT as back up so spots will open up. Don't give up!

I would expect the second round offers to come out after the 20th (since May 19th is Victoria Day). I say this because in the first round of offers, the deadline to confirm your offer is the May 16th. Around the 20th/21st, they would know how many confirmations they got from ontariocolleges.ca and can thus start passing out second round offers. Of course, this is just assumptions on my part, but hopefully it'll help in some way.

Thanks for your encouragement! I was actually wondering when the deadline for confirmation of first round offers was but forgot to ask. Good thing you let me know.

As for the supplementary application, I actually applied to MLT last year but missed the deadline so clearly I was not even considered. Anyway I had to do the supplementary application then. So this year when I applied in October, I went to hand in the application to the registrars office and the admissions officer told me that they weren't doing it this year and she didn't realise the website hadn't been changed yet. She told me to hang onto the supplementary application though because they might ask me to submit one later on.

[keiko126]

If I get into diagnostic cytology, you can have my spot! Although, it probably won't happen. :cry: But yeah, don't give up. Lots of people apply to other programs with MLT as back up so spots will open up. Don't give up!

I would expect the second round offers to come out after the 20th (since May 19th is Victoria Day). I say this because in the first round of offers, the deadline to confirm your offer is the May 16th. Around the 20th/21st, they would know how many confirmations they got from ontariocolleges.ca and can thus start passing out second round offers. Of course, this is just assumptions on my part, but hopefully it'll help in some way.

ur assumptions make sense...i guess they don't want to send out offers all at once cuz it would be easier to keep track of everyone if they do it in groups...if u got a statement of intent, then i'd say there's a good chance u will be accepted sooner or later...stay positive!!!

btw, i got my offer package today...lots of things to hand in...

[kasianman]

If I get into diagnostic cytology, you can have my spot! Although, it probably won't happen. :cry: But yeah, don't give up. Lots of people apply to other programs with MLT as back up so spots will open up. Don't give up!

I would expect the second round offers to come out after the 20th (since May 19th is Victoria Day). I say this because in the first round of offers, the deadline to confirm your offer is the May 16th. Around the 20th/21st, they would know how many confirmations they got from ontariocolleges.ca and can thus start passing out second round offers. Of course, this is just assumptions on my part, but hopefully it'll help in some way.

I think you can do diagnostic cytology after graduating from MLT
since the admission requirement for diagnostic cytology is

* Canadian certified Medical Laboratory Technologist (MLT);

OR


* Bachelor of Science degree and one full-year university-level credit in both human anatomy and human physiology with a minimum grade of at least 60%. The course AP601-Anatomy and Physiology for Health Care Professionals, offered through The Michener Institute's Centre for Continuing Professional Education is an equivalent for both university level credit pre-requisites.

[kayoko]

ur assumptions make sense...i guess they don't want to send out offers all at once cuz it would be easier to keep track of everyone if they do it in groups...if u got a statement of intent, then i'd say there's a good chance u will be accepted sooner or later...stay positive!!!

btw, i got my offer package today...lots of things to hand in...

Awesome. I should get mine today or tomorrow. Ugh. I know. I don't have the First Aid CPR stuff so I'll have to do that sometime soon. It's not like they offer it during weekends (according to their distance ed course listing) so I'd have to take time off work to go do it. >_<

I looked at the statement of intent website and was like...dang.

[kayoko]

I think you can do diagnostic cytology after graduating from MLT
since the admission requirement for diagnostic cytology is

Yeah, I know. But doing it after a general MLT is 3 years + 16 months for the diagnostic cytology. As opposed to just doing diagnostic cytology for 16 months. Also, it's going to get more and more difficult to quit a full time job to go back to school especially when I start to have more financial burdens (i.e. moving out of my parents house, starting a family, etc. etc.)

Any thoughts on class size? 50-60 people is pretty small compared to most university class sizes, but it'd still make it difficult to know everyone. There are lots of things I missed out on in university, including getting to know my classmates well. It simply was not possible in 100-200 people classes and not everyone taking the same classes. I guess I'm expecting a lot more from my experience at Michener. Anyone else have similar thoughts?

[God_Anubis]

I have a few questions about MLT (medical lab technician) @ Michener, since I applied to this program too:

1. What are the job prospects for this career? i.e. Is it easy to get hired by hospitals, or is there a surplus of MLT graduates and low demand?

2. Will MLT's be working in hospital settings?

3. I know that there's a wide variety of MLT's including Diagnostic cytology, etc. What is the average salary? How much does a diagnostic cytologist make?

4. Are there any advancements in this career

5. I got an unconditional offer from michener for this program a week ago. I also applied to the respiratory therapy program. I'm still waiting for their response. Should I accept their offer for MLT in case i don't get accepted into RT? I still have a bit of time to respond to their offer.

thanks for any replies.

[kasianman]

It's Medical Laboratory Technologist btw (instead of technician ... huge differences in terms of what you learn and what you do)

1. Job prospect? I heard the technologists that I was working with that there were good demand for MLT.

2. Hospital, Government Labs, Private Companies

3. Not sure about this one.
There are specific things you learn as MLT.
Diagnostic cytology is somewhat of a different field I believe (although similar)

4. Yes. I've seen MLT's become managers in government lab.

5. Not sure about this one. I heard they already sent out offers for RT last Friday and early this week.


I have a few questions about MLT (medical lab technician) @ Michener, since I applied to this program too:

1. What are the job prospects for this career? i.e. Is it easy to get hired by hospitals, or is there a surplus of MLT graduates and low demand?

2. Will MLT's be working in hospital settings?

3. I know that there's a wide variety of MLT's including Diagnostic cytology, etc. What is the average salary? How much does a diagnostic cytologist make?

4. Are there any advancements in this career

5. I got an unconditional offer from michener for this program a week ago. I also applied to the respiratory therapy program. I'm still waiting for their response. Should I accept their offer for MLT in case i don't get accepted into RT? I still have a bit of time to respond to their offer.

thanks for any replies.

[keiko126]

Yeah, I know. But doing it after a general MLT is 3 years + 16 months for the diagnostic cytology. As opposed to just doing diagnostic cytology for 16 months. Also, it's going to get more and more difficult to quit a full time job to go back to school especially when I start to have more financial burdens (i.e. moving out of my parents house, starting a family, etc. etc.)

Any thoughts on class size? 50-60 people is pretty small compared to most university class sizes, but it'd still make it difficult to know everyone. There are lots of things I missed out on in university, including getting to know my classmates well. It simply was not possible in 100-200 people classes and not everyone taking the same classes. I guess I'm expecting a lot more from my experience at Michener. Anyone else have similar thoughts?

I'm guessing class sizes will be very small, unlike first year university classes, i once had a class with 600 other people, lol. You also have to take into account that they probably split up the 60 people into different classes and labs, so class size will be even smaller than 60 people. Their classrooms are really small as well. I also heard that the teachers are very nice and eager to help you with homework/assignments/test/etc so u'll probably be able to get to know ur teacher well and vice versa due to the small class sizes. And MLT classes and labs are concentrated on one floor, so u'll be able to run into a lot of ur classmates in the halls and stuff. The one thing with Michener that I dont like is that there's not much space to move around, the halls are kind of narrow and some of the classrooms are small, so it feels like I'm being boxed in. I dont know if anyone else here have that feeling as well when they visited Michener.

My friend called Karyn (the woman sending out the emails) today and she said 120 statement of intents were sent out but only 56 people were accepted in the first round last friday. The second round is coming but the number of people accepted in the second round depends on how many first rounders quits (dont accept the offer). So I guess that means they have already ranked everyone from 1 to *** and people get in as spots become available. I dont know when the second round emails are coming but it'll probably be what kayoko said about them coming after may 16.

[kasianman]

I'm guessing class sizes will be very small, unlike first year university classes, i once had a class with 600 other people, lol. You also have to take into account that they probably split up the 60 people into different classes and labs, so class size will be even smaller than 60 people. Their classrooms are really small as well. I also heard that the teachers are very nice and eager to help you with homework/assignments/test/etc so u'll probably be able to get to know ur teacher well and vice versa due to the small class sizes. And MLT classes and labs are concentrated on one floor, so u'll be able to run into a lot of ur classmates in the halls and stuff. The one thing with Michener that I dont like is that there's not much space to move around, the halls are kind of narrow and some of the classrooms are small, so it feels like I'm being boxed in. I dont know if anyone else here have that feeling as well when they visited Michener.

My friend called Karyn (the woman sending out the emails) today and she said 120 statement of intents were sent out but only 56 people were accepted in the first round last friday. The second round is coming but the number of people accepted in the second round depends on how many first rounders quits (dont accept the offer). So I guess that means they have already ranked everyone from 1 to *** and people get in as spots become available. I dont know when the second round emails are coming but it'll probably be what kayoko said about them coming after may 16.

How do you know so much about Michener?
Have you tried a different program there before?

[keiko126]

How do you know so much about Michener?
Have you tried a different program there before?

i went to their open house last october...and the girl who showed us around told us about the teachers and stuff...she also said the course timetable is pretty much 9am-4pm everyday.

[kayoko]

I'm guessing class sizes will be very small, unlike first year university classes, i once had a class with 600 other people, lol. You also have to take into account that they probably split up the 60 people into different classes and labs, so class size will be even smaller than 60 people. Their classrooms are really small as well. I also heard that the teachers are very nice and eager to help you with homework/assignments/test/etc so u'll probably be able to get to know ur teacher well and vice versa due to the small class sizes. And MLT classes and labs are concentrated on one floor, so u'll be able to run into a lot of ur classmates in the halls and stuff. The one thing with Michener that I dont like is that there's not much space to move around, the halls are kind of narrow and some of the classrooms are small, so it feels like I'm being boxed in. I dont know if anyone else here have that feeling as well when they visited Michener.

My friend called Karyn (the woman sending out the emails) today and she said 120 statement of intents were sent out but only 56 people were accepted in the first round last friday. The second round is coming but the number of people accepted in the second round depends on how many first rounders quits (dont accept the offer). So I guess that means they have already ranked everyone from 1 to *** and people get in as spots become available. I dont know when the second round emails are coming but it'll probably be what kayoko said about them coming after may 16.

That's good to hear. I enjoy being taught by people who want to teach, not because their post forces them to do so. I totally know what you mean by the hallways being narrow. It wasn't so bad when I went to the open house cause I left my tour and just wandered. But I can see traffic jams when EVERYONE's trying to move around. Single file folks! I'm so going to get lost on the first day even if it's only one floor! >_<

Wow, I'm surprised to gave you exact numbers! Awesome.

[kasianman]

That's good to hear. I enjoy being taught by people who want to teach, not because their post forces them to do so. I totally know what you mean by the hallways being narrow. It wasn't so bad when I went to the open house cause I left my tour and just wandered. But I can see traffic jams when EVERYONE's trying to move around. Single file folks! I'm so going to get lost on the first day even if it's only one floor! >_<

Wow, I'm surprised to gave you exact numbers! Awesome.

I guess with 600 applicants (and % of them being in the open house), I'm not too surprised that you've faced a traffic jam.

I guess I'm proud to have been accepted as they only chose 60 out of 600 applicants.

I've worked with medical lab technologists in different fields, and I have to say that once you graduate and start working, the job may be a bit repetitive, but it is extremely relaxing... and I mean it.

[kayoko]

I have a few questions about MLT (medical lab technician) @ Michener, since I applied to this program too:

1. What are the job prospects for this career? i.e. Is it easy to get hired by hospitals, or is there a surplus of MLT graduates and low demand?

2. Will MLT's be working in hospital settings?

3. I know that there's a wide variety of MLT's including Diagnostic cytology, etc. What is the average salary? How much does a diagnostic cytologist make?

4. Are there any advancements in this career

5. I got an unconditional offer from michener for this program a week ago. I also applied to the respiratory therapy program. I'm still waiting for their response. Should I accept their offer for MLT in case i don't get accepted into RT? I still have a bit of time to respond to their offer.

thanks for any replies.

I've altered the first post to reflect more information about MLT as people probably don't have time to read through this wonderful little growing thread. So you might want to go back and take a look for yourself.

If you're not into MLT, why do it? There's nothing worse than doing something you hate or find boring. MLT and RT are very different careers. Can you imagine sitting in front of a microscope all day and everyday you work? Do you enjoy being around patients?

[JaneSmith]

Wow, I wish this forum existed last year when I was looking for information on the MLT program at Michener!
I just finished my first year there, so I can try to answer a few of the questions i've been reading...
My class consists of about 60 people, and I don't think any of us are straight out of highschool. Most people have at least a degree, and a lot of people have masters. We even have a doctor in our program.
The MLT program itself is great! It's hard and a lot of work but you get to do a lot of hands-on learning. First semester is a lot of basic review stuff (micro, physiology, anatomy, etc).
At our career fair this year, I got the very strong impression that there will be plenty of jobs to choose from upon graduation, and I heard that the third year students just finishing their clinical placements all got multiple job offers.
This is a diploma program and isn't associated with U of T. I think there are some programs at Michener that are a joint degree program with U of T, but in that case I believe the students are U of T students who do components of their degree at Michener.
Salary ranges are varied, but in general a new technologist is looking at making around $25 an hour. The pay scale is based on years of experience in most cases, and generally goes up to about $36 an hour. There are lots of opportunities "up north" for MLT positions, and you can make considerably more by working outside of major city centres. I often find job postings on the CMLTO website that start at 60,000 +, but they're generally in places like the yukon or northern Ontario.
There are plenty of different opportunities for career advancement...you can work in a hospital or private lab, get into sales, or even teach (all of our teachers at Michener are previous MLTs). You can also specialize in different fields...for example, you can work in microbiology or clinical chemistry or hematology. I think most people start in a "core lab" and do a bit of everything but can go on to specialize in one field where salaries are often higher.
There is definitely a repetitive aspect of the job, but it's kinda "the same thing, yet always different". You never know what you're going to get in the lab. It can be quite robotic, but you also need to be able to think through what you are doing, be able to correlate results with findings, etc. I think ANY job is repetitive after you get good at it and understand the theory behind it.
My experience at Michener so far has been a fantastic one, and the more I learn there, the more excited I get about my chosen field. I think the MLT program is the "biggest" program at Michener (if you can call 60 students big) and Radiation therapy seems to also be a very popular one.
We have our lectures with the whole class, but are split into 4 groups for our labs (sometimes a lab is just one group, sometimes two groups are combined), so the most people in a lab is about 30 people, which is great.
All the teachers there are incredibly knowledgable, and are experts in their respective fields. They really do care about your success and are all very approachable and helpful. This is a nice change from my experience in University!
Anyway, I hope this post was informative to anyone thinking of going into the MLT program. There's a michener group on facebook, but it's not very active. I'm happy to try to answer any more questions anyone might have, if I can.

[cyrene]

^ Very informative post. Thank you!

[kayoko]

I had no idea that there'd be people there with masters! Are they there to be an actual MLT? Cause dang, I know the trend is for MLT's to have B.Sc's but now I'm competing against people with M.Sc?

Well, I'd really like to thank you for taking the time to respond to this thread and offering to answer any questions (trust me, I have lots). I really appreciate it!


Wow, I wish this forum existed last year when I was looking for information on the MLT program at Michener!
Thank you! I was determined to do my research the right way for this second round of post-secondary education. The response from people on this forum has been awesome. In a way, I wish there was a thread like this for every career so potential students can really get a good sense of what to expect in school and their job.

On workload and getting help
Do you have to live at the school to get all the work done? Could you comment on getting help with faculty, TA's or from classmates in order to better understand the material?

Textbooks
Do you have plans to keep your textbooks for the certification exam? Since there's only a small number of students, I can't see the used book market being very big. Did you use used textbooks, buy new or photocopies? Any suggestions for anyone looking for used textbooks in terms of where to look (besides the UoT bookstore)? Although, I must say that it's great that semester 2 uses a lot of the same textbooks as semester 1, unlike university.

Lockers
When I went to the open house, I never really took a deep look at their facilities. So I've got a couple of questions about that too. I recall their lockers being on the small side. Would it be possible to store textbooks, extra stationary, coats, non-perishable food, etc in there?

Food choices
Since your location is in Toronto, I'm going to assume that you commuted to school. How's the cafeteria? Any suggestions for good eats in that area? Well, good cheap eats cause this IS redflagdeals!

Library and study locations
I remember being told that the library had limited computers and only recently got wi-fi. I've been thinking about buying an ultraportable laptop for this reason. Do you think it's necessary?

I'm sure I still have questions, but that's it for now! Thank you in advance!

[God_Anubis]

Thank you for contributing to this thread JaneSmith...very insightful. also, don't forget to reply to my pm!

[JaneSmith]

On workload and getting help
Do you have to live at the school to get all the work done? Could you comment on getting help with faculty, TA's or from classmates in order to better understand the material?

I never really stayed at the school after classes other than the odd time to work on projects. Most of your "work" will be studying theory. All the lab work is completed during your lab time (there's always plenty of time). There's a tutoring program at the school, and if you feel you'd like extra help you can talk to your teacher and get set up with a tutor free of charge (I'm a tutor...i can help you!). Our course advisor also monitors all our progress throughout the program and will arrange help for you at any time if you or she feels it's necessary. The teachers are EXCELLENT in this regard...they will open the labs up for you if you want extra time, they will sit with you and work with you, they will email you, point you in the direction of extra resources, etc. They really do take your success seriously, and I don't think they want to lose any students along the way since it reduces the class size for the entire program cycle. A passing grade in all classes is 60% and each class is broken down into 50% lab and 50% theory which both must be passed with a 60%

Textbooks
Do you have plans to keep your textbooks for the certification exam? Since there's only a small number of students, I can't see the used book market being very big. Did you use used textbooks, buy new or photocopies? Any suggestions for anyone looking for used textbooks in terms of where to look (besides the UoT bookstore)? Although, I must say that it's great that semester 2 uses a lot of the same textbooks as semester 1, unlike university.

This is a great question! I do plan to keep my textbooks because not only are they used for the entire first year, they are also used for part of second year as well! I will STRONGLY advice you NOT to buy the clinical chemistry textbook and NOT to buy the Launch teamwork (or whatever it's called) book. I didn't open either of these once. I was advised myself not to get them but I didn't listen because I wanted to be super prepared, but trust me when I say you will not need these two particular books. All of the listed textbooks are also available in the library, so if you want to look through them or read selected chapters they will be available to you. Your wheater's histology and hematology atlas/textbook will become your bibles so make sure you get those. I bought a lot of my books off of amazon and saved quite a bit of money doing it that way. I bought a couple at the U of T bookstore as well

Lockers
When I went to the open house, I never really took a deep look at their facilities. So I've got a couple of questions about that too. I recall their lockers being on the small side. Would it be possible to store textbooks, extra stationary, coats, non-perishable food, etc in there?

The lockers are a fairly decent size. They're like typical highschool full sized lockers. I stored half my life in my locker, with plenty of room to spare!

Food choices
Since your location is in Toronto, I'm going to assume that you commuted to school. How's the cafeteria? Any suggestions for good eats in that area? Well, good cheap eats cause this IS redflagdeals!

The cafeteria serves good food (they're into healthy stuff since it is a health science school!) but it's on the expensive side! I think a typical lunch there will set you back a good 7-8 dollars. Directly across the street from the school is The Grange, which has a food court with considerably cheaper options (chinese, japanse, greek, mcdonalds, etc). The school is right at University and Dundas so you're not too far from Chinatown, fairly close to the Eaton centre, etc. There's a subway across the street from the school as well. More than a few times I actually went to some of the hospital cafeterias to eat. They have great selections, and we're smack dab in the middle of them all. A lot of people just brought their own lunches since we're all poor students, but the only problem with that is that there's no refridgerators (I guess that's not so odd, but I got used to having big fridges at my work to store my food). There are however lots of microwaves, and unlike university, there's never a huge lineup to use them

Library and study locations
I remember being told that the library had limited computers and only recently got wi-fi. I've been thinking about buying an ultraportable laptop for this reason. Do you think it's necessary?

I did not like the library for studying or doing work in. I found it too small, and the computer stations are uncomfortable and fairly exposed (kinda out in the middle of the floor). There is a great computer lab however, which is where I did most of my work. It's open 24/7 and while it can get busy at times, there's usually always a computer available. I never once brought my laptop to school, although I thought I would be. You don't really need it unless you like using it in class. Some people did use laptops, but my advice is that you don't really need it at school (although you'll live on it at home). We use a program called blackboard, where the teachers post ALL our class notes. Most of us just print them off and bring them to class. I also copy them onto my computer and then study from them on my laptop.

I'm sure I still have questions, but that's it for now! Thank you in advance!

No problem!

[God_Anubis]

thank you for your response, JaneSmith

I was eerlier trying to decide over MLT or resp Therapy program and now that I gained more insight over both programs, am now leaning towards MLT. One thing I learned was that there was a lot of misinformation (ORR lack of info) about this programme...this thread helped clear up some of that confusion.

I no it's too early in the game but, would you be able to post the books that are required for 1st year so I can start bargain hunting on Amazon come this sumer? I RARRELY bought brand new books from the U of T bookstore, during my undergrad years and ended up saving tons of $$$ that way.

[kayoko]

thank you for your response, JaneSmith
I no it's too early in the game but, would you be able to post the books that are required for 1st year so I can start bargain hunting on Amazon come this sumer? I RARRELY bought brand new books from the U of T bookstore, during my undergrad years and ended up saving tons of $$$ that way.

Very glad this thread helped. I kind of consider it "my" thread (no offense to anyone).

I can answer your question about the textbook list. If you look on Michener's MLT site, there's a link to the textbook list. However, this list is for 2007-2008. Perhaps JaneSmith can give us some insight as to when they will update the list.

For your interest, the link to the old textbook list can be found here (http://www.michener.ca/resources/textbooks.php#medlab)[Michener]

[kayoko]

I never really stayed at the school after classes other than the odd time to work on projects. Most of your "work" will be studying theory. All the lab work is completed during your lab time (there's always plenty of time). There's a tutoring program at the school, and if you feel you'd like extra help you can talk to your teacher and get set up with a tutor free of charge (I'm a tutor...i can help you!).

LOL. Alright, I'll be sure to look for you if I need tutoring! *laughs* In a way, I'm glad that they want you to stay in the program to the best of their abilities. It's nice to find that faculty care about you and your marks, unlike university where you're just a number and source of money for the school. It's not possible for me to study at home and i have a 2 hour commute each way, so my current plan is to camp out at school to get my studying done.

This is a great question! I do plan to keep my textbooks because not only are they used for the entire first year, they are also used for part of second year as well! I will STRONGLY advice you NOT to buy the clinical chemistry textbook and NOT to buy the Launch teamwork (or whatever it's called) book. I didn't open either of these once. I was advised myself not to get them but I didn't listen because I wanted to be super prepared, but trust me when I say you will not need these two particular books. All of the listed textbooks are also available in the library, so if you want to look through them or read selected chapters they will be available to you. Your wheater's histology and hematology atlas/textbook will become your bibles so make sure you get those. I bought a lot of my books off of amazon and saved quite a bit of money doing it that way. I bought a couple at the U of T bookstore as well

Awesome, so don't buy clincal chemistry book and launch teamwork. Hopefully, they don't change the curriculum too much for this September. I've actually thought about ordering from Amazon before but don't they take 3-4 weeks to deliver the textbook? Any idea when they update the textbook list at Michener?

The lockers are a fairly decent size. They're like typical highschool full sized lockers. I stored half my life in my locker, with plenty of room to spare!

AWESOME. I plan to store most of my life there! Hopefully, no one will break into my locker =(

A lot of people just brought their own lunches since we're all poor students, but the only problem with that is that there's no refridgerators (I guess that's not so odd, but I got used to having big fridges at my work to store my food). There are however lots of microwaves, and unlike university, there's never a huge lineup to use them

Good to hear that there's a lot of choices if I decide to eat out. Yeah, I've been trying to think of a way to store packed food. Only way I can think of is a cooler with replenished ice packs. That would definitely hold out until lunch but dinner might be a little iffy. The alternative would be instant stuff (microwaved rice FTW!) or canned goods (hope they don't consider can openers a weapon).

I did not like the library for studying or doing work in. I found it too small, and the computer stations are uncomfortable and fairly exposed (kinda out in the middle of the floor). There is a great computer lab however, which is where I did most of my work. It's open 24/7 and while it can get busy at times, there's usually always a computer available. I never once brought my laptop to school, although I thought I would be. You don't really need it unless you like using it in class. Some people did use laptops, but my advice is that you don't really need it at school (although you'll live on it at home). We use a program called blackboard, where the teachers post ALL our class notes. Most of us just print them off and bring them to class. I also copy them onto my computer and then study from them on my laptop.

I do not use laptops during class as I like it old school with my paper and pen. Hm, this is making me rethink my purchase. Do you recall the ease with which you could find an outlet in the library? Cause battery life is never enough on laptops. I was thinking of getting one under $500 which isn't much, but if I could save myself that purchase, I'm sure I could find better use for that money.

One thing I forgot to ask is, how are you spending your summer break? It's rather weird to me that they would break for the summer between first and second year, but not break between second and third year. Does the school offer any summer positions or leads to summer positions? Or are you on your own for this time period? Man, I'd love to work for recruiting department at Michener!

I don't think I can ever thank you enough for taking the time to talk to us. If we ever meet, coffee's on me, okay?

[JaneSmith]

I'll look online (students have access to Michener's Intranet site) because I think i saw the updated textbook list on there. If anyone is interested I can also email you some of my course outlines. I think i still have some first semester ones saved on my computer, and they'll give you an idea of the coursework, exams, assignments, etc.

Another thing you might want to know is that the schedule is generally 8-5ish. Monday and tuesday is usually lecture days, wednesday is usually a short day (I finished at noon) and thursday and friday are lab days. This is all just in general of course, based on my own schedule. Umm...8 am classes suck, especially for those having to commute far, but at least you beat the crazy subway traffic that way. My commute is about an hour and I thought I had it bad, but a lot of students come from all over the place and the teachers are generally understanding of that. Attendance in all labs is a must (I think you need 90% attendance to pass the labs) but lectures are optional (however everyone goes and if you're absent it's noticed, so I don't really think they're 'optional'". And yes, they do take attendance!

This is the first year they're doing the simulation labs in the summer. So the second year students are doing it now, and i'll be doing it next summer. They set up the school like a hospital, and you come in and "work" for your "shift" and then go home. It's an EXCELLENT way to prepare yourself for clinical. The downside is that you can't really work that summer. In response to your question about what i'm doing this summer...I'm working at my old job. Thankfully they took me back for the summer, and I'm trying to make as much as possible since working next summer isn't going to happen! The workload for the course is heavy and they suggest you don't work, but I worked first semester, and quite a few students do....but i really wouldn't suggest working more than 15 or so hours a week or you are going to burn out.

You also need all your shots up to date, a 2-part TB test and a police check before starting. You can get the shots at school by the school nurse if you want (I didn't know that when I did it, and had to trek back and forth to my doctor a million times). You need a labcoat as well. You also have to pay a 100 dollar deposit for a lab kit, and expect to pay an arm and a leg for printing, cause we print A LOT of notes.

I'm just trying to think of things that I was curious about before I started...
The orientation is really good, and i think you get information about all that closer to september. The school is easy to navigate, and most of our labs are on the 14th floor and most of our classes are on the 3rd floor. Classrooms are small and stuffy, but it's a relaxed atmosphere so you can always get up and get some fresh air if you need it, or whatever.

All the equipment we use is modern and state of the art...with the exception of a few things that look like they were used in the 50's. Lab supplies are plentiful, so you can practice things over and over again (for the most part). In second semester you get to take a venipuncture class where you learn to take blood. We were all freaked out at first, but in the end it wasn't so bad. You have to take blood from someone, and in turn give blood.

First semester you take physiology, microanatomy (histology), microbiology, clinical chemistry, interprofessional collaboration, and hematology. Microanatomy was the heaviest course by far, and I spent about 50% of my time studying just for that class. Thankfully as a result physiology was easy since so much stuff overlapped. Micro was difficult for me at the time, but looking back it was easier than I made it. You mostly learn about biochemical testing, because that is all you do second semester in the lab. The theory part of it is very general and quite easy, however in second semester it is killer. I'm not a huge chemistry fan, but clinical chemistry was fun and fairly easy (it's pretty basic...protein, lipids, etc). Hematology is fun first semester (white blood cells), but I wanted to kill myself second semester (red blood cells and hemostasis). Nobody likes interprofessional collaboration, but it's an easy class so i can't complain too much.

That's all I can think of for now. I'll look for the textbook list later tonight when I have time and post it if I can find it.

PS: I'll take that coffee!

[nalababe]

One quick hint I can give is to also go to each of the major vendors (Abbott, Beckman, Siemens, Roche, Radiometer, IL) and ask if they have training materials that they could provide to you....

Guides to Hematology, Blood Gas, Chemstry, IA, HBA1C and Diabetes, Urinalysis these all exist and all focus on what the people on the floor need to know. In some instances they may contain product information, others will not. Back in the day, the Bayer Guide to Urine Chemistry and Encylopedia of Urinalysis were standards that were routinely sent to customers. If nothing else, you might get condensed cheat sheets (and they are free).

As I have mentioned before, make a point of attending the trade shows when nearby. I think most of the big ones are not in Toronto this year (i.e. CSMLS is in Kelowna, CSCC is in St. John's)...but keep it in mind. This is a great forum to meet reps from the vendors...and believe me, by the end of the second day, we are normally bored out of our skulls.

[kasianman]

Is it easy to get a job in Toronto area?

When I had been working with med lab technologists, and contract workers were complaining that it was hard to get a permanent position.

That's why I'm hesitant to go into this program.

[kayoko]

Oh! That would be great if you could take a look for us in regards to those textbooks. If I could order in June, they should arrive in time for September.

It's 8am-5pm? Argh. Hopefully, if it's at that hour, I'll be able to get there less than 2 hours. I've been thinking about taking the GO train instead of the subway, but it's not very reliable in bad weather and often late. Not to mention double the price, but takes only 1/2 the time. Decisions, decisions.

Is orientation before or after Labor Day? I'm planning to be out of the country late August and I don't really want to miss orientation.

Yeah. Venipuncture. That worries me. I have no problem with bodily fluids once they're out of the body, but to have to get it from someone...and probably hurt them. >_<

Hm. I'm actually doing the Ap601 course right now and I've noticied that uses the same textbook as the one of the courses, just a newer edition. I wonder if I could get exempted from that course cause I've read that Anatomy and Physiology course (almost) cover to cover. Something to ask the school once I write my exam.

Having talked with you makes me horribly excited for September!!

[God_Anubis]

Is it easy to get a job in Toronto area?

When I had been working with med lab technologists, and contract workers were complaining that it was hard to get a permanent position.

That's why I'm hesitant to go into this program.

That's a good question. If anyone could address it i wud appreciate it. are there instances where successful graduates just weren't able to land jobs because of said reason and had to switch fields? also, as someone else had posted, although the demand is good, the government is simply not willing to open up new spots.

i know someone had answered a variant of this question (i.e. the job prospects are generally good)......, but how easy/difficult is it to land a job in TORONTO (or GTA for that mater)? sure, you can find a lucrative position somewhere in northern ontario or alberta. but as kasianman had stated, it's not an option for everyone.

kasianman, where those contract workers certified MLT's from Michener or graduates from other schools? what was their biggest hurdle, preventing them from obtaining full-time work? lack of experience?

Right now, i'm looking at the stats that kayoko had posted earlier about graduation rates and job prospects.
(reference: Graduation & employment rates 2004/2005: (https://osap.gov.on.ca/eng/PDF/0405/0405_KPI_Other.pdf)

to summarize it:

- 29 graduated out of 46 that enrolled --> 63% graduation rate (kind of low??)
- 19 employed / 19 in labour force --> 100% employment rate (all who looked for a job got hired)

first note I would make is that the sample size is kinda small to be of reliable predictor. Assuming that it's a (very) rough estimate of the graduation rate, isn't 63% a little on the low side? Is there any explanation for this low value? diagnostic cytology has a 95% graduation rate (21 out of 22). Scan through the other other micchener programs and compare: they're sitting at 78%, 82%, 84%, 100%, 53% (acupuncture), 63% (chiropody).

anyways, it's statistics, should be taken with a grain of salt.....
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are a few interesting links I found, which kayoko might wanna update on pg1. One of them deals with Michener's Access and Options program:
-- Michener's access & options program - case study (http://www.michener.ca/alumni/sm08.php)

-- Shortage of M.L.T.'s (http://jobboomcc.canoe.ca/News/2002/03/06/1224856-sun.html)

[kasianman]

The contract MLT workers were waiting for permanent position MLT employees to retire or quit to get another job someplace else.
Whenever there was a space, MLT contract workers would apply internally and whoever had the best connection got in.
In other words, the person was hired before he even applied.
Great words from my former co-employees.
"It's not what you know, but who you know"

Some people apply to MLT program in Michener with established connections (so that you can get a job after graduation).

I'm still unsure if it's still easy to get a job in Toronto area.
When I volunteered in the hospital, interns from Queens Univ/Michener MLT degree/diploma (not sure if it exists anymore) program worked in the same lab as me.
They were sucking up to seniors like crazy. I don't think they got a job there though.

As for me, I don't think I want to live somewhere up north middle of nowhere or move to a new province just for a job.

Also...
I've been rejected from MRT lol
I guess my university grades weren't competitive enough

I have less than a day to decide now...


That's a good question. If anyone could address it i wud appreciate it. are there instances where successful graduates just weren't able to land jobs because of said reason and had to switch fields? also, as someone else had posted, although the demand is good, the government is simply not willing to open up new spots.

i know someone had answered a variant of this question (i.e. the job prospects are generally good)......, but how easy/difficult is it to land a job in TORONTO (or GTA for that mater)? sure, you can find a lucrative position somewhere in northern ontario or alberta. but as kasianman had stated, it's not an option for everyone.

kasianman, where those contract workers certified MLT's from Michener or graduates from other schools? what was their biggest hurdle, preventing them from obtaining full-time work? lack of experience?

Right now, i'm looking at the stats that kayoko had posted earlier about graduation rates and job prospects.
(reference: Graduation & employment rates 2004/2005: (https://osap.gov.on.ca/eng/PDF/0405/0405_KPI_Other.pdf)

to summarize it:

- 29 graduated out of 46 that enrolled --> 63% graduation rate (kind of low??)
- 19 employed / 19 in labour force --> 100% employment rate (all who looked for a job got hired)

first note I would make is that the sample size is kinda small to be of reliable predictor. Assuming that it's a (very) rough estimate of the graduation rate, isn't 63% a little on the low side? Is there any explanation for this low value? diagnostic cytology has a 95% graduation rate (21 out of 22). Scan through the other other micchener programs and compare: they're sitting at 78%, 82%, 84%, 100%, 53% (acupuncture), 63% (chiropody).

anyways, it's statistics, should be taken with a grain of salt.....
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are a few interesting links I found, which kayoko might wanna update on pg1. One of them deals with Michener's Access and Options program:
-- Michener's access & options program - case study (http://www.michener.ca/alumni/sm08.php)

-- Shortage of M.L.T.'s (http://jobboomcc.canoe.ca/News/2002/03/06/1224856-sun.html)

[kasianman]

I don't think anyone could possibly answer those particular questions...but i will say that michener has a 100% employment rate of their MLTs

How much percentage of those MLT had to relocate?

[JaneSmith]

Again that's impossible to answer. Not all Michener students are from Toronto and not all Michener students choose to work in Toronto. I suggest you take a look on workopolis, monster, and the cmlto website. The job listings will give you a good idea of who is hiring and what areas they are in.

[JaneSmith]

Just a note on those statistics that were posted...

In my year so far, three people have dropped out. Two were international students who could no longer stay in Canada, and one left for other reasons. I don't see any of us remaining people leaving the program begore graduating..
so my suggestion for why the graduation rate is recorded as so low for that particular year, could be because a lot of students start off as full-time students and then reduce their workload by going part-time. There are quite a few part-time students in the program, which would effectively change their graduation date but does not mean they have left the program. Also these are stats collected by osap, meaning they got their information from people collecting osap. There could be financial reasons for why these people didn't complete the program on schedule or at all, that have nothing to do with the course itself.

[kayoko]

I would like to point out that a lot of hiring, regardless of what industry, happens internally. I suppose MLT is no exception to that. So having connections is good, like making friends with seniors who will graduate before you and will be working before you. And make good friends in school!

Glad someone else caught the low graduation rate. I actually asked about that and they couldn't give me a definitive answer. It may be a mixture of personal issues, finance or admission to other programs (graduate, other professional schools). It may even be a one year thing. Just understand that if you get in, they WANT you to graduate. They're not looking to make a quick buck off you like the University of Toronto. So, don't stress out too much on this aspect.

There's a lot of advantage to moving out west right now or even out along the east coast, their economy's booming! That means it's EASY to find a job with better pay, sign up bonuses and maybe even moving expenses. If you don't want to work anywhere else but in Toronto, you could always just take your time to look for a good job posting. There's one bound to pop up.

My question would be, what does Michener do to help their students find jobs? I know JaneSmith mentioned a career fair, but how many people actually get hired from those things.

Some job posting sites:

CMLTO job posting - link (http://www.cmlto.com/communications/job_posting/)
Workopolis - link (http://www.workopolis.com/work.aspx?action=Transfer&View=Content/JobSeeker/JobSearchResultView&SearchId=331285746&OMF=Medical+Lab+Technologist&SubFastTrack=SCIENCE&FastTrack=SCIENCE&lang=EN&OldUrl=)
Canadian Forces - link (http://www.forces.ca/v3/engraph/jobs/jobs.aspx?id=734&bhcp=1)
working.com - link (http://workingtorontojobs.canada.com/js.php?q=medical+laboratory+technologist&qCity=&qState=&qMiles=100&lookid=toronto)
Ontario Public Service - link (http://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/Search.aspx)

[JaneSmith]

Sorry guys, I checked for the book list, but their "updated" list is the same one that you have access to on the website.

And about networking, don't forget you'll be spending 5 months working fulltime in your clinical rotation, so that's a great chance to get your foot in the door. I hear a lot of people get hired by their placement hospital/lab.

[kayoko]

Sorry guys, I checked for the book list, but their "updated" list is the same one that you have access to on the website

Thanks for checking. Perhaps we could give each other a shout when they do update the list.

[lc108]

Hey everyone! I got accepted into the MLT program! I just had a quick question though. I know I have to get a BCLS certification but I just wanted to make sure if thats the same as the BLS course offered at Michener? The course code is CR-802.

[kayoko]

Hey everyone! I got accepted into the MLT program! I just had a quick question though. I know I have to get a BCLS certification but I just wanted to make sure if thats the same as the BLS course offered at Michener? The course code is CR-802.

Congrats! See you in September!

They don't seem picky about the BLS course as long as you have one. The one offered by Michener is acceptable ("Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers (CPR)"). But I've also confirmed that courses by St. John Ambulance are also recognized. So just choose based on which one's more convenient for you.

Hope that helps!

[lc108]

Thanks! I just wanted to make sure since they didn't really mention it in the acceptance package. See you in September!

[JaneSmith]

Congratulations! That certification must be new, I never got that.

[wqzmbshz]

There seems to be some interest in this career so I'm going to turn the first post into a summary post as my original post doesn't really apply anymore. Don't know what to do with your B.Sc? Read on.

What is a Medical Laboratory Technologist?
Someone who works in a laboratory testing tissues/bodily fluids/cells/etc. for medical purposes.
More information: Michener (http://www.michener.ca/ft/medlab.php), CMLTO (http://www.cmlto.com/public/mlts/default.asp?load=careers), Jobboom Career Connection (News Article (http://jobboomcc.canoe.ca/News/2002/03/06/1224856-sun.html))

What's the difference between a technologist and technician/assistant?
The technician works under the technologist. You'd have better career advancement as a technologist.
More information: JobFutures (technologist) (http://www.jobfutures.ca/noc/3211p1.shtml), JobFutures (technician) (http://www.jobfutures.ca/noc/3212p1.shtml)

Salary and Job prospects
Average or above average growth. Salary varies with location, responsibilities and experience (25k-80k). Students at Michener's program have been offered jobs at their clinical placement sites BEFORE graduation.
Sources: JobFutures (technologist) (http://www.jobfutures.ca/noc/3211p1.shtml), Alberta Trends (http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?aspAction=GetHTMLProfile&format=html&OCCPRO_ID=71003140), CMLTO (http://www.cmlto.com/public/mlts/default.asp?load=careers), PEI Trends (http://www.pei.jobfutures.org/profiles/profile.cfm?noc=3211)

How easy is it to find a job in my area?
Can't really give you a definitive answer since I'm not the one hiring. Why not look at some job boards instead?
CMLTO (http://www.cmlto.com/communications/job_posting/), Workopolis (http://www.workopolis.com/work.aspx?action=Transfer&View=Content/JobSeeker/JobSearchResultView&SearchId=331285746&OMF=Medical+Lab+Technologist&SubFastTrack=SCIENCE&FastTrack=SCIENCE&lang=EN&OldUrl=) , Canadian Forces (http://www.forces.ca/v3/engraph/jobs/jobs.aspx?id=734&bhcp=1), working.com (http://workingtorontojobs.canada.com/js.php?q=medical+laboratory+technologist&qCity=&qState=&qMiles=100&lookid=toronto), Ontario Public Service (http://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/Search.aspx)

Career Advancement (may require more education in some cases)
Management positions, Medical device companies as sales/technical support, Education
Source: Michener Institute (http://www.michener.ca/ft/medlab.php), nalababe (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6480895&postcount=8), CMLTS (http://www.csmls.org/english/career/path.htm)

Where do I get the required education?
Michener Institute for Health Science (http://www.michener.ca/ft/medlab.php), List of accredited programs from CMLTS (http://www.csmls.org/english/career/programs.htm)

More about Michener's program: School website (http://www.michener.ca/index.php)

Length of program: 2.5 yrs

Intake: 50-60 people each year out of the 600+ applications [source:lc108 (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6804194&postcount=75)] The actual number varies with labour demands.

Educational requirement: OSSD (english, chemistry, mathematics, biology OR physics)

Application Deadline: Feb 1st (apply at ontariocolleges.ca)

Supplementary application: MLT (none, possibly survey (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6803626&postcount=68)), Diagnostic Cytology (quiz about the program, written piece about yourself), Genetics Technology (interviews (http://www.michener.ca/ce/postdiploma/genetics_technology.php))

Offers of Acceptance: First week of May for first round, 2-3 weeks later for second round

Note: Majority of students have had post-secondary education, although it's not required.

Note 2: Testimonial from current Michener MLT student [link (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6828065&postcount=81), RFD]

MIT rarely takes any students from secondary school. Most of students are at least after undergrad or currently in M.As or PhDs.

[gouki556]

MIT rarely takes any students from secondary school. Most of students are at least after undergrad or currently in M.As or PhDs.

What does MIT admissions have to do with Michener?

[keiko126]

Does anybody know if the immunity blood tests have to be recent? If I already had them done a year or two ago, can I use those as proof?

[JaneSmith]

Your blood tests don't have to be recent, but you need proof that you're immune to the various things they're checking for. You can get your medical records faxed to the health nurse at the school (I think)

And I think that person thought MIT = Michener....but I'm not sure :P

[kayoko]

Does anybody know if the immunity blood tests have to be recent? If I already had them done a year or two ago, can I use those as proof?

*laughs* I had the same question. Apparently, 2 years is still "recent" enough according to the occupational nurse. I had mine done in '06 and she said it's okay as long as you get a copy of the results to her (fax, mail, see immunization form). Great thing is that you can fill in the form yourself and not have to pay a doctor to do it for you.

p.s. The nurse is super sweet and helpful so give her a call if you have more complicated questions!

[keiko126]

*laughs* I had the same question. Apparently, 2 years is still "recent" enough according to the occupational nurse. I had mine done in '06 and she said it's okay as long as you get a copy of the results to her (fax, mail, see immunization form). Great thing is that you can fill in the form yourself and not have to pay a doctor to do it for you.

p.s. The nurse is super sweet and helpful so give her a call if you have more complicated questions!

haha....i completely agree on how great it is that u can fill in the form yourself...i was wondering about that at first when i got the package...cuz all the other immunization record forms i've done in the past needed your doctor to fill it out for u...i must have looked over the michener form like 5 times just to make sure a doctor wasn't needed to sign it or anything...

[JaneSmith]

Did the nurse call you hun or sweety?

[kayoko]

Did the nurse call you hun or sweety?

Haha. Both, actually.

Btw, did anyone apply for that wallet sized immunity card? Any thoughts on it? Or how to go about it? :-0

Edit: First post has been updated in regards to questions one might have after their acceptance. Overall, it's a summary of our more recent posts.

[JaneSmith]

I think that card you're talking about is actually a vulnerable persons card. You should have gotten an application for it in your acceptance package. That's the one i was mentioning that expires before you actually need to use it...but the school wants to ensure you can actually pass a police check (in other words, BIG waste of money).

[kayoko]

I think that card you're talking about is actually a vulnerable persons card. You should have gotten an application for it in your acceptance package. That's the one i was mentioning that expires before you actually need to use it...but the school wants to ensure you can actually pass a police check (in other words, BIG waste of money).

Actually, I think the card I'm talking about is this immunization card:

Students should pick up the completed Ministry of Health immunization card from the Health Nurse at least one month prior to final examinations before their clinical experience. Students who do not comply with immunization requirements will not be given clearance to participate in the clinical component of the program.

~_~ They just dinged me $30 for the police check. *sighs*

[JaneSmith]

oh ok, i don't know what that is.

[lc108]

I called the school nurse yesterday and you guys were right, she was so sweet despite the fact that she probably gets dozens of phone calls like mine every day.
Turns out, I'm going to have to do a blood test to see what I have immunity to, take the shots that I need and then do ANOTHER blood test to verify I have immunity. I hope I can get it done quickly cuz I'm leaving the country at the end of the month :|
For those who got the OESC card, how long does it usually take for them to send it to you? When I talked to the nurse, she told me to call if I've been waiting long because apparently the letters were getting sent to the wrong address or OESC was misplacing them.

[kayoko]

I called the school nurse yesterday and you guys were right, she was so sweet despite the fact that she probably gets dozens of phone calls like mine every day.
Turns out, I'm going to have to do a blood test to see what I have immunity to, take the shots that I need and then do ANOTHER blood test to verify I have immunity. I hope I can get it done quickly cuz I'm leaving the country at the end of the month :|
For those who got the OESC card, how long does it usually take for them to send it to you? When I talked to the nurse, she told me to call if I've been waiting long because apparently the letters were getting sent to the wrong address or OESC was misplacing them.

Well, you should of had most of the shots done when you were younger. The only shots you may have to do are the booster shots and i think they're good for 10 years. So the process should be a little less complicated than you probably think since you should have had all the shots. Of course, I have no clue about your medical history so take what I said with a grain of salt.

Regardless, my blood test results usually about a month to get back to my family doctor. Don't think you'll be able to get everything done before you leave. Though, if you've had your shots done as a kid, then you should be okay! Give the doctor's office a long distance call when you're out of country to check if you need more shots.

OESC card? That's the student card thing you MUST carry with you at all times (emphasis theirs), right? I got mine a couple weeks ago and I sent it soon after I got the acceptance package so, again, a month or so.

[JaneSmith]

I started doing all my shots mid-august...kinda late but i got everything done in time, so you shouldn't have a problem.

Also I just thought I should say that even though it says the program is 2.5 years..keep it mind that it's really like 6.5 semesters in total.

[lc108]

Thanks for all the help kayoko and JaneSmith! I just realised that I kept thinking that I had to return the health record form by July 15th but turns out, that was the due date for the police check. I'm ok as long as I return the health record form by the start of class right?

[j_13]

Hey everyone,

I have a question about the the requirement of a basic cardiac support
certificate for the program. I did a course in CPR/first aid in 2006, which expires
2009. The card says Canadian Red Cross and that I have completed
standard first aid course which includes CPR level C. My question is
if this is acceptable for the BCLS requirement? I tried e-mailing Michener, but they told me to contact the Program Clinical Liason Officer (i have no clue who this person is). Any help is great, especially from previous students who may have been in this situation. Thanks

[kayoko]

Hey everyone,

I have a question about the the requirement of a basic cardiac support
certificate for the program. I did a course in CPR/first aid in 2006, which expires
2009. The card says Canadian Red Cross and that I have completed
standard first aid course which includes CPR level C. My question is
if this is acceptable for the BCLS requirement? I tried e-mailing Michener, but they told me to contact the Program Clinical Liason Officer (i have no clue who this person is). Any help is great, especially from previous students who may have been in this situation. Thanks

As far as I know, this first aid requirement is new for this year as previous students did not have to do this. I'm not sure who you emailed since you did not specify, but Karyn Roscoe (KRoscoe@michener.ca) answered my previous questions in regards to this certification. If not, give Student Affairs a call at 1-800-387-9066 or (416) 596-3117 and I'm sure they'll gladly direct you to the right person.

From their statement of intent website:

All Michener students are required to provide proof of current certification in both BCLS and First Aid prior to starting classes.
I would take that sentence to mean that you're okay depending on when in 2009 your certification expires. Of course, always call and double confirm any assumptions.

Got my tuition statement the other day. It came earlier than expected, I haven't even asked whether AP601 is the same as first year A&P. ARGH. I tried unsuccessfully to do the math whether it'd be smarter to pay them $5000 at once or split it into two payments and pay the $75 (then put the $2500 into a high interest savings account for a couple of months). Business was my worse subject in high school...

[visqueux]

Got my tuition statement the other day. It came earlier than expected, I haven't even asked whether AP601 is the same as first year A&P. ARGH. I tried unsuccessfully to do the math whether it'd be smarter to pay them $5000 at once or split it into two payments and pay the $75 (then put the $2500 into a high interest savings account for a couple of months). Business was my worse subject in high school...

Good idea kayoko. I thought about doing this as well, but you need to find a savings account that offers more than 7.2% annual interest. I don't know any that does (the best to my knowledege is ING, at 3%). If you know any, or if anybody knows any, please let me know!

If you want the exact math, see below:

If paying in two installments is worth it, then "$2500 x IR (interest rate) x 5/12 > $75". So the question is how much does the IR of the savings account need to be in order for this equation to hold?

Rearrange the equ. to get: "IR > $75/$2500 x 12/5" and you get "IR > 7.2%"

This assumes a fixed IR, so for investment accounts like mutual funds, where you may end up losing money one month, you will need a higher IR than 7.2% to break even.

[kayoko]

Good idea kayoko. I thought about doing this as well, but you need to find a savings account that offers more than 7.2% annual interest. I don't know any that does (the best to my knowledege is ING, at 3%). If you know any, or if anybody knows any, please let me know!

If you want the exact math, see below:

If paying in two installments is worth it, then "$2500 x IR (interest rate) x 5/12 > $75". So the question is how much does the IR of the savings account need to be in order for this equation to hold?

Rearrange the equ. to get: "IR > $75/$2500 x 12/5" and you get "IR > 7.2%"

This assumes a fixed IR, so for investment accounts like mutual funds, where you may end up losing money one month, you will need a higher IR than 7.2% to break even.

Thanks for doing the math. I can do calculus and geometry no problem, but finance just goes way over my head. Regardless, there's no way to I can think of to get "deal" on this tuition.

Too bad they don't take AMEX otherwise you could get this 2% cashback card (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=480490) to offset the 1.77% service charge. Don't know of a Visa or Mastercard that offers 2% cashback.

Wait until end of the month to get interest on the $5000, and then say bye to it. :( It also kind of sucks that there's no way to opt out of the health plan/insurance. My parents have such a great plan, but if I'm forced to pay for Michener's, I might as well use it.

[j_13]

kayoko, thanks for the input on the first aid/cpr requirement. I actually went to Michener today to hand in my consent form and asked her about the BCLS requirement. I showed her the card and she said it was fine and photocopied it to put in my file

[keiko126]

hey everyone,

I have some questions regarding the immunization form we have to fill in.

For the "Annual Tuberculin Tests" section, we don't have to fill it in since this is our first year at michener right? We just have to fill in the "Two step tuberculin test" section?

And for the "Immunization Blood Test Date/s", I'm assuming that's where we put the dates that we got our immunity blood tests done??? What about the "Test(s) Required" part, what do we put for that?

I tried calling the nurse but nobody answered the phone, so I thought I'll ask here to see if anybody knows before I try the nurse again =)

[kayoko]

hey everyone,

I have some questions regarding the immunization form we have to fill in.

For the "Annual Tuberculin Tests" section, we don't have to fill it in since this is our first year at michener right? We just have to fill in the "Two step tuberculin test" section?

And for the "Immunization Blood Test Date/s", I'm assuming that's where we put the dates that we got our immunity blood tests done??? What about the "Test(s) Required" part, what do we put for that?

I tried calling the nurse but nobody answered the phone, so I thought I'll ask here to see if anybody knows before I try the nurse again =)

This is just my guess with many assumptions on my part, so please take it with a grain of salt.

Tuberculosis testing tests for exposure "a long time ago" and "recently" expressed as step 1 and step 2. Say you did a TB test 5 years ago and tested negative for both tests. However, you may have been exposed within these 5 years so you would need the "recent" test to be done ago to verify this information. Whether you need to do an annual TB test depends on when you did your last two-step or annual (whichever's more recent). Does that make sense?

I believe I put my date of vaccination on that part, although I must look at the sheet to confirm (might have filled it in wrong). "The Test(s) Required" section is probably something for the nurse to fill out when she checks over the submitted documents. Don't worry too much about it as long as you have copies of your blood test and that is the most important information out of all of this.

p.s. We should do a RFD meet up during the Orientation BBQ. I don't know anyone and it's not cool to eat alone....

[JaneSmith]

kayoko is right, just fill in what you can on the form and give the nurse whatever documentation you have. She will do the rest. When I handed my stuff in, I gave her a partially filled out form, my test results, and a note from my doctor saying I had a booster shot.

[JaneSmith]

The updated textbook list is now posted on Michener's website. You can access it from the main page.

[kayoko]

The updated textbook list is now posted on Michener's website. You can access it from the main page.

Awesome! Thank you SO much for the update.

I took a brief look at the textbook list and just to confirm, there's no real need to buy "Clinical Chemistry: Principles, Procedures, Correlations". But I couldn't find the "Launch teamwork" book you were referring to, perhaps they changed the textbook?

Man, I can't imagine studying "Looking Out, Looking In" and "The Case for Interprofessional Collaboration in Health and Social Care " as a course. It's different than the usual hard core biology.

[JaneSmith]

yeah, it looks like they took that stupid teamwork book off the list and replaced it with TWO stupid teamwork books! I would suggest not getting those either, as they're both for the 'interprofessional collaboration' course which you can do in your sleep.

I do recommend NOT getting the chem textbook. I looked through it a few times, but did no studying from it. Second semester is when you need it the most, and you get a handout of all the relevent information photocopied for you.

And don't you worry, there's plenty of hardcore micro/physio/anatomy coming your way!

[kayoko]

yeah, it looks like they took that stupid teamwork book off the list and replaced it with TWO stupid teamwork books! I would suggest not getting those either, as they're both for the 'interprofessional collaboration' course which you can do in your sleep.

I do recommend NOT getting the chem textbook. I looked through it a few times, but did no studying from it. Second semester is when you need it the most, and you get a handout of all the relevent information photocopied for you.

Awesome, that saves me $200+ by not buying the clinical chemistry and interprofessional stuff. I love how Michener posts their textbooks early so we can order from Amazon. BTW, for anyone who cares, I did the math and it's cheaper to buy on Amazon.ca than Chapters.ca (even with irewards). I wonder if that $10 off $40 for new accounts promo is still active for Amazon.

I'm actually thinking of getting "Histotechnology: A Self-Instructional Text" by Carson. I know it's a recommended book and I usually don't get recommended books, but do you happen to know if this book is helpful? I say this because it's a recommended book through the whole program so it should be a good book.

Tell us how second year Clinical Chemistry goes cause I see that they want you to have that textbook in second year. Although, I must say that I love how they reuse a lot of textbooks from first year in second year.

[JaneSmith]

You definitely don't need histotechnology first semester. First semester is all microanatomy and no 'technology' stuff (it's a hard but cool class). That book would be more helpful for second semester and beyond, although I didn't have it second semester and never needed it.
Honestly, you will have no time to read anything 'extra' or do anything more than what you already need to do. It's best to just save your money where you can. Don't forget, all the books are in the library, along with plenty of other books on the same topics.
I think i mentioned this before, but I bought a lot of my books on Amazon.com and then when school started I just walked over to the U of T bookstore and bought what I still needed. Try to get as much as you can on amazon..it's so much cheaper!

[visqueux]

You definitely don't need histotechnology first semester. First semester is all microanatomy and no 'technology' stuff (it's a hard but cool class). That book would be more helpful for second semester and beyond, although I didn't have it second semester and never needed it.
Honestly, you will have no time to read anything 'extra' or do anything more than what you already need to do. It's best to just save your money where you can. Don't forget, all the books are in the library, along with plenty of other books on the same topics.
I think i mentioned this before, but I bought a lot of my books on Amazon.com and then when school started I just walked over to the U of T bookstore and bought what I still needed. Try to get as much as you can on amazon..it's so much cheaper!

Do you think it would be all right if I waited until after class started to get my books, so I know exactly which class it would be necessary for and which classes is isn't? Or do they start using the textbooks right away?

Also, do we really need the WHMIS pocket guide book?

[kayoko]

Do you think it would be all right if I waited until after class started to get my books, so I know exactly which class it would be necessary for and which classes is isn't? Or do they start using the textbooks right away?

One disadvantage is that you won't be able to get certain books through Amazon.ca. For example, Anatomy & Physiology (http://www.amazon.ca/Anatomy-Physiology-Gary-Thibodeau/dp/0323037186/ref=pd_bowtega_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215617385&sr=1-2), Clinical Hematology Atlas (http://www.amazon.ca/Clinical-Hematology-Atlas-Jacqueline-Carr/dp/1416050396/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215617425&sr=1-2), and Hematology (http://www.amazon.ca/Hematology-Principles-Applications-Bernadette-Rodak/dp/1416030069/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215617514&sr=1-1) all have a 3-6 week shipping estimate.

Of course, that's just one disadvantage.

[JaneSmith]

you definitely don't need the whmis book. I bought it, never touched it. All the whmis stuff you need to know is given to you in handouts, so it's a complete waste of money.
You could wait until you see how the classes actually are before you decide what you want to buy...i mean, the outlines will tell you that you're responsible for certain chapters, and the teachers will tell you that it's your responsibility to be reading the textbook, but when it comes to tests and exams it's ALL out of the notes. Whether you want to do reading above and beyond that is really up to you (and if you can actually find the time...good for you!)

[keiko126]

hey everyone,

i have a question. On the yellow sheet in the tuition package we got, it says "please fax details of deposit to 416-xxx-xxxx or email the info to xxx@michener.ca...". Does that mean we have to let michener know the details of our tuition payment if we 're paying via a bank? Something like "I paid $xxxx through CIBC internet banking on July xx, 2008"??

And I compared the prices of the books on Amazon and Chapters. Most of the books are cheaper if you have irewards from Chapters. The downside of irewards is u have to pay $25 to get it. So if u know somebody who has an irewards card, it's definitely cheaper to get from Chapters. I think you save around $30 if you're getting all the required books except Clinical Chem, Interprofessional collaboration, looking out, looking in, and whmis.

Btw, does anyone have any idea when our schedule for class are released?

[kayoko]

hey everyone,

i have a question. On the yellow sheet in the tuition package we got, it says "please fax details of deposit to 416-xxx-xxxx or email the info to xxx@michener.ca...". Does that mean we have to let michener know the details of our tuition payment if we 're paying via a bank? Something like "I paid $xxxx through CIBC internet banking on July xx, 2008"??

And I compared the prices of the books on Amazon and Chapters. Most of the books are cheaper if you have irewards from Chapters. The downside of irewards is u have to pay $25 to get it. So if u know somebody who has an irewards card, it's definitely cheaper to get from Chapters. I think you save around $30 if you're getting all the required books except Clinical Chem, Interprofessional collaboration, looking out, looking in, and whmis.

I paid my tuition online so I just printed the confirmation page into pdf and fired that off to Michener. If you paid in person, perhaps scan a copy of the receipt and send it off via email. Otherwise, providing the amount, bank name, your name/student number and confirmation/transaction number should be suffice.

If you have an American shipping address, you can save $100+ just by shopping at Amazon.com instead Amazon.ca.

[JaneSmith]

Schedules:

I'm pretty sure you won't get your schedule until orientation week. Actually, now that I think about it, I think you get your michener user ID and password mailed to you mid-august, and then you can go online and see your schedule. I can pretty much tell you that your schedule will be 8-4 most days with wednesday being a short day. Hope this helps a bit.

PS: everyone has the same lecture schedule, but there will be 4 different groups for labs, so some people get nice compact schedules and some people are stuck with long days and long breaks. I hope you get a good one!

[kayoko]

Man, and here I thought I got away from the days of having 3 hour breaks between classes.

Anyways, just wanted to let everyone know that the first post has been updated to reflect some of the stuff we have to do before September. Think of it has a summary of stuff we've talked about in the last month or so. I've compiled a list of names, email and extensions in case anyone needs to call the school and ask questions. I'm sure the contacts are in your email contact somewhere or on some sheet the school sent us, but it's in a nice list here (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6471699&postcount=1).

If you have anything to add or if I made some stupid mistake, please let me know!

EDIT: If anyone bought their textbooks from Amazon.ca, don't forget about their Book Price Guarantee (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=593371). If there's a price drop within 14 days, you can ask for a refund of the difference. For more details, visit Amazon's site directly here (http://www.amazon.ca/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200207500). To keep track of whether there's been a price drop, use the site called Price Protectr (http://www.priceprotectr.com/index.jsp) (no signup required).

[God_Anubis]

2 quick questions regarding the textbook:

1. Has anybody already bought any of their textbook's? where's the cheapest place to get?

2. Is it necessary to get the latest edition (listed on the web link)? Or can we get away with buying an older edition? the reason I ask is because the price differences are huge between the latest edition and and earllier one.

thx

[Bubin]

Hi

I am just wondering if anyone knows whether Michener's student council sells TTC passes, those VIP $96 ones?

thanks

[kayoko]

2 quick questions regarding the textbook:

1. Has anybody already bought any of their textbook's? where's the cheapest place to get?

2. Is it necessary to get the latest edition (listed on the web link)? Or can we get away with buying an older edition? the reason I ask is because the price differences are huge between the latest edition and and earllier one.

thx

I bought all my textbooks from Borders.com (US store) only because they had a 40% off coupon based on MSRP I found on SlickDeals/FatWallet. The six books came to $360 before GST (afaik, no duties on books).

As with university, you could probably get away with previous editions as long as you have access to the current one for comparison of relevant pages and any updates. Remember, a lot of these books from first year get re-used in second year and you might want to keep them as reference books when you study for your certification exam. I personally think of them as an investment for your career.

Of course, you can call the department to ask about it just to be sure.

[kayoko]

I am just wondering if anyone knows whether Michener's student council sells TTC passes, those VIP $96 ones?

I called student enrollment and was informed that they do not have the VIP program in effect for the TTC. Michener students are only qualified for student discounts with GO transit.

Perhaps, this is something you can bring up with the student council as I'm sure there are many students who use the TTC to get to school. They can be reached at:

Student Council (http://www.michener.on.ca/current/council.php)
Call (416) 596-3101 x3358
Toll Free 1-800-387-9066 x3358

[Bubin]

I just got the offer last Friday, after waiting for so long. I'd consider myself to be really lucky for getting in, but not so much for all those paper work ive to hand in in such a short notice!! I passed the deadline for the guarantee for the VPC to be here on time for school. I just wish Michener could notify me a bit earlier >:(

I'm wondering how long does it take for the immunity results to come out? I have an appointment with my fam doc on wednesday. I hope I can get everything done before school.

I went to pay the $500 deposit today, I asked if they know when will I get my tuition invoice, no one could give me a fix answer. How long did it take for you guys to receive it? And do you need to bring the invoice in order to have the fee deferred? Or do I just have to bring in the signature pages with supporting documents (if any) and the $75? :confused:

I keep telling myself to calm down, but it doesn't seem to work, im just so worried that I wont be able to get everything done in time!! =S

Thanks in advance :)

[kayoko]

I just got the offer last Friday, after waiting for so long. I'd consider myself to be really lucky for getting in, but not so much for all those paper work ive to hand in in such a short notice!! I passed the deadline for the guarantee for the VPC to be here on time for school. I just wish Michener could notify me a bit earlier >:(

I'm wondering how long does it take for the immunity results to come out? I have an appointment with my fam doc on wednesday. I hope I can get everything done before school.

I went to pay the $500 deposit today, I asked if they know when will I get my tuition invoice, no one could give me a fix answer. How long did it take for you guys to receive it? And do you need to bring the invoice in order to have the fee deferred? Or do I just have to bring in the signature pages with supporting documents (if any) and the $75? :confused:

I keep telling myself to calm down, but it doesn't seem to work, im just so worried that I wont be able to get everything done in time!! =S

Thanks in advance :)

First and foremost, CONGRATULATIONS on getting accepted into the program! Don't stress out too much about the stuff you need to do. It needs to be done, but don't forget to be happy and proud that you got into the program. How did you find this thread? :cheesygri

Don't worry too much about exact date of the deadline. The staff at Michener are very understanding, especially in your situation. So fill out your VPC form and mail it out ASAP. If you're worried about missing the deadline, call the school nurse (Genalyn Lo, 416 596-3101 Ext 3320) and ask her to make a note on your file that it's in progress (of course, explain your situation to her).

Results for blood tests usually take 2-3 weeks, but ask your doctor when you get there for a better approximation (may vary with procedure and where they send it to). However, if it's 1 week before school starts and you still don't have your blood test results back, call the nurse and explain your situation. It's not something you can control and you've already tried your best.

I got my tuition invoice at the end of June that was due about a week or two later. In your case, I'm sure they'll send it out within a week or two considering it's almost August. Don't forget, you're the one that owes money so I'm sure the school will be prompt about it.

I don't have the sheet in front of me at the moment and I didn't pay for the deferral so I can't really say much. If you qualify for OSAP, I assume that you should be able to just pay $75 with your Student ID and they would be able to see your OSAP record. To be sure, call financial aid office (Nandita Arora) at 1-800-387-9066 x3195. She'll be able to answer your questions about tuition and OSAP.

Take a deep breath. I know it feels like a lot, but once you set everything into motion, it'll just fall into place one by one. Don't forget to take a look at post one for a more cumulative summary of everything that you need to do before September. I'll take a look at the deferral thing for you when I get home and see if I could give you a better answer. Otherwise, hope this has helped you. *pat* It'll be OKAY!

Don't forget, the staff at Michener are extremely friendly and helpful so don't hesitate to call!

EDIT: To get a deferral, you need to have you student ID and pay them $75. However, you must have a completed OSAP application with Michener.

[Bubin]

First and foremost, CONGRATULATIONS on getting accepted into the program! Don't stress out too much about the stuff you need to do. It needs to be done, but don't forget to be happy and proud that you got into the program. How did you find this thread? :cheesygri

Don't worry too much about exact date of the deadline. The staff at Michener are very understanding, especially in your situation. So fill out your VPC form and mail it out ASAP. If you're worried about missing the deadline, call the school nurse (Genalyn Lo, 416 596-3101 Ext 3320) and ask her to make a note on your file that it's in progress (of course, explain your situation to her).

Results for blood tests usually take 2-3 weeks, but ask your doctor when you get there for a better approximation (may vary with procedure and where they send it to). However, if it's 1 week before school starts and you still don't have your blood test results back, call the nurse and explain your situation. It's not something you can control and you've already tried your best.

I got my tuition invoice at the end of June that was due about a week or two later. In your case, I'm sure they'll send it out within a week or two considering it's almost August. Don't forget, you're the one that owes money so I'm sure the school will be prompt about it.

I don't have the sheet in front of me at the moment and I didn't pay for the deferral so I can't really say much. If you qualify for OSAP, I assume that you should be able to just pay $75 with your Student ID and they would be able to see your OSAP record. To be sure, call financial aid office (Nandita Arora) at 1-800-387-9066 x3195. She'll be able to answer your questions about tuition and OSAP.

Take a deep breath. I know it feels like a lot, but once you set everything into motion, it'll just fall into place one by one. Don't forget to take a look at post one for a more cumulative summary of everything that you need to do before September. I'll take a look at the deferral thing for you when I get home and see if I could give you a better answer. Otherwise, hope this has helped you. *pat* It'll be OKAY!

Don't forget, the staff at Michener are extremely friendly and helpful so don't hesitate to call!

EDIT: To get a deferral, you need to have you student ID and pay them $75. However, you must have a completed OSAP application with Michener.




Thank you so much Kayoko!!
I have been reading this thread since... hmm... June, thats when I got my account, and I just bumped into this thread. This thread is awesome!!! So helpful!!!

Did you get anything from the mail? like an information package or something? like showing your student number, or like something that outlines when you start classes, orientation day etcetc??

For me, I don't even have anything on paper. All I got was this very weird forwarded email on friday, it wasn't even personalized, and at first, I thought it was spam! I called in and asked if it was a real offer. LOL. And that- in fact was a genuine one! i was like... Oooookay.. this is very strange. haha

I've a stupid question :o , do we have to somehow enroll in classes? I read in the earlier posts that we will get our schedule in mid aug? So are we automatically enrolled??

Thanks again!!!

[JaneSmith]

yes you are automatically enrolled. All you have to do is show up! I don't think you'll get too much info until mid-late august (which is coming up pretty fast!). Congratulations on getting in. Don't worry about all the paperwork and vaccinations and stuff...they don't expect you to have everything ready right away, considering you just got in last week.

[kayoko]

Did you get anything from the mail? like an information package or something? like showing your student number, or like something that outlines when you start classes, orientation day etcetc??

For me, I don't even have anything on paper. All I got was this very weird forwarded email on friday, it wasn't even personalized, and at first, I thought it was spam! I called in and asked if it was a real offer. LOL. And that- in fact was a genuine one! i was like... Oooookay.. this is very strange. haha

I've a stupid question , do we have to somehow enroll in classes? I read in the earlier posts that we will get our schedule in mid aug? So are we automatically enrolled??
I would expect them to send you your admissions package within this week. If you are concerned and live in the Toronto area, consider giving the Admissions Officer, Karyn Roscoe, a call (416) 596-3101 x3143 or email kroscoe@michener.ca and ask if it would be possible to pick up your admission package instead.

When you paid your $500 deposit, it goes under your student account which is your student ID. So take a look at any information they sent you for a number which starts with "00011..."

Personally, I have enjoyed that Michener is very pro-active in using email to communicate with prospective students in addition to snail mail. This way, I get information immediately and it provides a more convenient way to ask questions.

As requested:
- Important Dates (http://www.michener.ca/news/dates/dates.php): holidays, exam periods and start/end dates
- Orientation information (http://my.michener.ca/nv/orientation.php): note that there are mandatory sessions
- Required textbooks (http://www.michener.ca/resources/textbooks.php#medlab)

Interesting things to note:
- Student Benefits (http://www.aclstudentbenefits.com/microsite/?id=37): doesn't seem like you can opt out of this
- Student Levy (http://www.michener.ca/admissions/opt_out.html): You contribute $10 to support scholarships, but it is non-mandatory. If you want your $10 back, fill out the form here (http://www.michener.ca/pdf/Opt%20Out%20Form.pdf) and submit it no later than 10 days from the start of your first semester each academic year.

[JaneSmith]

Kayoko...you're going to burn out before you even start.

[kayoko]

Kayoko...you're going to burn out before you even start.
LOL. I think this is really really fun! Plus, it gives me something to do at work. ;)

[JaneSmith]

Well you're doing a great job! I wish there was someone like you around last year when I was starting!

[j_13]

hey kayoko, I have a quick question to ask you about buying books on borders.com. I just purchased a few books myself and I was wondering if you know what service they use to ship the books out? Is it UPS, fedex or the normal canada post?

thanks in advance! :)

[kayoko]

hey kayoko, I have a quick question to ask you about buying books on borders.com. I just purchased a few books myself and I was wondering if you know what service they use to ship the books out? Is it UPS, fedex or the normal canada post?

They use both FedEX and USPS/Canada Post. My orders were a mixture of both couriers. You'll get an email with the courier and tracking number when the order ships.

[lc108]

hey everyone!
I was just wondering whether you are supposed to get any sort of package in the mail after you pay your tuition? I paid back in June but I haven't gotten anything and I don't know where I'm supposed to go. Do we get our info on how to log into the Michener intranet? I'm currently out of the country so I'm panicking.

[kayoko]

hey everyone!
I was just wondering whether you are supposed to get any sort of package in the mail after you pay your tuition? I paid back in June but I haven't gotten anything and I don't know where I'm supposed to go. Do we get our info on how to log into the Michener intranet? I'm currently out of the country so I'm panicking.

Your MyMichener intranet login will be mailed out mid August (approximately). I have not received any sort of mail from Michener since I paid my tuition.

Is there any information you're looking to know from Michener aside from log-in (and thus schedule)? In other words, what are you waiting for?

[lc108]

Honestly I thought they would mail out info regarding schedules and intranet stuff after the tuition had been paid but I realised that they said they would mail out orientation stuff in early to mid August. I freaked out for nothing I guess! Reading this thread has really helped out though. Keep up the good work kayoko!

[JaneSmith]

the schedules are up on the intranet
I'll post the first year schedule here in a sec

[JaneSmith]

Here are the schedules for 1st year med lab:

Schedule 1:

Monday
9-12 AMML lab
1-3 MIML lan

Tuesday
930-11 PPML lecture
11-12 HEM lab
2-4 BAIP tutorial
4-6 MIML lab

Wednesday
9-12 AMML lecture
2-4 CCML lecture
4-5 HEM lect

Thursday
OFF (no fair!)

Friday
930-11 PPML lecture
12-2 MIML lecture
2-430 CCML lab


Schedule 2

Monday
1-4 MIML lab

Tuesday
930-11 PPML lect
11-12 HEM lab
2-4 BAIP tutorial

Wednesday
9-12 AMML lecture
2-4 CCML lecture
4-5 HEM lecture

Thursday
10-1 AMML lab
2-4:30 CCML lab

Friday
930-11 PPML lect
12-2 MIML lect


Schedule 3

Monday
9-12 MIML lab
1-330 CCML lab

Tuesday
930-11 PPML lect
11-1 BAIP tutorial
2-4 MIML lab
4-5 HEML lab

Wednesday
9-12 AMML lect
2-4 CCML lect
4-5 HEML lect

Thursday
OFF (so unfair)

Friday
930-11 PPML lecture
12-2 MIML lect
2-5 AMML lab

[kayoko]

Awesomeness! Two hour lunches allow for food and a good nap~

*Hoping for schedule 1 or 3* Crossing my fingers! :cheesygri

[visqueux]

Thank you Jane!

Schedule's look awesome, except for the 9:00 start.

And I lol'ed, at the "so unfair" comment. Cute.

[JaneSmith]

My pleasure!

Of course you won't know which schedule is yours until you're assigned your lab group, but you should be getting that info soon.
Your schedules are SO much better than ours were last year. Just the though of a day off was a mere dream, and we also had a BAIP lecture as well as tutorial and I see there is no longer a lecture for that course.
So no matter how bad it gets, just remember you have it better than we did!

[NucMed]

Great forum you have here. Lots of useful information.

Just curious...

Anybody starting Nuclear Medicine in September? What do you know about this program?

[Elham123]

I know that we have to complete this before enrolment, and have already paid the tuition for it..I was just wonderring if any body has done it yet..since I could not get a place in Augest, and I got it in the mid sept.
does anyone have any idea about this,,I mean I have paid 50 dollers for thecourse, now I have no idea if that is a lecture that i have to attend or the price of the exam. can anyone clarify that for me.
thanks alot

[kayoko]

I know that we have to complete this before enrolment, and have already paid the tuition for it..I was just wonderring if any body has done it yet..since I could not get a place in Augest, and I got it in the mid sept.
does anyone have any idea about this,,I mean I have paid 50 dollers for thecourse, now I have no idea if that is a lecture that i have to attend or the price of the exam. can anyone clarify that for me.
thanks alot

You might need to get this done before September but it might be okay if you're signed up for a course. Just note that you DO NOT have to sign up with the school. I attended the course from this organization (http://www.citycpr.com/FirstAid-BR-CPR.html) and received my certificate the day of. The main instructor was excellent, They have a lot of dates in August if you want to complete it before September.

The course is a lecture and practice course with a written test at the end (course fee includes exam and book). You listen to them talk, practice a bit and then write a multiple choice test. There's a certain number of questions you have to get correct before you can pass the course. Not hard.

[Elham123]

thanks so much Kayoko.

[j_13]

I was just wondering if anyone received any information about orientation! I thought we were going to get something early in august! thanks

also, thanks Kayoko for your reply on the book question.

[kayoko]

I was just wondering if anyone received any information about orientation! I thought we were going to get something early in august! thanks

also, thanks Kayoko for your reply on the book question.

No problem. I do not think we will be receiving any more information in regards to orientation. Everything you need to know is on the website (http://my.michener.ca/nv/orientation.php). Any fees involved with orientation were paid for with tuition so all you need to do is show up at the assigned times! There is a detailed schedule on the website in regards to mandatory and optional events so check it out and plan accordingly.

[JaneSmith]

For those still in need of textbooks, I ordered one off of amazon.com on August 7th and it was at my door on August 12th. How's that for service???

[God_Anubis]

You might need to get this done before September but it might be okay if you're signed up for a course. Just note that you DO NOT have to sign up with the school. I attended the course from this organization (http://www.citycpr.com/FirstAid-BR-CPR.html) and received my certificate the day of. The main instructor was excellent, They have a lot of dates in August if you want to complete it before September.

The course is a lecture and practice course with a written test at the end (course fee includes exam and book). You listen to them talk, practice a bit and then write a multiple choice test. There's a certain number of questions you have to get correct before you can pass the course. Not hard.

wow! what a coincidence kayako. was the program coordinnator by any chance Maureen? because I actually did my cpr last year with city CPR (this was the cheapest price among all the cpr courses that I searched for in toronto) way back in november when my mind was on something totally different (i thought of applying for nursing). After I changed my mind, I thought to myself...."pff what a waste of time for me to get my CPR for nothing". Little did I know that it would come in handy later on.

I also opted for the BLC certification in addition to my CPR certification. The BLC certification is basically for health care providers (i.e. nurses) and it trained us how to use the defribillator and pulmonary device properly.

the instructors were really great and funny. anyways, I would recommend City CPR to anyone who already hasn't done it yet. it's pretty close to Michener too (~ 15-20min walking distance)

[visqueux]

I have a quick question regarding orientation. There is a mandatory event on Wed. Sept 3rd called a “Team Building Activity”. I am wondering what this event is about. Based on the description it seems like I can pass on rather than have to commute all the way downtown just for it, as I am not attending the other events that day. What will be the consequences if I skip it?

[Bubin]

What's your lab group?!?!?!

Im in A!!!

[aimmers]

Ok I either havent received it yet or i'm just still on summer mode but how did you find out your group? I"m dying to know my schedule.

Thanks

[Bubin]

i got it from the mail, the day right after i got the orientation package. My other friend said she has not received it either. Maybe they send it out by groups? i don;t know.

They will tell you your locker number as well.

[medlab]

Hi,

I am starting my Med. Lab. 1st year.

Could you please tell me from where I can get the 1st year used books?

Thanks for reply.

[kayoko]

wow! what a coincidence kayako. was the program coordinnator by any chance Maureen? because I actually did my cpr last year with city CPR (this was the cheapest price among all the cpr courses that I searched for in toronto) way back in november when my mind was on something totally different (i thought of applying for nursing). After I changed my mind, I thought to myself...."pff what a waste of time for me to get my CPR for nothing". Little did I know that it would come in handy later on.


Yeah! The leader was Maureen, she is such a great instructor. I'm not sure about being the cheapest, but I like that they prepared everything and we just needed to show up. None of that "you must buy your own book" stuff like with Michener.

Sorry for the late reply!


I have a quick question regarding orientation. There is a mandatory event on Wed. Sept 3rd called a “Team Building Activity”. I am wondering what this event is about. Based on the description it seems like I can pass on rather than have to commute all the way downtown just for it, as I am not attending the other events that day. What will be the consequences if I skip it?
Perhaps you could ask around on Tuesday and get a better idea.


i got it from the mail, the day right after i got the orientation package. My other friend said she has not received it either. Maybe they send it out by groups? i don;t know.
Strangely enough I got an email from Michener today sending me an electronic copy. Guess they can see whether you've logged into the system or not. I got schedule 3! Thursdays off!

[kayoko]

Hi,

I am starting my Med. Lab. 1st year.

Could you please tell me from where I can get the 1st year used books?

Thanks for reply.

My understanding is that there isn't much of a market for used books. Many of the textbooks are used again in second year so many students choose to keep their books. There's a small forum on the Michener intranet for used books or try the buy, sell, trade forum here at RedFlagDeals.

Most of us decided to buy our books online (Amazon, Chapters/Indigo, Borders) at a discount rather than at the UT bookstore.

[drvoid]

Strangely enough I got an email from Michener today sending me an electronic copy. Guess they can see whether you've logged into the system or not. I got schedule 3! Thursdays off!

Yes I got that same email today as well after waiting for some time. Also got Thursdays off! Nice!

Also if people are interested (or just around the area like I was) you can pick up your Hematology manual/course outline package in your mailbox (yes we have mailboxes on the 14th floor). Just look at the email from groupwise or login to blackboard for the info.

See you all soon at orientation.

[lame23]

Hi,

I am really considering in going into this program for next school year, I was just wondering for those people who have taken this course, how is the workload like, are you able to work part time (15 hours week) or should this be avoided, in terms of tests are they mostly multiple choice, were there a lot of essay writing and presentations involve, and lastly ( for those who might have nursing experience who change to this programs) is this program harder than nursing? TIA

[kayoko]

So how is everyone liking the program so far?? I hear you have Roy for physiology...fun, fun! We had a woman named Nancy who is just great, but she left for a year to finish her masters. She'll be back next semester so you'll probably get her for some classes. Second year has been brutal so far. I long for the days of looking at nothing but white blood cells...

Heeeeey!

Personally, I'm loving it (lockers and all)! Roy is amazing! He's such a joker (he freaked us out the other day by bringing in a "urine" specimen to test for carbohydrates...then he put the transfer pipette into his mouth...THEN he told us it was apple juice..haha). We also have Lori for Microbiology, but I think everyone else is the same. I definitely feel like I don't learn much in hematology since it's so short! I mean, I still can't make a proper blood smear...yet they want me to move on.

*pat*pat* A bunch of us has followed your advice for textbooks and you've been such a great help! Thank you! Dang, I can imagine second year being brutal but just think about how close you are to being done!

People have been shy about having read this thread! They now know who I am since I made a post on facebook, but I never know that they've read the thread unless they mention it in passing. I got paired up with a tutor for AMML, is it you?

p.s. I still owe you a coffee~

[JaneSmith]

yay! glad to hear you're loving it! That Roy..i see he's re-using his old material! He did that to us first semester too. I didn't really know what to think of first semester heme since it was all new to me, but man..they really get you good in second semester, so try to enjoy the somewhat slow pace of it now. Don't worry about blood smears...I don't think any of us can make them all that great either...we don't really do them much after that one lab. I am a tutor, but I don't have you for AMML (I don't have anyone for AMML). That was my favourite class though. I'm still mad you guys get to do your e-portfolios in groups! Lori is great, isn't she? She really knows her stuff and seems to really like teaching micro. Well keep up the good work! I don't even see first years around, ever. Just like last year I never saw any second years. I think they divide us up pretty good, since we have labs and lectures at opposite times.
Oh...some advice...get good at doing gram stains. If you can't make a good one, it will haunt you forever, and come back to bite you in the butt over and over again :)
As always, if you have any questions, or need help with something, give me a shout!

[kayoko]

yay! glad to hear you're loving it! That Roy..i see he's re-using his old material! He did that to us first semester too. I didn't really know what to think of first semester heme since it was all new to me, but man..they really get you good in second semester, so try to enjoy the somewhat slow pace of it now. Don't worry about blood smears...I don't think any of us can make them all that great either...we don't really do them much after that one lab. I am a tutor, but I don't have you for AMML (I don't have anyone for AMML). That was my favourite class though. I'm still mad you guys get to do your e-portfolios in groups! Lori is great, isn't she? She really knows her stuff and seems to really like teaching micro. Well keep up the good work! I don't even see first years around, ever. Just like last year I never saw any second years. I think they divide us up pretty good, since we have labs and lectures at opposite times.
Oh...some advice...get good at doing gram stains. If you can't make a good one, it will haunt you forever, and come back to bite you in the butt over and over again :)
As always, if you have any questions, or need help with something, give me a shout!

So what does it take to become a tutor? Just good marks? We just had a classmate get exempted from AMML110 and we're all like "wow...he must be good!" and someone already dropped the program (sadly).

I'm sure I'd see more second years if I knew what they looked like! I recognized the two girls from orientation who did a little workshop talking about life as a first year...and the second year MLT rep. That's it! I saw that the second years has a test today in the auditorium, hope that went okay for you!

Thanks for the advice about the Gram staining. We have the staining and reading assessment next week (ugh), but they've been pretty easy on us in regards to performance expectations so hopefully we'll be okay.

I hope you don't mind that I've extended your invitation for questions and advice to my classmates! Aside from the ones who have already visited this thread.

[lame23]

Hi!

Has anyone here been to "meet me at michener" monthly tour/session? Id like to know if students actually go to this thing because i dont want to be the only student there.....:lol:

[kayoko]

Hi!

Has anyone here been to "meet me at michener" monthly tour/session? Id like to know if students actually go to this thing because i dont want to be the only student there.....:lol:

Unfortunately, I've never personally been to these tours so I can't say how many people actually show up. I'm sure some people show up, but it also depends on what program you want to tour as some are probably more popular than others.

In my opinion, sign up for those "Meet me at Michener" tours if you know what program you want to look at and possibly have some questions.

If you want to blend in a bit more and just "look", then wait until the open house that's coming up in November (20th and 21st). I can guarantee you that more people will show up for the open house and you won't feel alone. The open house can serve as a general purpose tour AND a specific program tour (it can be whatever you want it to be!). Faculty and students will be on hand for open house to answer any types of questions you might have to the program and the career.

Hope this helps!

[JaneSmith]

Hi kayoko

sorry for the late reply. Things have been so hectic lately that aimlessly surfing the internet has become a distant memory :(

To become a tutor you need to be recommended by a teacher. Sometimes a teacher will request you become a tutor so that you can help other people in his/her class, but i think if you wanted to become one you just need to ask any of your teachers to sign your application form.

The test we had in the auditorium was for our version of BAIP...our research class. It went pretty well thanks! I had another midterm earlier that morning too, in chemistry.

So how is everything going?? Stressed out yet?? I overheard some first years in the caf today studying for the micro bellringer. I was so nervous for that, but it ended up being fairly easy. Sadly, i think i've forgotten about 3/4 of the biochemical tests...we don't really use them in second year.

I remember one person was exempted from physiology last year too, however i think it really helps with histology cause it's a lot of overlap. I pretty much devoted all my time to histo and then used that to get by in physiology.

Well..i hope you're still enjoying first semester. Can you believe it's week 8 already??? The good news is that second semester wasn't as rough. Still a lot of work, but everything is a little more focused, and the venipuncture class is FUN!

Now I must get back to studying transfusion :(

[lame23]

Unfortunately, I've never personally been to these tours so I can't say how many people actually show up. I'm sure some people show up, but it also depends on what program you want to tour as some are probably more popular than others.

In my opinion, sign up for those "Meet me at Michener" tours if you know what program you want to look at and possibly have some questions.

If you want to blend in a bit more and just "look", then wait until the open house that's coming up in November (20th and 21st). I can guarantee you that more people will show up for the open house and you won't feel alone. The open house can serve as a general purpose tour AND a specific program tour (it can be whatever you want it to be!). Faculty and students will be on hand for open house to answer any types of questions you might have to the program and the career.

Hope this helps!
thanks for the info. I will definitely go to the open house this november. I have another question since im off school for a year, do you have any suggestions how I can prepare for 2009 (which i hope i get accepted), do you know if you can take one or 2 courses in the winter semester for the labtech program? also, is will it make a diiference if I apply now or can i wait till january?

[lame23]

Hi kayoko

sorry for the late reply. Things have been so hectic lately that aimlessly surfing the internet has become a distant memory :(

To become a tutor you need to be recommended by a teacher. Sometimes a teacher will request you become a tutor so that you can help other people in his/her class, but i think if you wanted to become one you just need to ask any of your teachers to sign your application form.

The test we had in the auditorium was for our version of BAIP...our research class. It went pretty well thanks! I had another midterm earlier that morning too, in chemistry.

So how is everything going?? Stressed out yet?? I overheard some first years in the caf today studying for the micro bellringer. I was so nervous for that, but it ended up being fairly easy. Sadly, i think i've forgotten about 3/4 of the biochemical tests...we don't really use them in second year.

I remember one person was exempted from physiology last year too, however i think it really helps with histology cause it's a lot of overlap. I pretty much devoted all my time to histo and then used that to get by in physiology.

Well..i hope you're still enjoying first semester. Can you believe it's week 8 already??? The good news is that second semester wasn't as rough. Still a lot of work, but everything is a little more focused, and the venipuncture class is FUN!

Now I must get back to studying transfusion :(

Hey I would like to know if you are working part-time? i would like to know your experience working part time and being in the lab tech program?

[JaneSmith]

Hi
Yes I do work part time and I find it VERY rough. It's suggested that you don't work while in the med lab program, but obviously that just isn't an option for everyone. If you do work, be very organized. That's really all I can say about that.

Also, when I decided to apply to michener I also had about a year to wait, so I signed up for the distance ed medical laboratory sciences refresher course thing they have. I never actually completed it (and it cost $300), but it gave me something great to write about in my application essay, and gave me a good idea about what kind of things i'd be learning. Come to think of it, some of the stuff i got in that package was the same stuff i late got in class in the form of class notes. Dunno if you want to shell out that kind of money, but it gets you back into study mode, and it never hurts to have something extra when there's so much tough competition.

[kayoko]

To become a tutor you need to be recommended by a teacher. Sometimes a teacher will request you become a tutor so that you can help other people in his/her class, but i think if you wanted to become one you just need to ask any of your teachers to sign your application form.

So how is everything going?? Stressed out yet?? I overheard some first years in the caf today studying for the micro bellringer. I was so nervous for that, but it ended up being fairly easy. Sadly, i think i've forgotten about 3/4 of the biochemical tests...we don't really use them in second year.

I remember one person was exempted from physiology last year too, however i think it really helps with histology cause it's a lot of overlap. I pretty much devoted all my time to histo and then used that to get by in physiology.

Well..i hope you're still enjoying first semester. Can you believe it's week 8 already??? The good news is that second semester wasn't as rough. Still a lot of work, but everything is a little more focused, and the venipuncture class is FUN!

Now I must get back to studying transfusion :(

Hope transfusion went good. Not so much stressed out as just tired! I don't really know why, but we had PPML test, BAIP PAT, Micro practical and AMML test between yesterday and today. Everyone looked pretty worn out this morning. I know we need to be able to function in stressful situations, but 3 tests in 24 hours is a bit cruel.

Sadly, Roy's teaching us physiology so physiology and chemistry overlap more than anatomy/histology. ~_~ Studying for physiology doesn't really help me for anatomy. At least, it didn't help me this morning. Oh well, it's done!

And no, I can't believe it's November next week! Crazy! Oh, do you know when they post the schedule for Winter term? I hope we don't have 8am classes. I'd have to leave my house at 6:00am to get to school. T__T

[kayoko]

thanks for the info. I will definitely go to the open house this november. I have another question since im off school for a year, do you have any suggestions how I can prepare for 2009 (which i hope i get accepted), do you know if you can take one or 2 courses in the winter semester for the labtech program? also, is will it make a diiference if I apply now or can i wait till january?

Michener does not provide courses that would allow you to complete courses ahead of time so you can have a lighter course load. However, if you have previous education, you can go through the painful process for a course exemption. I say it's painful because you have to write an exam to prove you're competent and in the month they take to decide, you STILL have to be in class the whole time.

I don't think there's too much you can do to prepare for it. They only assume high school science knowledge, so the information may come to you faster or slower depending on how long it's been. It's also affected by what courses you took in post-secondary education, if any. If you do come with a biology background, then you should be fine. I took a distance ed course AP601 to try my luck with Diagnostic Cytology and that definitely has helped me because I never did any anatomy or physiology in university.

If you want to get a job, try to get one at school. I have a friend who works at the Walk Safe program and she just sits in the lobby and studies 90% of the time. Pay's not great and you don't get a lot of hours. But she gets paid to study! There are also other short term positions that they offer during the school year (i.e. servers at events).

EDIT: Forgot to answer a question. It doesn't matter whether you apply now or later as long as it is before the closing date. I would apply know just so I don't forgot with Chirstmas season coming and everything. Or after the open house (just in case you absolutely hate it).

[faizan12]

Hi Guys...i was looking into Genetics Tech program at Michener, how is the program. How is job prospect after the program n

Any insight info would be nice

I m at u of t, doing biochem and thinking of applying after undergrad.

[kayoko]

Hi Guys...i was looking into Genetics Tech program at Michener, how is the program. How is job prospect after the program n

Any insight info would be nice

I m at u of t, doing biochem and thinking of applying after undergrad.

Glad you're looking at Michener! Wonderful school. You will find a job after you go to Michener!

I have to admit that I only have limited knowledge of the Genetics program so I'll try my best. But I will go look for more information in regards to this during open house since people seem interested in this program.

This is my knowledge of MLT's IN GENERAL. They are in high demand with students being hired before they graduate and write their licensing exam. As general MLT's (with 5 areas they can work in), the job bank is a lot larger than the genetic technologist (only 1 area) so your options may be a bit more limiting (i.e. you might have to move for your job). Don't think of Michener as school. Think of it as an apprenticeship.

General advice about genetics technology. They only take a LIMITED number of people (<20) so apply, but have a backup plan. A lot of people applied to the general MLT program as a backup. Because the program is competitive, be sure you have half-decent marks, excellent references, resume, and interviewee skills. You will be competing against a whole bunch of genetics majors, biology majors, MLT's (especially those that didn't get into genetics on the first try and did general MLT instead), internationally trained individuals (i.e. foreign doctors who need a career change). It's tough competition, but if you're good, they'll want you. It's like med school, once you're in, they'll want to keep you.

Also think about the career in general, can you imagine yourself working in a lab for 8 hours a day? What about shift work? Working with biological specimens that are potentially infectious? Are you okay with repetitive work?

If you would like to learn more about what Genetics Technologists do, take a look at the CSMLS competency profile for genetics technologists. It's a list of all the skills you will need to know and demonstrate before you're certified. Can be found here: http://www.csmls.org/english/profiles.htm

Unfortunately, I cannot provide you with more detailed information than this. So if you are free Novemebr 20th or 21st, visit Michener's open house and there will be students and faculty who live and breathe genetics to answer any questions you may have in regards to the program or career. Remember, the faculty who teach there are all licensed and there teaching because they want to teach. They could probably make more money working in a lab, but they choose to teach instead!

If you have urgent questions or more general stuff, feel free to call student services during normal office hours. The number is (416) 596-3117.

[faizan12]

Tomorrow there is a Meet Me @ Michener ? what is that ? is it any good ?

[kayoko]

Tomorrow there is a Meet Me @ Michener ? what is that ? is it any good ?

Never been to it. My understanding from the website is that you sign up to tour a specific program and only that program. They'll probably take you to the Med Lab floor and give you a brief tour. Possibly have someone on hand to answer questions.

1. You can only tour one program. Open house, you can tour all the programs.
2. Limited number of faculty will be on hand to answer questions. Open house, most faculty will be present along with current students.

Try calling tomorrow morning after 9am and see if you can sign up for tomorrow's session.

[lame23]

Hi
Yes I do work part time and I find it VERY rough. It's suggested that you don't work while in the med lab program, but obviously that just isn't an option for everyone. If you do work, be very organized. That's really all I can say about that.

Also, when I decided to apply to michener I also had about a year to wait, so I signed up for the distance ed medical laboratory sciences refresher course thing they have. I never actually completed it (and it cost $300), but it gave me something great to write about in my application essay, and gave me a good idea about what kind of things i'd be learning. Come to think of it, some of the stuff i got in that package was the same stuff i late got in class in the form of class notes. Dunno if you want to shell out that kind of money, but it gets you back into study mode, and it never hurts to have something extra when there's so much tough competition.

Thanks for the info.....but i never heard anything about application essay for the med lab tech program...can u please elaborate on this one. Thanks again.

[lame23]

Michener does not provide courses that would allow you to complete courses ahead of time so you can have a lighter course load. However, if you have previous education, you can go through the painful process for a course exemption. I say it's painful because you have to write an exam to prove you're competent and in the month they take to decide, you STILL have to be in class the whole time.

I don't think there's too much you can do to prepare for it. They only assume high school science knowledge, so the information may come to you faster or slower depending on how long it's been. It's also affected by what courses you took in post-secondary education, if any. If you do come with a biology background, then you should be fine. I took a distance ed course AP601 to try my luck with Diagnostic Cytology and that definitely has helped me because I never did any anatomy or physiology in university.

If you want to get a job, try to get one at school. I have a friend who works at the Walk Safe program and she just sits in the lobby and studies 90% of the time. Pay's not great and you don't get a lot of hours. But she gets paid to study! There are also other short term positions that they offer during the school year (i.e. servers at events).

EDIT: Forgot to answer a question. It doesn't matter whether you apply now or later as long as it is before the closing date. I would apply know just so I don't forgot with Chirstmas season coming and everything. Or after the open house (just in case you absolutely hate it).

Thanks again for the very informative post! I'll wait for the open house before I apply! I was also wondering if anyone in the program have drop-out yet? and kayako, do you also have a part time job? if you do how many hours do u work per week?

[kayoko]

Thanks again for the very informative post! I'll wait for the open house before I apply! I was also wondering if anyone in the program have drop-out yet? and kayako, do you also have a part time job? if you do how many hours do u work per week?

In regards to the application essay, it wasn't implemented last year when I applied. I think they are trying out different methods to select the candidates, but they haven't really decided on anything in particular that they like and is efficient at the same time.

Just to reiterate, when I applied last year, I did absolutely nothing except send in my application and then sign a form later on saying that I was still interested in the program. From what I see on the website, nothing's changed from last year in terms of application.

We've had a net loss of 2-3 people as far as I know within the first month (from 66 students to 64 students, i think). I have no idea if they dropped out or just never attended (like the person said they would come, but didn't). My guess would be that some decided that the career isn't for him/her, perhaps got accepted into another program, or personal circumstances forced them to drop.

So really try to do some research into the career because once you're in the program, there isn't much wiggle room. That and you won't want to go to school for a month and then decide you hate it, cause you wouldn't get a refund of your tuition ($5000+)

I'm fortunate enough that my finances allow me to not work at all. So currently, I'm not working. A good number of people have jobs and work from 6 hours - 40 hours a week and it really depends what and how much you're willing to sacrifice (sleep, studying, family, TV, social, etc.).

[JaneSmith]

when I applied in 2007, we had to write an essay (If I remember correctly they asked us a few questions, and we responded in essay form). We also had to sign a form saying we had watched some video about the med lab program that we had to order through the mail.
I know the year before i applied, the students had to take a tour of a lab and have an employee of the lab sign a form for them.
So it seems like their application process is constantly changing. Once again the class of 2011 appears to have it easier than we did!!! Maybe this year all you have to do is call them and say you want in!

[kayoko]

I was talking to an instructor yesterday and it seems that they might be implementing the multiple mini interview (http://www.michener.ca/ce/postdiploma/genetics_technology.php#apply) to ALL Michener programs.

Not sure if they're going to be implementing it for Fall 2009 admission, but something you might want to ask about during open house.

A friend of mine went to the MMI when she applied for genetics technology last year and she said that it's basically like a bell ringer. You go through a bunch of rooms and have 8 minutes to answer an interview question that they give, which seems to be a lot of time to talk about one question. They have more information about MMI's in the link above about things like what kind of things they're going to ask and why it's a good idea, etc.

Note to self: I should seriously find myself a job that does outreach and information. *sighs*

[JaneSmith]

You really should Kayoko. You're probably more informed and useful than the majority of paid michener employees.

[searching123]

Hi there! I greatly appreciate all the info posted on this forum. I too, am looking into Michener's MLT program.

I was wondering, for the people got a science degree before going into the MLT program, how would you compare your university career to being in the MLT program (in terms of work load, stress, free time, teachers, living arrangements, and anything else you can think of)?

Also, if you could mention what uni you went to and what program you did, would be great too!

I'm hoping to apply soon for the 2009 cycle,and just wanted to know what you guys thought. Also, i intend on going to the open house this month.

Thanks so much in advance for the replies!

[kayoko]

I was wondering, for the people got a science degree before going into the MLT program, how would you compare your university career to being in the MLT program (in terms of work load, stress, free time, teachers, living arrangements, and anything else you can think of)?

Also, if you could mention what uni you went to and what program you did, would be great too!

Personally I'm from McMaster and did an undergraduate degree in Biology. However, my classmates come from places like UofT and Western with backgrounds in medical science, physics, psychology, etc. Having first year biology and chemistry should give you a good background to everything you need. If you don't, you'll just have to review it a bit more than others.

The work load of the program is intense, but at the same time you can also manage a part time job. Weekdays are usually pretty intense in terms of scheduling, but weekends are pretty relaxing for me (unless we have 3 midterms the next week).

60% is a passing grade in most classes. So far the class averages have been 70-80-ish (very good) and I think most people are alright with their marks so far. It's not like university where they have to hit a specific number for their class averages so they have to fail people. They want everyone to pass and do well (while understanding everything you need to know so you have a good foundation).

The teachers are wonderful and I cannot speak of enough good things about them. The teachers are there to teach unlike in university where professors' real job is to do research. They are dedicated, understanding and make an effort to try to help you (even on the weekends!).

Living arrangements? We have residences on campus (rooms with their own bathroom but common kitchen area). Our class has a couple of people who live on campus and they're a pretty close group. Most of us commute (some from absurd places like Hamilton).

Open house is actually next week! So don't forget to put it into your calendar!

[JaneSmith]

Hi there! I greatly appreciate all the info posted on this forum. I too, am looking into Michener's MLT program.

I was wondering, for the people got a science degree before going into the MLT program, how would you compare your university career to being in the MLT program (in terms of work load, stress, free time, teachers, living arrangements, and anything else you can think of)?

Also, if you could mention what uni you went to and what program you did, would be great too!

I'm hoping to apply soon for the 2009 cycle,and just wanted to know what you guys thought. Also, i intend on going to the open house this month.

Thanks so much in advance for the replies!


Kayoko gave you a first year perspective, here's my second year perspective..
Everyone in my class has a degree of some sort I think. We have a lot of people who have had previous lab experience, either as technicians, doing research, or performing technologist duties in other countries.
The workload is intense but it's all applied, so you actually feel like there's a point to it all! The teachers are like nothing i've experienced in my university life. They are all professionals, incredibly knowledgable, and more helpful than you can imagine. I think most of us send personal emails to our teachers on a nearly weekly basis, asking for clarification on something or other, and responses are always immediate and helpful. As i've stated before, I work, but a lot of people don't. Most people who live far away, stay on campus the first year, and then get an apartment nearby for second year. Lots of people also commute pretty far distances. Personally I can say that my time at Michener so far has been 100times more rewarding than my 4 years at university, and i've already learned a lot more. The environment is great, because you're with the same people all the time, and you get to be really good friends with a lot of them.
You should really come out to the open house next week and see what it's all about. You get to explore the whole school, and we put on demos showing all the stuff we do in the labs. Students and staff can answer all your questions and you'll get a much better idea how everything works.

[searching123]

i graduated this summer with a biology degree, but was sort of lost since my marks weren't good enough for professional schools. Because of that, I was sorta doubting my abilities, going to uni for 4 years was a lot of money not to do as well as you hoped. So I was scared if i'd have the same experience at Michener. Plus I did the whole 'living away from home and going to school thing. If Michener took me in, I think i'd be living at home and commuting on the Go train, which i know a lot of students do.

I've heard from many people that the programs at Michener are intense, but I'm glad to hear that you are all having a great experience there. I've only heard good things about Michener, so that is good.

[kayoko]

i graduated this summer with a biology degree, but was sort of lost since my marks weren't good enough for professional schools. Because of that, I was sorta doubting my abilities, going to uni for 4 years was a lot of money not to do as well as you hoped. So I was scared if i'd have the same experience at Michener. Plus I did the whole 'living away from home and going to school thing. If Michener took me in, I think i'd be living at home and commuting on the Go train, which i know a lot of students do.

I've heard from many people that the programs at Michener are intense, but I'm glad to hear that you are all having a great experience there. I've only heard good things about Michener, so that is good.

Don't say that about yourself! You should be proud that you survived university! I'm sure you've learned a lot more than you realized, especially in terms of things like time management and study skills (transferable skills!) If you decide on a program at Michener, I think you'll find it satisfying in that you'll be considered a professional in healthcare with a pretty cool sounding job title.

This is something that you might want to consider when you're at the open house. Ask the faculty there what general skills and personality they think a MLT (or Rad Sci, Nuc Med, Chiropodist, etc.) should have and see if you might fit that description. Also, take advantage of the exhibits they have set up because they should give you an idea of what MLT's (or Rad Sci, Nuc Med, etc.) actually do on their jobs.

Don't forget that we have students from all walks of life so if you feel comfortable, ask if anyone else was in a situation like yours and why they chose the program, etc. People like to talk about themselves so don't be afraid to ask!

[searching123]

haha thanks so much kayoko. Yeah i'm definitely will go to the open house next week and talk to someone there. Thanks for the tip about asking what skills are needed. I was trying to come up with a question list to ask them.

[aman110]

Thank you so much everyone for great info... i have been looking at many michner's program. i am a Biotechnology Technologist from seneca college and have been unable to find any job in my field so i am just doing a poor paid administrative job... since i dont have a bachelor's degree and most michner program requires one... i am going to do an online degree through Athabasca university. and hopefuly will apply to Nuclear medicine program as it gives u a bachelor's degree too at the end.... does anybody know any job future for this program?? i have heard its a pretty good paying profession...

Also i was looking at "Physician Assistant" program offerd thru Mcmaster University but that requires 2 yr of university and highly competative. i think they only accept 30 students from 600 applicants.

Please give me some suggestion for which one i shud go for. i am having a baby in early 09 as well.. so i am not sure how i will be able to handle full time studies and a full time baby:confused:

[xOnic_]

Thank you so much everyone for great info... i have been looking at many michner's program. i am a Biotechnology Technologist from seneca college and have been unable to find any job in my field so i am just doing a poor paid administrative job... since i dont have a bachelor's degree and most michner program requires one... i am going to do an online degree through Athabasca university. and hopefuly will apply to Nuclear medicine program as it gives u a bachelor's degree too at the end.... does anybody know any job future for this program?? i have heard its a pretty good paying profession...

Also i was looking at "Physician Assistant" program offerd thru Mcmaster University but that requires 2 yr of university and highly competative. i think they only accept 30 students from 600 applicants.

Please give me some suggestion for which one i shud go for. i am having a baby in early 09 as well.. so i am not sure how i will be able to handle full time studies and a full time baby:confused:

Personally, I think you should apply for both programs and see which one you're accepted to. Since mcmaster's program is competitive w/ limited enrollment, if you don't get accepted, you'll still have michener to fall back on.

[kayoko]

thank you so much everyone for great info... I have been looking at many michner's program. I am a biotechnology technologist from seneca college and have been unable to find any job in my field so i am just doing a poor paid administrative job... Since i dont have a bachelor's degree and most michner program requires one... I am going to do an online degree through athabasca university. And hopefuly will apply to nuclear medicine program as it gives u a bachelor's degree too at the end.... Does anybody know any job future for this program?? I have heard its a pretty good paying profession...

Also i was looking at "physician assistant" program offerd thru mcmaster university but that requires 2 yr of university and highly competative. I think they only accept 30 students from 600 applicants.

Please give me some suggestion for which one i shud go for. I am having a baby in early 09 as well.. So i am not sure how i will be able to handle full time studies and a full time baby:confused:

ygpm.

[aman110]

ygpm???

[xOnic_]

ygpm???

You got a private message, check your top right corner, look for 'Messages'

[kayoko]

ygpm???

I gave it some thought and I think you should post your situation as a new thread in "Careers" section of this forum so you can get more input from other people as only a limited number of people read this thread.

[aman110]

You got a private message, check your top right corner, look for 'Messages'

Thankyou for your help :-) ... as i am pretty new here , didnt know abt the code words

[aman110]

I gave it some thought and I think you should post your situation as a new thread in "Careers" section of this forum so you can get more input from other people as only a limited number of people read this thread.

Thank you Kayoko. i will post it in career forum as well

[Neverending]

Hi everyone.

I am currently a senior student studying under the International Baccalaureate (IB) system. I am applying to a genetics program at U of T [http://www.hmb.utoronto.ca/ggb.asp], biomedical science at various universities in Ontario (York, Waterloo, Western, Guelph) as well as health science at McMaster. Basically I need some career advice from you peeps!

The genetics program at U of T (correct me if I am wrong) should provide me with a strong academic background if I decide to apply to the Genetics Technology program at Michener after my undergraduate study. Biomedical and health science would assist me if I continue to go into medical school, which I really doubt will happen because, as Kayoko stated, I am more of a “behind the scenes” guy. I really do not know what to do with these degrees when in comes to finding a job. The only one that I am knowledgeable of is the career as a medical laboratory technologist but that’s about it. I do find the MLT career interesting, especially if it involves working in a hospital (it is kind of my comfort zone!). I lack information about the salaries of this job, the employment prospects in the near future, the standards of living of people with this career and things along those lines. I am aware that lab work may become monotonous over time but I am not too concerned about that because I think my love for biology will compensate that.

I would really appreciate it if you could provide me with some career assistance and any information you have on the Genetics Technology program at Michener.

P.S. I have no access to these open houses and seminars so I am totally dependent on you guys!

Thanks in advance!

[kayoko]

Hi everyone.

I am currently a senior student studying under the International Baccalaureate (IB) system. I am applying to a genetics program at U of T [http://www.hmb.utoronto.ca/ggb.asp], biomedical science at various universities in Ontario (York, Waterloo, Western, Guelph) as well as health science at McMaster. Basically I need some career advice from you peeps!

The genetics program at U of T (correct me if I am wrong) should provide me with a strong academic background if I decide to apply to the Genetics Technology program at Michener after my undergraduate study. Biomedical and health science would assist me if I continue to go into medical school, which I really doubt will happen because, as Kayoko stated, I am more of a “behind the scenes” guy. I really do not know what to do with these degrees when in comes to finding a job. The only one that I am knowledgeable of is the career as a medical laboratory technologist but that’s about it. I do find the MLT career interesting, especially if it involves working in a hospital (it is kind of my comfort zone!). I lack information about the salaries of this job, the employment prospects in the near future, the standards of living of people with this career and things along those lines. I am aware that lab work may become monotonous over time but I am not too concerned about that because I think my love for biology will compensate that.

I would really appreciate it if you could provide me with some career assistance and any information you have on the Genetics Technology program at Michener.

P.S. I have no access to these open houses and seminars so I am totally dependent on you guys!

Thanks in advance!

If you want some basic program information, watch the video on the Michener website because they answer some basic questions. There is also that toll free number to student services (although their knowledge leaves much to be desired sometimes, but they may be able to forward you to people who could answer your questions). (See post 1 for links and numbers)

If your goal is medical school, it doesn't matter what you do as your undergrad as you have all your requisite courses. Medical school is a totally different topic so if you want advice about that, go visit PreMed101 (http://www.premed101.com/forums/). They have people there who know ALL about medical school.

If I can give you any advice on doing a B.Sc, it would be that a B.Sc rarely gets you to where you want to be. It's not like an engineering degree where you finish and you're set for a job. Use your B.Sc as a stepping stone to get into a profession. Take a look at all the "allied health professions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_health_professions)" and I can bet that you never even thought of some of those professions. They're often overlooked when people make career decisions, but they can be just as rewarding in terms of being able to help people and compensation. So look up what each of those occupation ensures and try to imagine yourself as one. Many of those careers also involves working in a hospital so just take a look.

Genetic Technologists have a high starting salary (50-60k, depends on province) [link1 (http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/5670diplt), link2 (http://www.workopolis.com/EN/job/10156845)] because they are the "specialists" of the MLT field. Employment prospects are good. [link (http://www.jobfutures.ca/noc/3211p1.shtml)] Depending on where you work, you may or may not have to do shift work so it's not always a 9-5 job. Also understand that there is continuous learning involved in the career (since techniques and things change) and the potential for infection since you are dealing with patient samples.

To be honest with you, this is as much as I know about genetics technology as a career. However, I plan to make some rounds around Michener during open house to learn more about other programs. It's slowly starting to frustrate me how little I know. I want to help you guys and give you all the information that you need!

If you want more career advice in general, I would ask that you make a post in the "careers" section of the forum where many others may read and give you advice.

[JaneSmith]

Hey Kayoko, what are you doing for the open house? I want to spy on you.

[kayoko]

Hey Kayoko, what are you doing for the open house? I want to spy on you.

Spy on me? I'm honored!

Sadly, no one has mentioned ANYTHING to us in regards to open house. None of us knows if it's:
- mandatory or voluntary
- shift work or whole day
- what they want us to do (displays? security? tour guides? be pretty?)

I'm assuming it's voluntary shiftwork in front of displays with lab coats that aren't a biological hazard. Sadly, I think I'm the only one in my class that's actually excited about open house (of course, some of it has to do with canceled classes!)

Do you guys know where/what you'll be doing?

[JaneSmith]

Oh you naive first year...it is not voluntary. They force you to go whether you want to or not (it is pretty fun though, and you get a day off of school). I guess you'll find out what you're doing early this week
The shifts are 2 hours, and you sign up for what you want to do (we were told they're sticking the first years with elevator duty, tours of the school, heme, micro and...something, while the second years are doing venipuncture, histology and transfusion).
They actually give you new (or at least clean) labcoats to wear for the event, which is a good thing since mine looks like a purple monster threw up all over it (gram stain).

[kayoko]

I feel the need to start looking for a summer job, but I have no idea where to start. Should I just start cold-calling the labs? Anyone know of any summer programs that would hire first years?

As much as I'd like to volunteer, I need the money or else my bank account will really go to zero. ~_~

[nalababe]

I feel the need to start looking for a summer job, but I have no idea where to start. Should I just start cold-calling the labs? Anyone know of any summer programs that would hire first years?

As much as I'd like to volunteer, I need the money or else my bank account will really go to zero. ~_~

Sure call the labs...but know who to call.
Depending on the lab, there may be limited opportunities to run samples if your are not CMLT etc. But I know several labs that last year hired summer students to assist with product evaluations or research projects in the clinical lab (i.e the grunt work or data management). Who are the contacts at your building? TML used to be upstairs, much had moved to UHN, but I am sure that there are contacts still around. If not, ask your teachers/profs for contacts...look at the lab, look at POC...while a long shot, consider the vendors as well.

[kayoko]

Sure call the labs...but know who to call.
Depending on the lab, there may be limited opportunities to run samples if your are not CMLT etc. But I know several labs that last year hired summer students to assist with product evaluations or research projects in the clinical lab (i.e the grunt work or data management). Who are the contacts at your building? TML used to be upstairs, much had moved to UHN, but I am sure that there are contacts still around. If not, ask your teachers/profs for contacts...look at the lab, look at POC...while a long shot, consider the vendors as well.

Unfortunately, I have no contacts so when I said cold-calling labs, I mean seriously cold calling them. I've been trying, albeit unsuccessfully, trying to network with alumni or in the industry. But it's really difficult considering the limited circumstances that I've been able to meet people outside of school.

And I tried to look at the whole conference things that you've said, but the CSMLS one has a ridiculous admissions fee. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be a good list of who's holding a conference where. But I'm definitely keeping an eye out for conferences around Toronto.

I've actually mentioned the whole summer job thing to a couple of instructors and none of them really offered any contacts (the vibe I got).

I still have lots of time (kinda) so I'll keep working on it. Just wondering if anyone else had some leads, that's all. Thanks!

[JaneSmith]

Just my .02
Last year a lot of people looked for lab jobs and were unsuccessful. Some people did get an opportunity to work in a lab, but it was..you guessed it...voluntary.
If I were you I would walk into all the hospitals, find their HR department, and go pick up an application form for student summer jobs. You may not get a lab job, but at least you'll get into a good networking environment.
However, keep in mind that you will have plenty of opportunity to network and get lab experience when you do your clinical. So you might want to actually look for a job that pays decent money, as the summer after this one you'll be in school and won't be able to work fulltime.

[SHEEEEP]

WOW I am so glad I found this thread! I always thought med lab students were a rare breed, but there's a whole thread here for them :D
I don't go to Michener (I don't even live in Ontario... but it sure looks like everybody else on here does), but I'm in Phase I of the MLS program at the University of Alberta (http://www.lmp.ualberta.ca/education/mls/index.htm). I really just joined this forum and posted here just to express my excitement for this med lab thread. Yay for lab techs!

[kayoko]

Just my .02
Last year a lot of people looked for lab jobs and were unsuccessful. Some people did get an opportunity to work in a lab, but it was..you guessed it...voluntary.
If I were you I would walk into all the hospitals, find their HR department, and go pick up an application form for student summer jobs. You may not get a lab job, but at least you'll get into a good networking environment.
However, keep in mind that you will have plenty of opportunity to network and get lab experience when you do your clinical. So you might want to actually look for a job that pays decent money, as the summer after this one you'll be in school and won't be able to work fulltime.

Hm. I didn't know hospitals hired summer students. I figured they have enough student volunteers pounding on their doors. But I'll definitely give it a try.

I think you're absolutely right about making money as a big thing cause I don't have enough money saved for tuition next year. *sighs* I've been thinking about using a recruiting agency to find temporary jobs. That way, I can specify that I want to make more than $10/hr. =)

Ah, I can't believe we're already done classes! Hard to believe that exams are around the corner! And they still don't have the schedule for next term! Not to mention they're kicking us out of our lockers (I liked where my locker is located!)

[kayoko]

WOW I am so glad I found this thread! I always thought med lab students were a rare breed, but there's a whole thread here for them :D
I don't go to Michener (I don't even live in Ontario... but it sure looks like everybody else on here does), but I'm in Phase I of the MLS program at the University of Alberta (http://www.lmp.ualberta.ca/education/mls/index.htm). I really just joined this forum and posted here just to express my excitement for this med lab thread. Yay for lab techs!

I think there are med lab students out there, but there isn't much of a chance for us to interact (except at clinicals).

I know nothing about MLT's in Alberta so tell me more! Did you choose the B.Sc in MLT right out of high school? How many students do you have in your classes? What is your class population in terms of age and previous post-secondary studies? Is it a competitive program? How are you enjoying your program so far?

[SHEEEEP]

I think there are med lab students out there, but there isn't much of a chance for us to interact (except at clinicals).

I know nothing about MLT's in Alberta so tell me more! Did you choose the B.Sc in MLT right out of high school? How many students do you have in your classes? What is your class population in terms of age and previous post-secondary studies? Is it a competitive program? How are you enjoying your program so far?

Yeah I'm sure they're out there... somewhere! I've only interacted with med lab students that are in my program, but none from any of the technical colleges around here (at least not yet).

I had my eye on the BSc MLS program since high school. I was always the "oddball" because all of my friends who wanted to go into the health care field either wanted to become doctors or pharmacists. I didn't want to be a doctor because med school admissions are so competitive and I didn't want to be a pharmacist because most pharmacists end up in the retail area and I wanted to get as far away from retail as possible. I thought MLS would be perfect for me because it's more biology-based and hands on, which makes learning much more enjoyable.

This year, there were 29 people admitted into the program (this is already considered a big class because in recent years, only 18 were admitted). There is no direct entry from high school because there are prerequisites that have to be taken before applying to the program. The prerequisites can all be taken in the first year of university, but it's more stressful to do it that way. There are a few students in my class who did that and made it into the program after their first year of university, but most of us (myself included) have been in university for at least 3 years. Admission is competitive and it is based on cumulative and prerequisite GPAs, as well as a letter of intent on why we want to be in the program.

So far, I've been pretty satisfied with the program. Everything I'm learning is so useful and I don't have to worry about being jobless when I graduate. I like being in a small class again and the support that we get from the staff is exceptional.

How about you kayoko? How are you enjoying your program so far? Are you enjoying the classes and the endless labs? What classes are you enjoying the most/least? I would say I am enjoying all of my classes, except clinical chemistry... but only because I know I'm bad at it and it hates me back. I have yet to take any classes on hemostasis or transfusion medicine.

I guess while I'm at it, I want to ask (out of interest) what the pay is like for MLT's in Ontario. In Edmonton and Calgary, the starting wage is at least $27/hr for MLT I. Sorry if this is a repeat question in the thread... 16 pages is quite the read.

[kayoko]

Yeah I'm sure they're out there... somewhere! I've only interacted with med lab students that are in my program, but none from any of the technical colleges around here (at least not yet).

I had my eye on the BSc MLS program since high school. I was always the "oddball" because all of my friends who wanted to go into the health care field either wanted to become doctors or pharmacists. I didn't want to be a doctor because med school admissions are so competitive and I didn't want to be a pharmacist because most pharmacists end up in the retail area and I wanted to get as far away from retail as possible. I thought MLS would be perfect for me because it's more biology-based and hands on, which makes learning much more enjoyable.

This year, there were 29 people admitted into the program (this is already considered a big class because in recent years, only 18 were admitted). There is no direct entry from high school because there are prerequisites that have to be taken before applying to the program. The prerequisites can all be taken in the first year of university, but it's more stressful to do it that way. There are a few students in my class who did that and made it into the program after their first year of university, but most of us (myself included) have been in university for at least 3 years. Admission is competitive and it is based on cumulative and prerequisite GPAs, as well as a letter of intent on why we want to be in the program.

So far, I've been pretty satisfied with the program. Everything I'm learning is so useful and I don't have to worry about being jobless when I graduate. I like being in a small class again and the support that we get from the staff is exceptional.

How about you kayoko? How are you enjoying your program so far? Are you enjoying the classes and the endless labs? What classes are you enjoying the most/least? I would say I am enjoying all of my classes, except clinical chemistry... but only because I know I'm bad at it and it hates me back. I have yet to take any classes on hemostasis or transfusion medicine.

I guess while I'm at it, I want to ask (out of interest) what the pay is like for MLT's in Ontario. In Edmonton and Calgary, the starting wage is at least $27/hr for MLT I. Sorry if this is a repeat question in the thread... 16 pages is quite the read.

WOW. I can't believe you even thought about the career from high school! That's pretty amazing. Did you do a lot of research about the career or do you know someone personally who's an MLT? (Don't have to answer if it's too person, I understand). Actually, the life of a pharmacist is pretty good cause you get minions called pharmacy technicians who do all your grunt work. =D

DANG! 29 people in a class! I thought 64 people in a class was small, but goodness. I guess they're desperate for MLT's everywhere so they're trying to increase enrollment. Cheers for our job prospects!

It's interesting that the program at your school is like any other professional school (i.e. med, pharm, chiropractor) where you have to do a couple of undergraduate courses before they'll take you. In a way, it should help raise the prestige of the career because it's a B.Sc, not just some diploma program run by a small college. In the end, it really shouldn't matter whether I get a diploma or B.Sc as long as I pass the licensing exam, but it just sounds so insignificant when I tell people I'm studying for 3 years to get a diploma.

I also think it's interesting to imagine how my experience would be different if the MLT program were to take place at a university. Perhaps people would have heard of my school! *laughs* But I really love the small community that we have at Michener! Everyone's really approachable and they take feedback from surveys very seriously. For example, when they asked students what they wanted changed to the library, they actually listened and moved furniture area so we could have a designated quiet area. I think things like that might get a bit lost at a bigger institution.

To be honest with you, I haven't really decided whether I'm totally into this career. There are certain things that I like about my experience so far, but this pressure to perform in a perfect manner is stressing me out. It's like...if I'm not doing something right, tell me right away so I can correct it instead of waiting until my assessment! Otherwise, they've been pretty easy on us this semester so it's been rather nice. We haven't done transfusion either but I honestly don't have a favourite right now. I think I'm enjoying Microbiology the most, but it's got more to do with the instructor more than the content. Nothing's really jumped out at me as super interesting.

You know, it'd be cool if there were a conference of some sort where the med lab students can do exchanges and learn about how the different programs are run or how things differ between provinces or even some intraprofessional activites. I love my classmates, but sometimes I want a wider circle to discuss things of interest (ethics, laws, career advice, etc.).

[TheWitch22]

Hi...

I am currently in my 4th year of a B.Sc in Microbiology and feel like it is completely useless since I have zero work experience and I know my chances of finding employment in the field are slim to none... So I am looking at ways to make myself employable and checked out MLT at Michener. Originally I wanted to apply to the Genetics Technology program but shortly after, I found out my GPA is not high enough for that... (My GPA is 3.15/4.5 which is a B.. ) Anyways... Michener admission people told me the cutoff is 75% and I am sure its WAY higher than that...so Genetics Technology is out of the question... and that's why I started looking at their MLT program... and I know is also very competitive but from what I understood highschool grades are more important than university grades when you apply to that program... so basically I just wanted to know if anyone know what my chances of getting in are...

My highschool grades are:

Math 98%
Chemistry 75%
Biology 84%
English 86%

and plenty of university courses with Bs and As ( I hope they choose the one I got As in for admission)

anyways tell me what you think...

and I am also wondering about the interview... Is it difficult? Do a lot of people fail it?>:(

Thanks a lot!:)

[kayoko]

Hi...

I am currently in my 4th year of a B.Sc in Microbiology and feel like it is completely useless since I have zero work experience and I know my chances of finding employment in the field are slim to none... So I am looking at ways to make myself employable and checked out MLT at Michener. Originally I wanted to apply to the Genetics Technology program but shortly after, I found out my GPA is not high enough for that... (My GPA is 3.15/4.5 which is a B.. ) Anyways... Michener admission people told me the cutoff is 75% and I am sure its WAY higher than that...so Genetics Technology is out of the question... and that's why I started looking at their MLT program... and I know is also very competitive but from what I understood highschool grades are more important than university grades when you apply to that program... so basically I just wanted to know if anyone know what my chances of getting in are...

My highschool grades are:

Math 98%
Chemistry 75%
Biology 84%
English 86%

and plenty of university courses with Bs and As ( I hope they choose the one I got As in for admission)

anyways tell me what you think...

and I am also wondering about the interview... Is it difficult? Do a lot of people fail it?>:(

Thanks a lot!:)

Unfortunately, the genetics program is highly competitive since they only have 12 spots for the 150+ people that apply. You could always try anyways (since you pay for 3 options with the college application).

Okay. First off, who gets in and why is a big secret that I'm still trying to figure out. I don't know everything there is to know about it so I can't tell you anything more than a guess. They've changed things this year with the MMI (we didn't have that last year) so I'm just going to give you my opinion on things. In the end, it's up to the school whether you get in or not. Having said that, I think you're in a good position for a chance to get into the program.

This MMI is new to the MLT program and I actually haven't been through the interview process, but I think I have a good idea of what the school wants to achieve with them. There is no pass/fail with these interviews. I think they rank you based on the answers you provided, which gets added to your rank from your grades. They simply want to see how well you would fit into the program/career in terms of personality, ethics, view on healthcare or something similar. Most of the questions in the MMI are actually scenarios and it's your job to answer what you would do or your thoughts on it so there is no right or wrong answer.

There's a list of resources posted on the Michener site that you could read in order to prepare for the MMI's. But also read up on things like interprofessionalism, communication skills, handling conflict so you could throw in some buzz words. They make us go through courses on stuff like that so it'll probably sound good if you mention it when appropriate. Definitely get a good grip on what a MLT does and even ask around to see if there's a lab that will let you "just take a look".

[JaneSmith]

The starting salary for an MLT in Ontario is closer to $27 and increases the further out of the GTA you go.

Where is your locker now Kayoko? Are you on the 14th floor? That's where ours were last year, but this year we have some random areas on the 7th floor which is quite inconvenient.
I hear that next semester we'll be having some classes at U of T while they're renovating. Have you heard anything about that??
Who is your micro teacher this semester? We had nancy last year..you'll get to meet her next semester as she'll be back!! (Nancy is the best EVER).
Kayoko...don't worry if you didn't find anything overly interesting this semester. First semester is just the groundwork, but it gets much more interesting as you progress. Second year is pretty much learning by body system in each class. Micro is much better...you go into class, you have an unknown organism, and you work it up based on the area of the body it came from, so it's much more applied. I think you will enjoy venipuncture (a fun and easy class), and transfusion is really interesting.
Good luck with your exams! I remember first semester exams nearly killed me..I was so stressed out and barely had time to study anything. I hope it's a bit easier for you!

[kayoko]

The starting salary for an MLT in Ontario is closer to $27 and increases the further out of the GTA you go.

Where is your locker now Kayoko? Are you on the 14th floor? That's where ours were last year, but this year we have some random areas on the 7th floor which is quite inconvenient.
I hear that next semester we'll be having some classes at U of T while they're renovating. Have you heard anything about that??
Who is your micro teacher this semester? We had nancy last year..you'll get to meet her next semester as she'll be back!! (Nancy is the best EVER).
Kayoko...don't worry if you didn't find anything overly interesting this semester. First semester is just the groundwork, but it gets much more interesting as you progress. Second year is pretty much learning by body system in each class. Micro is much better...you go into class, you have an unknown organism, and you work it up based on the area of the body it came from, so it's much more applied. I think you will enjoy venipuncture (a fun and easy class), and transfusion is really interesting.
Good luck with your exams! I remember first semester exams nearly killed me..I was so stressed out and barely had time to study anything. I hope it's a bit easier for you!

Oh really? I was wrong about the salary. I'll definitely look up some more job postings over the holidays.

About 80% of the people in my class have their lockers on the 14th floor, but mine happens to be on the third floor (which is super awesome cause we get the radiator to put stuff on or just chill). We'll probably end up on some random floor/hallway. It's a pain in the ***** cause I have wooden shelves in my locker that are really heavy to lug on the TTC. T__T

I haven't heard anything about having classes at UofT. Not really surprised if it were to happen, just a bit of a pain in the ***** (once again). I can sorta see it happen cause the school doesn't have a lot of classrooms that can fit 60+ people. We have Lori for Microbiology~ We had those iClickers for review last week with some potential exam questions (super awesome).

Hm. I don't feel that the exams this semester are any more stressful than the midterms. It's probably cause we got to work in groups for the ePortfolio. Actually, this week is pretty sweet since it's only Heme and Anatomy so I've actually had a relaxing weekend. Next week will be more hard core with Microbiology and Chemistry. Ugh, chemistry.

I think I'm ready for the next semester to being and learn new stuff. Hopefully, the stuff next term will excite me a bit more~

[drvoid]

Hey, I didn't know that this thread was still active. Thanks again Kayoko for all the info last summer. Goodluck on CCML and MIML since there is so much stuff to go through. I'm feeling overwhelmed at the moment. Ah well.

[SHEEEEP]

WOW. I can't believe you even thought about the career from high school! That's pretty amazing. Did you do a lot of research about the career or do you know someone personally who's an MLT? (Don't have to answer if it's too person, I understand). Actually, the life of a pharmacist is pretty good cause you get minions called pharmacy technicians who do all your grunt work. =D

DANG! 29 people in a class! I thought 64 people in a class was small, but goodness. I guess they're desperate for MLT's everywhere so they're trying to increase enrollment. Cheers for our job prospects!

It's interesting that the program at your school is like any other professional school (i.e. med, pharm, chiropractor) where you have to do a couple of undergraduate courses before they'll take you. In a way, it should help raise the prestige of the career because it's a B.Sc, not just some diploma program run by a small college. In the end, it really shouldn't matter whether I get a diploma or B.Sc as long as I pass the licensing exam, but it just sounds so insignificant when I tell people I'm studying for 3 years to get a diploma.

I also think it's interesting to imagine how my experience would be different if the MLT program were to take place at a university. Perhaps people would have heard of my school! *laughs* But I really love the small community that we have at Michener! Everyone's really approachable and they take feedback from surveys very seriously. For example, when they asked students what they wanted changed to the library, they actually listened and moved furniture area so we could have a designated quiet area. I think things like that might get a bit lost at a bigger institution.

To be honest with you, I haven't really decided whether I'm totally into this career. There are certain things that I like about my experience so far, but this pressure to perform in a perfect manner is stressing me out. It's like...if I'm not doing something right, tell me right away so I can correct it instead of waiting until my assessment! Otherwise, they've been pretty easy on us this semester so it's been rather nice. We haven't done transfusion either but I honestly don't have a favourite right now. I think I'm enjoying Microbiology the most, but it's got more to do with the instructor more than the content. Nothing's really jumped out at me as super interesting.

You know, it'd be cool if there were a conference of some sort where the med lab students can do exchanges and learn about how the different programs are run or how things differ between provinces or even some intraprofessional activites. I love my classmates, but sometimes I want a wider circle to discuss things of interest (ethics, laws, career advice, etc.).

Sorry about the late response... I've been really busy with finals =P

I guess it's pretty amazing how I picked something in high school and stuck to it. I'm sure that's not the case with most people. I decided on it because I knew I liked sciences and I wanted to do something in health care, so I talked to my parents about it and my mom suggested lab tech, then I just researched on the Internet. I applied to the MLT program at one of the technical colleges... twice actually, but I didn't make it in both times, but somehow, I made it into MLS at the U of A instead (and I'm glad I did!).

I actually used to work at a pharmacy as a pharmacy technician =P it was rewarding for the first few months, then it went downhill. I got sick of customers complaining all the time! I'm sure that's how it goes with most retail jobs, but I decided that pharmacy was not my thing, but it was a great experience nevertheless.

I agree that 29 is a very small class (especially in comparison to other university programs), but I think at NAIT and SAIT (the technical colleges in Edmonton and Calgary with MLT programs) have class sizes of around 30 people as well, so it isn't really out of the ordinary for this type of program, at least in Alberta anyway.

I honestly don't think the BSc in MLS is going to make any difference in the future when compared to a diploma in MLT. Like you said, all that matters is passing the CSMLS exam. I think the only advantage that someone with the BSc would get is that it would be useful for continuing studies in medical programs. All of my instructors and many of the pathologists at the U of A hospital are alumni of my program and they were all able to use their BSc degrees to advance to get their masters and PhD degrees. I'm considering going on to do a masters degree after this, but I might be too sick of school by then, so we'll have to see about that!

Wow I can't believe they moved the furniture around for you guys! It's great that they take your input on even little things like that. For us, they haven't really asked us about changes we wanted, but I know that a few weeks ago, a few of my classmates were saying to some of our instructors that the walls in our classroom were too bland, so a few days later, a bunch of framed photos were put up! I'm sure if it were any other university program (even if it was med), they wouldn't even consider students' comments like that, but maybe it's because we're a small class, they can address our concerns better.

I really hope things get better for you because it sounds like you've wanted to get into the MLT program for a while and you know everything about it! I wouldn't want to see all of that research on the program put to waste. Have you started doing any clinicals yet? I haven't yet (they start next semester), but I'm sure once I get to work in a real medical lab, I'll pick out which areas and subjects I like the most. I'm sure as time goes on, you'll find the ones that you like most as well!

It would be so awesome if med lab had conferences! I get jealous sometimes because the other professional programs at U of A have events like formals and dinners, but our program doesn't even have 100 students... so it's not worth organizing anything big like that. I know pharmacy held a conference for all pharmacy students in Canada at the U of A last year and it was a huge 5 day event, where every night they had formal dinners sponsored by big drug/pharmacy companies and they set up parties all around Edmonton and best of all, they cancelled classes for all of the pharmacy students for those days! For us med lab students, we went to the pizza place near the hospital after class for a dinner for our Christmas party -_- it was fun, but not quite the same. Like I said, I have yet to meet any other med lab students outside of my own program, so a conference would be really cool, just so I know they exist (except now I do because of this forum).




The starting salary for an MLT in Ontario is closer to $27 and increases the further out of the GTA you go.
Thanks for clarifying! So it's the same as Alberta =) I wonder which province gives the highest wage.

[kayoko]

Hope your finals went well! We just finished ours on Wednesday and I was so tired by the time of the Microbiology practical exam that a couple of us just started laughing hysterically for absolutely no reason. It was so silly!

You have pathologists teaching you? That's pretty cool. Aren't pathologists MD's? That's quite a jump if they got into medical school using a MLT degree. Although, I've heard of a number of foreign trained doctors that use the Diagnostic Cytology program as a stepping stone in order to practice in Canada as a MD. Are the pathologists that teach you intimidating? Somehow, I get that impression cause they're doctors and it's a totally different league than allied health professionals.

Sadly, we don't get clinicals until the third September of our program. After our second year, we spend the summer at school doing simulated clinicals. Then the following September, we go to clincials for real. All in all, we only get 4 months of real clinical placement. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong).

How many months of clinicals do you get to do? Must be a lot if you get to go after first year...and here I was reading about shortages of clinical placements in CJMLS.

I had no idea that pharmacy students had national conferences! Of course the big pharma companies would sponsor that (and probably give out good freebies!). Sadly, I can't think of anything feasible that we could do to communicate and meet with other MLT students across Canada. Do you have any ideas? I'd like to see fellow MLT students as part of a team rather than competition for jobs.

Have you ever been to premed101.com? Wouldn't it be neat if we could have something similar for all the allied health professions?

Speaking of which, I've been rewriting the introduction post and things regarding admissions and life at Michener (not up yet, still working on it). If you want to and have the time, feel free to write a post about admissions and life at UofA's MLT program and I can put a link to it on the first post. Only if you want to, though. No pressure. I understand that this thread is dominated by Michener stuff, but it doesn't have to be that way.

BTW, I have no idea how to change the thread's title (I would if I could).

Hope you're enjoying your winter break!


I honestly don't think the BSc in MLS is going to make any difference in the future when compared to a diploma in MLT. Like you said, all that matters is passing the CSMLS exam. I think the only advantage that someone with the BSc would get is that it would be useful for continuing studies in medical programs. All of my instructors and many of the pathologists at the U of A hospital are alumni of my program and they were all able to use their BSc degrees to advance to get their masters and PhD degrees. I'm considering going on to do a masters degree after this, but I might be too sick of school by then, so we'll have to see about that!

I really hope things get better for you because it sounds like you've wanted to get into the MLT program for a while and you know everything about it! I wouldn't want to see all of that research on the program put to waste. Have you started doing any clinicals yet? I haven't yet (they start next semester), but I'm sure once I get to work in a real medical lab, I'll pick out which areas and subjects I like the most. I'm sure as time goes on, you'll find the ones that you like most as well!

It would be so awesome if med lab had conferences! I get jealous sometimes because the other professional programs at U of A have events like formals and dinners, but our program doesn't even have 100 students... so it's not worth organizing anything big like that. I know pharmacy held a conference for all pharmacy students in Canada at the U of A last year and it was a huge 5 day event, where every night they had formal dinners sponsored by big drug/pharmacy companies and they set up parties all around Edmonton and best of all, they cancelled classes for all of the pharmacy students for those days! For us med lab students, we went to the pizza place near the hospital after class for a dinner for our Christmas party -_- it was fun, but not quite the same. Like I said, I have yet to meet any other med lab students outside of my own program, so a conference would be really cool, just so I know they exist (except now I do because of this forum).

[SHEEEEP]

Hope your finals went well! We just finished ours on Wednesday and I was so tired by the time of the Microbiology practical exam that a couple of us just started laughing hysterically for absolutely no reason. It was so silly!

You have pathologists teaching you? That's pretty cool. Aren't pathologists MD's? That's quite a jump if they got into medical school using a MLT degree. Although, I've heard of a number of foreign trained doctors that use the Diagnostic Cytology program as a stepping stone in order to practice in Canada as a MD. Are the pathologists that teach you intimidating? Somehow, I get that impression cause they're doctors and it's a totally different league than allied health professionals.

Sadly, we don't get clinicals until the third September of our program. After our second year, we spend the summer at school doing simulated clinicals. Then the following September, we go to clincials for real. All in all, we only get 4 months of real clinical placement. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong).

How many months of clinicals do you get to do? Must be a lot if you get to go after first year...and here I was reading about shortages of clinical placements in CJMLS.

I had no idea that pharmacy students had national conferences! Of course the big pharma companies would sponsor that (and probably give out good freebies!). Sadly, I can't think of anything feasible that we could do to communicate and meet with other MLT students across Canada. Do you have any ideas? I'd like to see fellow MLT students as part of a team rather than competition for jobs.

Have you ever been to premed101.com? Wouldn't it be neat if we could have something similar for all the allied health professions?

Speaking of which, I've been rewriting the introduction post and things regarding admissions and life at Michener (not up yet, still working on it). If you want to and have the time, feel free to write a post about admissions and life at UofA's MLT program and I can put a link to it on the first post. Only if you want to, though. No pressure. I understand that this thread is dominated by Michener stuff, but it doesn't have to be that way.

BTW, I have no idea how to change the thread's title (I would if I could).

Hope you're enjoying your winter break!


Finals were pretty exhausting! I guess like you, I also had practical and written exams... which meant it was double the amount of final exams! I'm so happy it's all over with now (at least until next semester).

A lot of my courses are actually taught by pathologists. They're considered guest lecturers because they each come in to lecture us for a few classes. Our med lab instructors only teach us a lecture or two and the rest of the lectures are done by the guest lecturers/pathologists. It takes a lot of getting used to because some of the pathologists aren't that great at teaching, but they're not very intimidating. I think they tend to underestimate what we know, so their exam questions tend to be pretty easy =)

I'm not really sure how it works, but I think with the BSc in MLS, it's kind of a "leg up" to admittance into the graduate program in pathology, but it probably also helps with getting into med school. I guess I never really thought about how the pathologists got there from MLS lol but I'll have to ask when school starts up again.

I am actually starting my clinicals this January! We then get May and June off and we start again in July or August and the whole 2nd year of the program is nothing but clinical rotations. In January, we're starting off with a whole month of nothing but phlebotomy. I really hope we got more practice before we go out there to work with real patients because right now, I'm still really shaky when it comes to stabbing people with needles haha.

I don't really think there's anything we can do about opening communication with other med lab students in the country =( I guess the best we can do is communicate on forums like this! I have been on premed101.com, but I think it would a lot of work to collect all the info for all the allied health professions. Plus, most people want to become doctors or dentists or nurses. Not that many people think about becoming allied health professionals. Well that's my take on it anyways =P

I must admit, I'm not as hardworking as you are kayoko haha I guess I could type up a post about admissions for my program, but I think the website pretty much covers all the bases. The coordinator is also really good at replying to emails and answering all questions. I was really impressed with how she answered all of my questions and didn't hide anything from me... so I think if anybody is interested, I would just recommend looking at the MLS website (http://www.lmp.ualberta.ca/education/mls/index.htm) and emailing the coordinator if they have any questions (plus, she's so much more reliable than me).

Anyway, hope you are enjoying your winter break as well! I know I am =) Merry Christmas!

[jconroymla]

Hey!
My name is Jacquelyn, and I am currently working as a Lab technician/assistant at Sunnybrook. I have FINALLY read through this thread (yes all of it, hehe. It took quite awhile but I am working evenings in the lab and its boxing day so its not too busy). This is such a great thread and provides so much information, so I just wanted to thank you!

I am currently working on some prereq's for the MLT program. Doing advanced functions right now...only Chem to do next and I'm good to go! I am applying for Fall '10.

I did the lab tech/asst. program at a college. I was previously attending York for French language and lit., when I decided I wanted to go the healthcare route. I was quite impatient at the time and did not want to be in school for too long doing my prereqs then applying for an MLT program, so I went the 1 year private college route. I LOVE my job! its amazing and so much fun, but being an MLT would be better. 1) because the pay is better. 2)more opportunity.
I am a casual employee right now, but working full-time hours. Some full time positions are coming up soon (yay!). I was EXTREMELY lucky to get a job here though, many of my class mates.....not so much...
Not all of them are working, and if they are they are only making $12 at a blood collection lab!! its so terrible. I worked my butt if in my program, got top marks and got the best clinical placement (at sunybrook and Women's college). Other students were working in doc's office....
So if you know anyone thinking about being a technician or assistant tell them not to do it!!! I would definitely tell them to go for MLT as it is so much better! The scope of pratice is much wider, more interesting. etc

and don't worry about doing blood smears...they are telling you to move on because most hospitals have a machine do it, or a portable smearing apparatus where you put a drop of blood with a capillary tube and push a button and it does it for you! tee hee

Some things to that I wanted to to add on from previous posts:

Pay:
The pay for a starting MLT definitely ranges....most are $27 but at sunnybrook they pay LESS. only $24 or $25/hr but it goes up every year for experience, but also for economic increase/inflation raise (because working for the government!).
public labs such as MDS pay less than hospitals as well....benefits are better too.

Med lab science at University of Ontario Institute of Technology:
This is a new program, the first round of grads just finished their program april/may 08. As it is new they are working out A LOT of kinks. Over 50% of their students FAILED the chemistry portion of the registration exam... I know this as we hired one of their students (who did pass! lol) Many of the technologists who have the students for the clinicals are commenting on how inferior their knowledge AND lab skills are compared to Michener students.
But really? what can you expect, Michener has been around for 50 years. They know what they are doing. Another thing is that UOIT did not even have MLT's develop the program it was all Phd's with no clinical laboratory experience (so the rumour says).
Being that I do not have an B sc. My heart was totally set on going here for school.....but I had so many people telling me to stay away!! :(.
I know that it is not necessary to have a B. Sc, it just opens up more options in the future.... I am only 22, so If I wanted to do Med school or a masters, I could do it... oh well :(

Job prospects:
I have been at Sunnybrook for almost 2 years....ALL of our students have been hired upon graduation! even before they were finished their clinical placement and taken the registration exam. (Once school finals were done they were working, but of course not resulting, just being trained but making $$$ until they got results for their CSMLS {or is it CMLTO that does the registration exam?})
at any rate......they are good!

I am so worried about getting in!!! eek
im hoping after im done that my average will be 86%, and having direct experience in the field will be good.....I also won the Ontario Society of Medical Technologists student acheivement award on '07 so i will talk about that in my essay or interview (whichever they have implemented by the time I apply! As it does seem to change every year doesn't it?

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I know I am not an MLT, but I might be able to answer your q's about working in a lab.

And don't worry drawing blood is easy!! jsut remember the 3D's (depth, diameter, direction referring to the vein you intend to poke). By the end of the semester you are going to feel like a pin cushion ahaha.

also as blood tubes colours need to be taken in a certain order:
Betty Really Likes Young guys Like Gary!

B- Blood cultures
R- Red top
L- light blue
Y- Yellow
G- Green
L- Lavender
G- Gray

Have fun! keep us updated on how your studies are going!!
the first time I read this post was before you were accepted and I just happended upon agian yesterday... so congrats on getting in!!

TTYL
Jacquelyn

[jconroymla]

oops! one more thing

Kayoko, you were talking before about summer student opportunites. Sunnybrook highers summer students all the time. We actually had a michener student who had just finished his first year work for us last summer. Since 2nd year there is no summer break, they will hire someone new. You may not be working in the lab most of the time, as our last student was helping our clinical biochemist with a study, it is still great experience for your resume (even though you've already worked in a lab, at least this is of a more diagnostic nature). and also our clinical biochemist is an intructor at michener as well...If you want, the next time I see him I can ask how a student can go about applying for a summer position?

let me know!

[JaneSmith]

Hey Jacquelyn,

Thanks for posting!! I would loveto get my placement at sunnybrook. I guess we find out around Feb-March where we're going. Anyway, with your experience you will be a shoe-in for Michener. They really look at a persons desire to get into the field, as well as previous experience (if any), and then marks of course. There's a girl in our program now who is/was also a technician, and another girl who doesn't have a degree, but has worked in a micro lab for a few years. I'm happy to hear that michener students have a good reputation out in clinicals. I'm getting kinda nervous about that. I also wrote out your tube order thing...good way to remember that!! We only get one semester of phlebotomy at michener so that info is seeping out of my brain already.
I'd love to hear about what the students do during their time at sunnybrook...i'm not even sure what to ask cause i'm so clueless about how clinicals work. I guess maybe...do they do a lot of observing or is it more hands on? How are the students assessed? How many students are there normally at one time? Any info you have is greatly appreciated!

[kayoko]

A lot of my courses are actually taught by pathologists. They're considered guest lecturers because they each come in to lecture us for a few classes. Our med lab instructors only teach us a lecture or two and the rest of the lectures are done by the guest lecturers/pathologists. It takes a lot of getting used to because some of the pathologists aren't that great at teaching, but they're not very intimidating. I think they tend to underestimate what we know, so their exam questions tend to be pretty easy =)

I'm not really sure how it works, but I think with the BSc in MLS, it's kind of a "leg up" to admittance into the graduate program in pathology, but it probably also helps with getting into med school. I guess I never really thought about how the pathologists got there from MLS lol but I'll have to ask when school starts up again.

I am actually starting my clinicals this January! We then get May and June off and we start again in July or August and the whole 2nd year of the program is nothing but clinical rotations. In January, we're starting off with a whole month of nothing but phlebotomy. I really hope we got more practice before we go out there to work with real patients because right now, I'm still really shaky when it comes to stabbing people with needles haha.

I don't really think there's anything we can do about opening communication with other med lab students in the country =( I guess the best we can do is communicate on forums like this! I have been on premed101.com, but I think it would a lot of work to collect all the info for all the allied health professions. Plus, most people want to become doctors or dentists or nurses. Not that many people think about becoming allied health professionals. Well that's my take on it anyways =P

I must admit, I'm not as hardworking as you are kayoko haha I guess I could type up a post about admissions for my program, but I think the website pretty much covers all the bases. The coordinator is also really good at replying to emails and answering all questions. I was really impressed with how she answered all of my questions and didn't hide anything from me... so I think if anybody is interested, I would just recommend looking at the MLS website (http://www.lmp.ualberta.ca/education/mls/index.htm) and emailing the coordinator if they have any questions (plus, she's so much more reliable than me).

Anyway, hope you are enjoying your winter break as well! I know I am =) Merry Christmas!

Now that I think about it, it sounds pretty neat to be taught by pathologists. Do they have lots of interesting stories to tell? Oh! Using MLS to get into pathology. Interesting. Very different from how things are run around here, but neat.

Dang! One whole year devoted to clinicals! I wouldn't mind that except you don't get paid. But the experience must be amazing cause you have a longer period to connect with the people around you at clinicals. You can form some neat bonds within 4 months, but give it a year and it can be awesome (or drive you up the wall).

I definitely agree with you that not many people want to become allied health professionals. But part of the problem is that prospective students don't even take it into consideration. When they think about healthcare, it's always the doctors, nurses, dentist and pharmacists that come to mind. I wish the allied health folks had the money to create a campaign similar to the one that the CMA ran for the doctor shortage.

I wouldn't consider myself hardworking cause I think helping out with this thread is fun! I will put a blurb about your school on the first post (which has been revised, btw). =) It's great that they don't try to hide anything from you. Michener doesn't really either, but it's more like...no one knows the whole story so it's up to your to piece the puzzle together. BTW, does the coordinator have a specific email address or is it the medlabsc@ualberta.ca addy? Thanks

[kayoko]

Where is your locker now Kayoko? Are you on the 14th floor? That's where ours were last year, but this year we have some random areas on the 7th floor which is quite inconvenient.

Our lockers are now on the 7th floor. Maybe we'll bump into each other! XD

[JaneSmith]

Kayoko, Kayoko, Kayoko...I work at the school and I'm seriously considering alerting the admissions people to this thread. You need to be put on the payroll!

Anyway, you have inspired me to write a bit about my experience second semester, and my experience so far in 2nd year.

Second semester was interesting. It went by so fast, and seems like a blur to me now (not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing!)

BAIP: Pretty much more of the same thing. In fact, exactly the same as first semester

HEME: Get ready for a bit of a shock. Gone are the days of 5 little white blood cells. Now you get into primary and secondary hemostasis, which means coagulation factors galore. You'll start doing red cell morph and will soon learn that it's a free-for-all with seemingly no right answers (except on your tests...go figure).

MICRO: Pure hell. You might as well just lock yourself in your room right now and start memorizing all the charts. All I can remember about that class is thinking "oh, so this is why we're supposed to know all those biochemical tests" Oh, and you have to do an oral presentation.

CHEM: Instrumentation...kinda bland. It's more physics than chemistry really, but definitely not hard. The only nerve-wracking thing is the instrumentation test where you have to go into the lab and run a machine on your own while roy stares over your shoulder with his little marking scheme papers.

Venipuncture: Fun! A laid back and easy class...it's only a lab, no theory. It starts off a little slow..you'll learn about all the collection tubes and the proper order of collecting blood and all the anti-coagulants, etc. Then you get into the fun stuff...poking at fake arms that have kool-aid blood. Finally you get to take your partners blood and they take yours. It's really not a big deal at all, but there's such a build-up to that big moment, it makes it seem a little scary. But hey, the worst that can happen is your partner goes screaming out of the room and/or faints, right?

Histo: So much easier than first semester! You basically learn about microtomy, embedding, staining, etc. It's definitely a course that develops your actual manual skills, and not so much a theory course. It's really fun, but can be frustrating until you develop the skills needed to actually produce a good slide. You barely even talk about microanatomy, which is almost a shame, because I don't think I could identify an organ right now if my life depended on it.

[kayoko]

I am a casual employee right now, but working full-time hours. Some full time positions are coming up soon (yay!). I was EXTREMELY lucky to get a job here though, many of my class mates.....not so much...
Not all of them are working, and if they are they are only making $12 at a blood collection lab!! its so terrible. I worked my butt if in my program, got top marks and got the best clinical placement (at sunybrook and Women's college). Other students were working in doc's office....
So if you know anyone thinking about being a technician or assistant tell them not to do it!!! I would definitely tell them to go for MLT as it is so much better! The scope of pratice is much wider, more interesting. etc

and don't worry about doing blood smears...they are telling you to move on because most hospitals have a machine do it, or a portable smearing apparatus where you put a drop of blood with a capillary tube and push a button and it does it for you! tee hee

Some things to that I wanted to to add on from previous posts:

Pay:
The pay for a starting MLT definitely ranges....most are $27 but at sunnybrook they pay LESS. only $24 or $25/hr but it goes up every year for experience, but also for economic increase/inflation raise (because working for the government!).
public labs such as MDS pay less than hospitals as well....benefits are better too.

Med lab science at University of Ontario Institute of Technology:
This is a new program, the first round of grads just finished their program april/may 08. As it is new they are working out A LOT of kinks. Over 50% of their students FAILED the chemistry portion of the registration exam... I know this as we hired one of their students (who did pass! lol) Many of the technologists who have the students for the clinicals are commenting on how inferior their knowledge AND lab skills are compared to Michener students.
But really? what can you expect, Michener has been around for 50 years. They know what they are doing. Another thing is that UOIT did not even have MLT's develop the program it was all Phd's with no clinical laboratory experience (so the rumour says).
Being that I do not have an B sc. My heart was totally set on going here for school.....but I had so many people telling me to stay away!! :(.
I know that it is not necessary to have a B. Sc, it just opens up more options in the future.... I am only 22, so If I wanted to do Med school or a masters, I could do it... oh well :(

Job prospects:
I have been at Sunnybrook for almost 2 years....ALL of our students have been hired upon graduation! even before they were finished their clinical placement and taken the registration exam. (Once school finals were done they were working, but of course not resulting, just being trained but making $$$ until they got results for their CSMLS {or is it CMLTO that does the registration exam?})
at any rate......they are good!

I am so worried about getting in!!! eek
im hoping after im done that my average will be 86%, and having direct experience in the field will be good.....I also won the Ontario Society of Medical Technologists student acheivement award on '07 so i will talk about that in my essay or interview (whichever they have implemented by the time I apply! As it does seem to change every year doesn't it?

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I know I am not an MLT, but I might be able to answer your q's about working in a lab.

And don't worry drawing blood is easy!! jsut remember the 3D's (depth, diameter, direction referring to the vein you intend to poke). By the end of the semester you are going to feel like a pin cushion ahaha.

also as blood tubes colours need to be taken in a certain order:
Betty Really Likes Young guys Like Gary!

B- Blood cultures
R- Red top
L- light blue
Y- Yellow
G- Green
L- Lavender
G- Gray

Have fun! keep us updated on how your studies are going!!
the first time I read this post was before you were accepted and I just happended upon agian yesterday... so congrats on getting in!!

TTYL
Jacquelyn

Glad you found the thread to be useful! I knew I should have updated the thread so you didn't have to read the whole thing through. Regardless, I've made some changes so there's a summary of sorts in regards to Michener admissions and first year. They can be accessed via the first post under the section "further reading" or something like that.

I'm really excited to talk to you since I'm sure you have so much to tell us in regards to what exactly happens in a lab! I have a rough guess but I probably won't get to be in one until clinicals!

It's so wonderful to hear that Michener has a good reputation amongst clinical sites. I mean, they tell us at positive things at school, but it's nice to hear it from a non-biased perspective. I was a bit worried about it, but not I know that I'm in good hands for the rest of my training.

I will definitely keep your advice in mind when it comes to venipuncture class. A pin cushion. XD Well, they make us poke each other but it'll be a while before they let us poke humans. Thanks for your advice!

From what you'd told me in regards to your education, experience and achievements, I think you'll have no problem getting into the program. You'll have your requirements, knowledge as to what you're getting into and the skills to achieve in the program. As for the whole B.Sc thing, it doesn't look like Michener has an affiliated universities in regards to the MLS program but I could ask and try to find out.

Thank you for thinking about me in regards to the summer placement. It's really sweet of you. I've sent you a pm in regards to that.

[kayoko]

Kayoko, Kayoko, Kayoko...I work at the school and I'm seriously considering alerting the admissions people to this thread. You need to be put on the payroll!

Anyway, you have inspired me to write a bit about my experience second semester, and my experience so far in 2nd year.

Second semester was interesting. It went by so fast, and seems like a blur to me now (not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing!)

BAIP: Pretty much more of the same thing. In fact, exactly the same as first semester

HEME: Get ready for a bit of a shock. Gone are the days of 5 little white blood cells. Now you get into primary and secondary hemostasis, which means coagulation factors galore. You'll start doing red cell morph and will soon learn that it's a free-for-all with seemingly no right answers (except on your tests...go figure).

MICRO: Pure hell. You might as well just lock yourself in your room right now and start memorizing all the charts. All I can remember about that class is thinking "oh, so this is why we're supposed to know all those biochemical tests" Oh, and you have to do an oral presentation.

CHEM: Instrumentation...kinda bland. It's more physics than chemistry really, but definitely not hard. The only nerve-wracking thing is the instrumentation test where you have to go into the lab and run a machine on your own while roy stares over your shoulder with his little marking scheme papers.

Venipuncture: Fun! A laid back and easy class...it's only a lab, no theory. It starts off a little slow..you'll learn about all the collection tubes and the proper order of collecting blood and all the anti-coagulants, etc. Then you get into the fun stuff...poking at fake arms that have kool-aid blood. Finally you get to take your partners blood and they take yours. It's really not a big deal at all, but there's such a build-up to that big moment, it makes it seem a little scary. But hey, the worst that can happen is your partner goes screaming out of the room and/or faints, right?

Histo: So much easier than first semester! You basically learn about microtomy, embedding, staining, etc. It's definitely a course that develops your actual manual skills, and not so much a theory course. It's really fun, but can be frustrating until you develop the skills needed to actually produce a good slide. You barely even talk about microanatomy, which is almost a shame, because I don't think I could identify an organ right now if my life depended on it.

I actually tried to see if admissions actually hires help, but it doesn't seem like they hire help. Thanks for the complement, though! I appreciate it!

What charts are you talking about for microbiology? As for Heme and those RBC morphs, we got a taste of that in first semester and it was really really confusing. So instrumentation is more physics than chemistry? Awesome, one of my classmates was a physics major. XD

What's up with such an emphasis on oral presentations? Do MLT's have to give reports as part of a QC thing? Or is it more of a teamwork exercise? Strange.

Argh. I can't believe that there's only 1 week left of Christmas break. I suppose it's time to do something other than bum around...lol

[JaneSmith]

Apparently we have to give a lot of presentations as a MLT...personally I think that's code for "the teachers want a break and would rather sit and listen to us than teach a class".
You'll find out all about the micro charts soon enough...heheheh hehehe
When you do your lab midterm and final you can't have your charts with you, yet need to know everything on them. Second year, you don't need to know any of that stuff, don't need to memorize anything, and don't even have a lab midterm.
Enjoy the rest of your break..it's going by WAY too fast!

[aimmers]

Thanks so much for that post Jacquelyn! (i'm a few days late on the ball here) And also to Jane! Its nice to hear a second year perspective on things and whats ahead!
Please anymore tips and hints are great!
kayoko just plain rocks :)

[noobie]

Hi all,

Just wanted to add some info for any first years looking for summer employment. The government of Ontario offers a program called the Summer Experience Program and they usually offer a lot of lab assistant jobs at the Ministry of Health and Longterm Care. I worked there during the summer and got a lot of experience in the lab. The pay is minimum wage (boo :( ) but you do get to see how an actual lab functions and get to see what MLTs do. So, if anybody is interested check out their website. They usually start posing jobs in April and May. Anywho, good luck!

http://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/SEP.asp

[lame23]

thanks everyone for all the good info. posted here!! Im applying right now!! Just a question about the MMI, does this mean that everyone who applied for the mlt program will get an interview for sure or will they rank applicants in terms of grade first and then from there they will be interviewed? TIA. also does it matter where you apply ( ouac/ontario colleges/directly to michener)

[kayoko]

Hi all,

Just wanted to add some info for any first years looking for summer employment. The government of Ontario offers a program called the Summer Experience Program and they usually offer a lot of lab assistant jobs at the Ministry of Health and Longterm Care. I worked there during the summer and got a lot of experience in the lab. The pay is minimum wage (boo :( ) but you do get to see how an actual lab functions and get to see what MLTs do. So, if anybody is interested check out their website. They usually start posing jobs in April and May. Anywho, good luck!

http://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/SEP.asp

Awesome! Totally failed to see that program. Will check back later when the applications are up.

Did they hire you for the 4 months? Or was it a more short term thing? Argh. Minimum wage is pretty low...

[kayoko]

thanks everyone for all the good info. posted here!! Im applying right now!! Just a question about the MMI, does this mean that everyone who applied for the mlt program will get an interview for sure or will they rank applicants in terms of grade first and then from there they will be interviewed? TIA. also does it matter where you apply ( ouac/ontario colleges/directly to michener)

Invitations for the MMI will be sent to "top ranking candidates" so they're not going to interview the people who don't have all the pre-requites (makes sense, right?) But I expect them to interview a good number of people since they want to give everyone a fair chance of getting into the program.

In terms of application, you need to apply through Ontario college application center (http://www.ontariocolleges.ca) (with College Code: MICH, Program Code: ML111 Medical Laboratory Science).

If you are over 21 and out of school for at least two years, you can apply directly to Michener as a mature student and they will consider you on an individual basis. For more information in regards to this, please visit the General Admissions Page (http://www.michener.ca/admissions/gen_admission_info.php) section "Mature Students".

EDIT: I'm wrong about the mature student thing. See a couple more posts below or here (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7979023&postcount=263).

[noobie]

Awesome! Totally failed to see that program. Will check back later when the applications are up.

Did they hire you for the 4 months? Or was it a more short term thing? Argh. Minimum wage is pretty low...


No it was for a short term only I worked from June to end of August. But that's only because a lady went on holiday so I got to cover for her. Most of the contracts were for June to early August. But, I definitely encourage people to apply if they want some good experience.

Hope this helps. :|

[kasianman]

Hi all,

Just wanted to add some info for any first years looking for summer employment. The government of Ontario offers a program called the Summer Experience Program and they usually offer a lot of lab assistant jobs at the Ministry of Health and Longterm Care. I worked there during the summer and got a lot of experience in the lab. The pay is minimum wage (boo :( ) but you do get to see how an actual lab functions and get to see what MLTs do. So, if anybody is interested check out their website. They usually start posing jobs in April and May. Anywho, good luck!

http://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/SEP.asp

I'll provide some more input into this.
I've worked at Ministry of Health and Longterm Care as an intern.
Yes, you get minimum wage, but it's a very good place to make connections.
I made enough connections that if I went to Michener and graduated from the med lab technologist program, I would be able to get a full time position at the lab.
They list the job positions, but people are pretty much already hired before they post up the position.
You have to be under 24 or you cannot do this summer experience program.
Once you make enough connections, you can still work over the age of 24 since the manager can hire you as a contract worker paying you around $19/hour.

The competition is fierce though for a full time position. It's really hard to get a full time position as it's a government job and people just don't want to leave their position.

I've talked to some technicians and technologists, and I think the technologists working there are being paid around $27/hour.

Here's how typical day occurs for a lab assistant (may differ a bit depending on the department):

1) Print out stickers (for scanning by machines)
2) Put stickers on test tubes in the right position
3) Put sticker on the patient chart
3) Repeat 1000x per day

Last I heard, they were getting rid of unions at the ministry of health lab in 2009. Can anybody verify?
It's going to be agency... whatever that means.
It's also one of the reasons why I've decided not to go into MLT program at Michener. I applied for the program because I pretty much had a job lined up. The pay's not super, but it's good enough to live comfortably. Some people were working two jobs.
It's a very comfortable job for sure. I mean it... really comfortable.
Everybody was relaxed and taking it easy while getting the work done.

[JaneSmith]

I hate places that pay minimum wage...talk about taking advantage.
I do love stickers though, and putting stickers on things, and repeating. Too bad i'm over 24.

[jconroymla]

I was just reading the edited first post. There was an article by job boom titled "MLTs do a body good". It was talking about the current shortage of MLT;s and how there is not enough interest/people being trained to enter the profession....Then tell michener to accept more people!! lol. I mean there are over 600 applications! But I guess its because its a small school. They don't really have a lot of space...Although I did here they were doing some renovations? Anyone know what that is about?

[jconroymla]

I'll provide some more input into this.
I've worked at Ministry of Health and Longterm Care as an intern.
Yes, you get minimum wage, but it's a very good place to make connections.
I made enough connections that if I went to Michener and graduated from the med lab technologist program, I would be able to get a full time position at the lab.
They list the job positions, but people are pretty much already hired before they post up the position.
You have to be under 24 or you cannot do this summer experience program.
Once you make enough connections, you can still work over the age of 24 since the manager can hire you as a contract worker paying you around $19/hour.

The competition is fierce though for a full time position. It's really hard to get a full time position as it's a government job and people just don't want to leave their position.

I've talked to some technicians and technologists, and I think the technologists working there are being paid around $27/hour.

Here's how typical day occurs for a lab assistant (may differ a bit depending on the department):

1) Print out stickers (for scanning by machines)
2) Put stickers on test tubes in the right position
3) Put sticker on the patient chart
3) Repeat 1000x per day

Last I heard, they were getting rid of unions at the ministry of health lab in 2009. Can anybody verify?
It's going to be agency... whatever that means.
It's also one of the reasons why I've decided not to go into MLT program at Michener. I applied for the program because I pretty much had a job lined up. The pay's not super, but it's good enough to live comfortably. Some people were working two jobs.
It's a very comfortable job for sure. I mean it... really comfortable.
Everybody was relaxed and taking it easy while getting the work done.


hahaha. The comment about repeat 1000x per day is funny. Essentially, it is true...but yes janesmith I like the stickers too! ahahaha

Many MLT positions are essentially government jobs, since many are in a hospital environment. It may be indirectly....but still :P

[jconroymla]

Hey Jacquelyn,

Thanks for posting!! I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to get my placement at sunnybrook. I guess we find out around Feb-March where we're going. I know the summer student you were talking about...jason, right? He's a really good student..i'm sure he'll want sunnybrook too..grrrrr
Anyway, with your experience you will be a shoe-in for Michener. They really look at a persons desire to get into the field, as well as previous experience (if any), and then marks of course. There's a girl in our program now who is/was also a technician, and another girl who doesn't have a degree, but has worked in a micro lab for a few years. I'm happy to hear that michener students have a good reputation out in clinicals. I'm getting kinda nervous about that. I also wrote out your tube order thing...good way to remember that!! We only get one semester of phlebotomy at michener so that info is seeping out of my brain already.
I'd love to hear about what the students do during their time at sunnybrook...i'm not even sure what to ask cause i'm so clueless about how clinicals work. I guess maybe...do they do a lot of observing or is it more hands on? How are the students assessed? How many students are there normally at one time? Any info you have is greatly appreciated!

ARGH!!
I just wrote the longest message....It took so long that my login timed out and I had to relogin when I tried to post it and it got all lost!!! :( Next time I will remember to copy and paste....
Tell Jason that Jacquelyn on E334 Says Hi! Lol that is too funny to talk to people online that know people you know IRL.
There must be so much anticipation to find out your placement! Are there any locations outside of the GTA? I am so worried about that. I am getting married in June, And I don't think my Husband would be too happy if I was forced to move! A friend of mine was doing the rad sci program and had to move to Ottawa!! I'm keep my fingers crossed for you! Luckily we take 2 students from michener (and 2 from UOIT)!
I don't think MLT's really need to worry too much about phlebotomy. I have only seen an MLT take blood once, and it was because it was a special mixing investigation for special coag. But it is still good to know.
I don't know too much about clinicals....Here at Sunnybrook the departments are split into clincal path (heme,biochem, flow cytometry (i think), blood bank, micro, anatomic pathology (cytology and histo). The rotations will be from one week to 4 weeks, I think. Its changed a little since they implemented the simulated lab. It shortened the clinical time, but the simulated lab sounds a lot more hands on then your placement. Since patient results are on the line, it will be more watching then doing. You will be asked to use the machines, maybe allowed to operate them, help in QC'ing, and the like. I know I see students in HEME looking through the microscope so perhaps they have you do manuals and they compare it wither their results.
We have a clinical educator here, but im not sure what exactly is done in terms of assesment. I could ask some students for you. We have 3 students from last year working in hematology alone.

Micro labs sound like a lot of fun! do you ever make mistakes and not find out what organism you were given?

haha....MLTs giving presentations? Thats funny.....I've never seen that They definitely just want a break. I guess its just a skill they want you to have?

[aimmers]

Invitations for the MMI will be sent to "top ranking candidates" so they're not going to interview the people who don't have all the pre-requites (makes sense, right?) But I expect them to interview a good number of people since they want to give everyone a fair chance of getting into the program.

In terms of application, you need to apply through Ontario college application center (http://www.ontariocolleges.ca) (with College Code: MICH, Program Code: ML111 Medical Laboratory Science).

If you are over 21 and out of school for at least two years, you can apply directly to Michener as a mature student and they will consider you on an individual basis. For more information in regards to this, please visit the General Admissions Page (http://www.michener.ca/admissions/gen_admission_info.php) section "Mature Students".

In my experience when I contacted Michener when i was going to apply I was told that mature student status didn't apply to the MLT program and if you had all the pre-reqs that it wouldn't matter, so be sure to contact Michener about this before you pass the OCAS deadline as I was told to apply as if I wasn't a mature student even though by other school standards I was!

[kayoko]

In my experience when I contacted Michener when i was going to apply I was told that mature student status didn't apply to the MLT program and if you had all the pre-reqs that it wouldn't matter, so be sure to contact Michener about this before you pass the OCAS deadline as I was told to apply as if I wasn't a mature student even though by other school standards I was!

Awesome. I will definitely keep that in mind if anyone asks in the future. Thank you~

[aimmers]

I totally agree with what kayoto said about the class sizes. Often in Micro lab it was frustrating either waiting for everyone in the class to be done or waiting to get a prof to answer questions because EVERYONE had questions. With 30 people in the labs this was really time consuming - but it did allow for more socializing with classmates. After half a semester I still see people who I don't know their names.

For those of us above the age of 24 which exempts us from the Summer Experience Program you can apply for a regular summer student job with the ontario goverment. This info is found here (http://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/RSSH.asp)

Also I found that the Canadian Blood Services has a Summer Intership Program the 2008 info is here (http://www.blood.ca/CentreApps/Internet/UW_V502_MainEngine.nsf/9749ca80b75a038585256aa20060d703/48ccc7fb3acdf03985256b3d00509de7?OpenDocument). I couldnt' find anything for 2009 though

[jconroymla]

Well, the article is actually from 2002 so they've definitely made improvements to the program since then. From what I read in the last CJMLS, there's a bottleneck at the clinical placement sites. They can take more students and educate them, but the hospitals and labs also need to invest in clinical educators for this to work.

If you look at the human resource shortage article from the same issue of CJMLS, the numbers actually paint a better story. In Ontario, they are predicting 276 retirements per year between 2007 and 2011. However, they are enrolling 254 students fall 2008. If their predictions are correct, they'll be "short" 20 people a year. Alberta is training twice as many students than their annual expected retirement so there will be some spill over into other provinces. In the end, it really depends on whether the retirement rates will be as predicted. Take a look at the diagnostic cytology statistics, their graduate uptake rate in 2006 was 72.7%, meaning that a lot of graduates didn't get jobs cause the predicted retirement rates did not meet the actual retirement rates.

Personally, I think the program would suffer if they took in any more students. Having 60 people in a lecture hasn't made too much of a difference, but having 30 people in a lab can be tough when everyone is at a point where they need help interpreting results or something like that. I wouldn't mind seeing a small student to instructor ratio for microbiology.

They're slowly trying to renovate the whole school and turn it into a mini-clinic to try and better simulate a hospital environment (or something like that). So they're trying to do this without kicking everyone out, which means there's a lot of moving things around while they punch wholes in the walls.
.

That must be causing a lot of hassle for the students! hopefully its finished by the time I attend! I doubt it though if they are just doing a little it at a time.

Well, when I mean increase the intake, perhaps that can do so in such a way that they have enough students to split it even further. Maybe all lectures together, but 3 groups instead of 25 instead of 2 groups of 30....

It does look a little different when looking at the actual statistics if student intake vs. retirements.

But you not only can think about retirements. Even though we are getting a lot of analyzers in the lab (sunnybrook is getting an analyzer that includes a centrifuge AND a decapper!) as the hospital grows, so does our workload...we are seeing more samples everyday..which means we have to hire more MLA/Ts and MLTs to handle and result them. Many of the jobs that ppl have been hired for in the last two years.... only 1 has been for retirement (in clinical path anyway). We are building a new lab in sept 09 (so they say....) and its going to be triple the size! In the Specimen management
alone we are going to have our own call centre, so I know they are going to have to hire some new technicians for that...

Yes, I think that sunnybrook, with its size should be able to take in more students than 4! I mean...they should have it so there is ALways a student in each dept maybe? I haven't seen a student in biochem or heme since october or november!...

another thing to think about is having half the kids do clinical placement, the other half do the lab simulation in the summer semester....then switch the fall semester....I think that Idea could totally fly.

[JaneSmith]

Hey jacquelyn!

I know it is weird to talk about IRL people...small world!
We had a little meeting about our placement and were told that we'd probably find out where we're going around february-march. Apparently we meet as a class next month and decide on our own criteria for how we get placed. For example, we might decide as a class that students with families and small children should get placed close to home. This is kind of controversial as NOBODY wants to be placed somewhere far away, and this would increase the chances of us non-family people of having to move, but I think that's what will happen. This poor woman in our program lives in Kitchener and commutes in every single day. She has a 4 year old daughter and was pregnant all first year and now has a young baby at home! I can't imagine her moving anywhere..it would be impossible.
As far as I know, there are a few placements outside the GTA...there's one in ottawa, one in peterborough, one in Stratford and one in...Thunder bay!
We get to request our top three sites based on region...so i guess north toronto would cover sunnybrook and north york general, central toronto would be every single other hospital I guess! Then there's mississauga, scarborough, and also a few labs I believe. We're also not allowed to be placed at a site where we already have connections, so maybe Jason will be out of luck afterall! They're fond of reminding us that we signed a form when we first started the program stating that we'd be willing to go to any clinical site offered to us, but they also seem anxious to make us all as happy as possible, so I'm sure it will work out!
Congratulations on your upcoming marriage!! Now just make sure to have a kid or two before you start the program and you'll be guaranteed a spot in toronto (just kidding...don't do that!!! lol)
Anyway, it sounds like sunnybrook has a good setup for the students! I figured our experience couldn't really be all that hands-on, as someone would have to be responsible for all our mistakes. Imagine telling a patient they need more spinal fluid from him, cause a student spilled it? That sounds like something I might do :( It's just my luck you've seen students on microscopes in the heme lab. I swear if I knew about red cell morph before starting this course...ugh

Our micro labs are fun...I think we all pretty much always figure out our organisms at this point. I just hope in the real world we get three days and 8hours to identify one organism hahahaha. That's why i'm looking forward to our simulated lab this summer. We go to school as if we're going into work. We're given a bunch of work to do, and we just have to do it.

And yeah, that whole presentation thing sounded a little shady to me! It was a somewhat painful experience to go through, as many students aren't that comfortable speaking english and are kind of shy. Personally I don't mind doing them, but I don't think they're anyone's favourite thing.

Sorry that this post is so long. I dream of being on vacation, and then when I finally am, I have nothing better to do than surf the internet all day :cheesygri

[jconroymla]

Hey jacquelyn!

I know it is weird to talk about IRL people...small world!
We had a little meeting about our placement and were told that we'd probably find out where we're going around february-march. Apparently we meet as a class next month and decide on our own criteria for how we get placed. For example, we might decide as a class that students with families and small children should get placed close to home. This is kind of controversial as NOBODY wants to be placed somewhere far away, and this would increase the chances of us non-family people of having to move, but I think that's what will happen. This poor woman in our program lives in Kitchener and commutes in every single day. She has a 4 year old daughter and was pregnant all first year and now has a young baby at home! I can't imagine her moving anywhere..it would be impossible.
As far as I know, there are a few placements outside the GTA...there's one in ottawa, one in peterborough, one in Stratford and one in...Thunder bay!
We get to request our top three sites based on region...so i guess north toronto would cover sunnybrook and north york general, central toronto would be every single other hospital I guess! Then there's mississauga, scarborough, and also a few labs I believe. We're also not allowed to be placed at a site where we already have connections, so maybe Jason will be out of luck afterall! They're fond of reminding us that we signed a form when we first started the program stating that we'd be willing to go to any clinical site offered to us, but they also seem anxious to make us all as happy as possible, so I'm sure it will work out!
Congratulations on your upcoming marriage!! Now just make sure to have a kid or two before you start the program and you'll be guaranteed a spot in toronto (just kidding...don't do that!!! lol)
Anyway, it sounds like sunnybrook has a good setup for the students! I figured our experience couldn't really be all that hands-on, as someone would have to be responsible for all our mistakes. Imagine telling a patient they need more spinal fluid from him, cause a student spilled it? That sounds like something I might do :( It's just my luck you've seen students on microscopes in the heme lab. I swear if I knew about red cell morph before starting this course...ugh

Our micro labs are fun...I think we all pretty much always figure out our organisms at this point. I just hope in the real world we get three days and 8hours to identify one organism hahahaha. That's why i'm looking forward to our simulated lab this summer. We go to school as if we're going into work. We're given a bunch of work to do, and we just have to do it.

And yeah, that whole presentation thing sounded a little shady to me! It was a somewhat painful experience to go through, as many students aren't that comfortable speaking english and are kind of shy. Personally I don't mind doing them, but I don't think they're anyone's favourite thing.

Sorry that this post is so long. I dream of being on vacation, and then when I finally am, I have nothing better to do than surf the internet all day :cheesygri



ughh, so even if your picked first to choose, you can only pick the region?! ick! There are so many hospitals in the GTA, and most of them I wouldn't want to go to. I don't have anything against them...nothing concrete anyway...As sunnybrook is a reference site for other hospitals and labs, we have to contact this other locations on a daily basis and some of them just make so many mistakes, errors, and don't know how to properly speak to someone on the phone that I just get such a bad impression!
Oh well....At least I'll always have a connection at Sunnybrook no matter where I'll go for placement!

Working in a lab requires you to work in a team. Perhaps they are doing the oral presentations so that those who don't speak well can learn to.
I can tell you that working with somone you can't understand is horrible. One girl have to ask 3 or 4 times to repeat herself because of the strong accent...I always feel so bad!


So ....What if I don't sign the form!??!

hahaha They would probably kick me out!

haha better get started on the baby makin'.

[JaneSmith]

Apparently there have been complaint from the clinical sites about students not really knowing enough English to manage effectively in a lab kinda environment, so now there is a rule at our school that any non-English language can only be spoken in the caf. Personally I think that's a great rule!
Unfortunately that clinical site form is not optional..or I wouldn't have signed it myself! Michener is pretty tricky with its forms...every year they also try to get us to sign this form saying that any picture or video of us can be used in any way they see fit...from brochures to commercials...i never sign that one!

[lame23]

Hello!

I need some help in regards to applying in ontariocolleges.ca There was a question whether if english is my first language, i was wondering for those who applied, if you have put no, did u have to provide a TOEFL certificate? I cant seem to find this info. on micheners website. Although English is not my first language, my english is pretty good, and I have graduated in high school and elementary in canada and did 2 years of university at ryerson. I just dont want to go through the hassle of obtaining a toefl certificate. So, should I just put "yes" to the question wether english is my language? Is there anything I should worry about? I just dont want to screw up my application and go through the hassle......tia

[JaneSmith]

I really have no idea what the answer to that is, but clearly you write in English just fine, so I'm assuming you also speak English well. Personally if I were you, I would answer yes on your application form and save yourself whatever hassle might result from answering no.

[kayoko]

Hello!

I need some help in regards to applying in ontariocolleges.ca There was a question whether if english is my first language, i was wondering for those who applied, if you have put no, did u have to provide a TOEFL certificate? I cant seem to find this info. on micheners website. Although English is not my first language, my english is pretty good, and I have graduated in high school and elementary in canada and did 2 years of university at ryerson. I just dont want to go through the hassle of obtaining a toefl certificate. So, should I just put "yes" to the question wether english is my language? Is there anything I should worry about? I just dont want to screw up my application and go through the hassle......tia

I would agree with JaneSmith and agree that you should just say English is your first language. If you went through elementary and high school in Canada, I don't see the need to go through the TOEFL. =)

[lame23]

Thanks to the replies!! I will continue my application 1st week of January as I need more information about student numbers and transcripts which requires me to call my highschool. Thanks again.

[JaneSmith]

Thanks to the replies!! I will continue my application 1st week of January as I need more information about student numbers and transcripts which requires me to call my highschool. Thanks again.

Good luck. What programs are you applying for?

[lame23]

Good luck. What programs are you applying for?

MLS!! I really hope I get in!!

[JaneSmith]

MLT!! I really hope I get in!!

woohoo!! I hope you do too! You'll have to report back to us how the multiple mini interviews went, since you'll be the first round of applicants doing them.

[SHEEEEP]

Now that I think about it, it sounds pretty neat to be taught by pathologists. Do they have lots of interesting stories to tell? Oh! Using MLS to get into pathology. Interesting. Very different from how things are run around here, but neat.

Dang! One whole year devoted to clinicals! I wouldn't mind that except you don't get paid. But the experience must be amazing cause you have a longer period to connect with the people around you at clinicals. You can form some neat bonds within 4 months, but give it a year and it can be awesome (or drive you up the wall).

I definitely agree with you that not many people want to become allied health professionals. But part of the problem is that prospective students don't even take it into consideration. When they think about healthcare, it's always the doctors, nurses, dentist and pharmacists that come to mind. I wish the allied health folks had the money to create a campaign similar to the one that the CMA ran for the doctor shortage.

I wouldn't consider myself hardworking cause I think helping out with this thread is fun! I will put a blurb about your school on the first post (which has been revised, btw). =) It's great that they don't try to hide anything from you. Michener doesn't really either, but it's more like...no one knows the whole story so it's up to your to piece the puzzle together. BTW, does the coordinator have a specific email address or is it the medlabsc@ualberta.ca addy? Thanks

Looks like this thread has been revived! Well I guess it never really died but wow, my last post has been buried by all these new posts =)

The pathologists do have some interesting stories that they work into their lectures, but of course, it depends on who it is =P and some of the pathologists are a little crazy (maybe from breathing in large amounts of formaldehyde every day). I guess one of the advantages of having pathologists teach us is that we can realize how important it is to work with other health professionals as a

team... but at the same time, it is hard to adjust to so many lecturers. The MLS program at the U of A is actually part of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology... so it is probably bonus if you have the BSc in MLS (it is the only undergraduate program in the department). It sure seems like the requirements to get into pathology are really tough and it's probably really competitive as well. It would be nice to become a pathologist... it would be fun, but I don't know if I'm capable of getting into that... so we'll have to see how things go in the next few years!

I'm looking forward to doing clinicals! Our classroom and student lab is in a basement of a random building connected to the hospital and I'm so sick of living down there. Finally, we get to learn and work in a place with windows! I'm sure a lot of bonds will be made in the next year and half, but I'm actually not from Edmonton, so once I graduate and go back home, those bonds will probably be broken haha.

I'm sure you can relate to this - in my first year of university, my chemistry prof had asked the class to raise their hand if they wanted to go into medical school and literally 90% of the class raised their hands. At the U of A open house this year, I volunteered for the MLS booth and most of the people who came up to our booth had no idea what the program was about and what lab techs even did. Of course, the medicine, dentistry/dental hygiene, and pharmacy booths were just swarmed with people. I don't know if there's really anything they can do about promoting awareness of allied health professionals because it doesn't seem to be as prestigious as becoming a doctor, dentist, or pharmacist. Maybe it has to do with the fact that we're not upfront and always in contact with the patients or maybe it's because we're not the ones that are responsible for diagnosis or treatment. Anyways, it doesn't seem to be that big of a problem because I guess allied health programs are filling up with no vacancies, so it seems like there will always be people who are willing to become allied health professionals! But it does bug me when people never think to try something other than medicine, dentistry, or pharmacy =P I'm sure that goes for you too!

As for my coordinator's email, that is correct! I think that email is specifically for questions about the program and it is checked several times a day. Thanks for adding something about the U of A program onto the first post =) hopefully that'll give the program some more attention. If I meet any students in the future telling me about how they read about the program on RFD, I'll definitely come on here and let you know.

I keep forgetting to mention this but...
I have a friend who worked with Canadian Blood Services one summer as a lab attendant. She had no prior experience with working in a medical lab and she wasn't a med lab student, but she did have some previous experience with volunteering at Canadian Blood Services. Maybe you could keep your eye out on the Canadian Blood Services website (http://www.blood.ca/CentreApps/Internet/UW_V502_MainEngine.nsf/page/Job%20Opportunities?OpenDocument) for job postings or you could email human resources. They also post jobs on workopolis (http://www.workopolis.ca) and sometimes there are jobs posted on workopolis that are not posted on their own website... not sure why, but it's something I've realized. If you are really keen on getting a job there, I think it would be best to volunteer there (if you have time). Of course, the experience of volunteering there would be great and it would look great on the resume!

[danny411]

Hi im interested in this career.

Im just wondering a few things.

i seem to have trouble volunteering for a hospital. Where else is good experience.

Im in white rock, bc, canada.

I have tried the red cross. Hospitals.

My sis said clinics ? Im not sure about what ones? can anyone give me a clue?

second, I just upgraded hs and am applying to BCIT for medical lab tech. How long does it take to get in and do i need at least one year of college in this field biology(i have ba; psych)

how important is anat/phys? After taking a med terminology course i have decided to take it in the summer rather than now-so i could work on my stems and stuff.

Finally, BCIT wants a letter of intent. they want me to tell em why i want to do this career, what i know and my experience.

How do i handle the experience thing. I don't have any. No volunteering related to this. And no labs yet. ? should i just say im getting it? I have applied to volunteer at the red cross. Doing school with lots of labs in bio and chem. ?

[penquinbum]

Hello!

I need some help in regards to applying in ontariocolleges.ca There was a question whether if english is my first language, i was wondering for those who applied, if you have put no, did u have to provide a TOEFL certificate? I cant seem to find this info. on micheners website. Although English is not my first language, my english is pretty good, and I have graduated in high school and elementary in canada and did 2 years of university at ryerson. I just dont want to go through the hassle of obtaining a toefl certificate. So, should I just put "yes" to the question wether english is my language? Is there anything I should worry about? I just dont want to screw up my application and go through the hassle......tia

If you finished elementary and high school in Canada and got through two years at Rye high, the need for TOEFL will not arise. :!:I assume you studied high school in English, not French..but even if you did I'd never even bring that up. English is your language. Don't even hesitate checking that off.:cheesygri

[nalababe]

Hi im interested in this career.

Im just wondering a few things.

i seem to have trouble volunteering for a hospital. Where else is good experience.

Im in white rock, bc, canada.

I have tried the red cross. Hospitals.

My sis said clinics ? Im not sure about what ones? can anyone give me a clue?

second, I just upgraded hs and am applying to BCIT for medical lab tech. How long does it take to get in and do i need at least one year of college in this field biology(i have ba; psych)

how important is anat/phys? After taking a med terminology course i have decided to take it in the summer rather than now-so i could work on my stems and stuff.

Finally, BCIT wants a letter of intent. they want me to tell em why i want to do this career, what i know and my experience.

How do i handle the experience thing. I don't have any. No volunteering related to this. And no labs yet. ? should i just say im getting it? I have applied to volunteer at the red cross. Doing school with lots of labs in bio and chem. ?

Now this could apply for anyone in this type of field....

Anywhere that has a Lab...

Antech and Idexx are the two big vet labs that are US companies buying up Canadian labs like the old Vitatech....Ask your vet (if you have one, where they do their testing). The consolidation in the Human Lab testing (Lifelabs, Dynacare, CML and variants) is just starting in Vet testing...

Clinics such as fertility clinics will often have mini labs will often run esoteric tests on a Roche or Immulite. They will run many fertility tests; however the biggies are sent to provincial labs (i.e. HIV). Other clinics...Allergy, Dialysis...though only if they have their own lab.

In hospitals don't forget the POC departments. They often have tons of grunt work dealing with all of the glucometers etc....as this is an area that is slower to develop in many parts of Canada, there are often many projects that just need people power.

CROs are another opportunity...

The reality is that many companies do not like volunteers...to much effort for the return (there can also be union issues).

Lastly, if stuck, look at the vendors...if nothing else you might be building your network for later...MLTs are prime targets for us to fill Technical Specialists roles.

[danny411]

Now this could apply for anyone in this type of field....

Anywhere that has a Lab...

Antech and Idexx are the two big vet labs that are US companies buying up Canadian labs like the old Vitatech....Ask your vet (if you have one, where they do their testing). The consolidation in the Human Lab testing (Lifelabs, Dynacare, CML and variants) is just starting in Vet testing...

Clinics such as fertility clinics will often have mini labs will often run esoteric tests on a Roche or Immulite. They will run many fertility tests; however the biggies are sent to provincial labs (i.e. HIV). Other clinics...Allergy, Dialysis...though only if they have their own lab.

In hospitals don't forget the POC departments. They often have tons of grunt work dealing with all of the glucometers etc....as this is an area that is slower to develop in many parts of Canada, there are often many projects that just need people power.

CROs are another opportunity...

The reality is that many companies do not like volunteers...to much effort for the return (there can also be union issues).

Lastly, if stuck, look at the vendors...if nothing else you might be building your network for later...MLTs are prime targets for us to fill Technical Specialists roles.


Thanks very much, I dont know what you said here but ill try to follow your excellent advise...trying hospitals, abbotsford cancer clinic, red cross, blood services. I have a ba; pschology so im trying mental health hospitals for healthcare experience.

Ill expand my search and check the red book to find out if the labs will take me.

Never would have thought about vets, fertility clinics.

What are vendors ? CRO?

and you said it right about volunteering. I tried like 6 hospitals. all of them the same. Burnaby hospital asked me if i knew anyone working there. Funny interview the lady seemed like she didn't want me. It was really the worst interview i ever had. She was really angry and looking to get rid of me. All of the hospitals said the same thing. We don't have a suitable position for you.

My sis worked in hospitals for 20 yrs as an admin. She said it was political.

Same with the red cross. Website says they need 10 people. They have to close early on monday due to a shortage of volunteers. I sent an application and phone em all the time for the last month and keep getting the run around. I was told my app was sent by the head department to arlene in my town. Someone phoned me on sat and told me to phone back on monday. I phoned a bunch of times. They told me patty was the volunteer sup and she wasn't in. Jesus do they want people ?

[danny411]

ok, im applying now. I have ba; psych, dips in another field. For the last yr i took hs science and math to meet the pre reqs.

I have all the pre reqs but i don't think ill get in till i do at least a yr of college.

is there a wait list ?

How is the interview ? how should i prepare?

[SHEEEEP]

Hi im interested in this career.

Im just wondering a few things.

i seem to have trouble volunteering for a hospital. Where else is good experience.

Im in white rock, bc, canada.

I have tried the red cross. Hospitals.

My sis said clinics ? Im not sure about what ones? can anyone give me a clue?

second, I just upgraded hs and am applying to BCIT for medical lab tech. How long does it take to get in and do i need at least one year of college in this field biology(i have ba; psych)

how important is anat/phys? After taking a med terminology course i have decided to take it in the summer rather than now-so i could work on my stems and stuff.

Finally, BCIT wants a letter of intent. they want me to tell em why i want to do this career, what i know and my experience.

How do i handle the experience thing. I don't have any. No volunteering related to this. And no labs yet. ? should i just say im getting it? I have applied to volunteer at the red cross. Doing school with lots of labs in bio and chem. ?

I had the same problem that you had when I was applying for my program (I am in the MLS program at the University of Alberta). I also had to indicate any relevant work experience in my letter of intent, so I found a job as a pharmacy assistant a year before I applied to the program. It's not totally relevant, but it's still something in the health care field. If you're looking for volunteer opportunities and not job opportunities, then like I said in the post right above yours, you could also try volunteering at Canadian Blood Services (if there is one where you live). If not, you could try calling up some medical labs outside of hospitals and ask if they take volunteers. You could also try some cancer clinics... after a quick Google search, I see there is a BC Cancer Agency in White Rock, so you could try calling them up and seeing if they need volunteers.

Another thing you could try is asking medical labs if they do tours of labs. It's not volunteering or working experience, but it does give you an eye-opener of what a medical lab looks like and what happens inside.

If all of that fails... just email the admissions people at the MLT program at BCIT and ask them what kinds of experience they're looking for and what they can suggest.

As for admissions into the program, everything looks pretty well laid out on their website. From what I see, you should be able to get in straight from high school and I don't know if any previous biology courses would be advantageous. You could probably email and ask BCIT about it as well. Anatomy and physiology (I assume you meant physiology and not physics) are quite important, as one of the five fields of laboratory medicine is histology, which centers around tissue structures and their functions.

Hope that helps =) good luck with the volunteer/job hunting!

[danny411]

thanks alot guys. Being really fustrating.

I tried and tried to volunteer in hospitals since august.

tommorrow i have to decide if i should take anatomy instead of cell biology

after taking med terminology im worried that i won't do as well as i'm use to doing.

my sis just came over, she has like 20 yrs in hospitals. She rattled off a bunch of stuff so i really worried. I think i would be better off after finishing med terminology II

but time is an issue. I hope to get in next year or the year after. Depends on how much biology and lab experience they want.

one final question> I have applied to volunteer with the elderly. Is this suitable volunteer experience(healthcare)

[jconroymla]

thanks alot guys. Being really fustrating.

I tried and tried to volunteer in hospitals since august.

tommorrow i have to decide if i should take anatomy instead of cell biology

after taking med terminology im worried that i won't do as well as i'm use to doing.

my sis just came over, she has like 20 yrs in hospitals. She rattled off a bunch of stuff so i really worried. I think i would be better off after finishing med terminology II

but time is an issue. I hope to get in next year or the year after. Depends on how much biology and lab experience they want.

one final question> I have applied to volunteer with the elderly. Is this suitable volunteer experience(healthcare)


Hi Danny,

Since you do not have experience in health care or the laboratory, perhaps it would be a good idea to do some research on the medical laboratory and what the lab technologist does. Also, contact your hospital labs, or private labs and ask for a tour, as others suggested. You could also tell them you are interested in a career as an MLT and ask to Job Shadow for a couple of hours on day.

When doing your interview or writing your letter of intent, you can than discuss what you have learned about an MLT, and how you think you possess the qualitites that is required of an MLT. If you are lucky enough to get to job shadow, than you can discuss this as well.

Hope this helps!

Jacquelyn

[kayoko]

thanks alot guys. Being really fustrating.

I tried and tried to volunteer in hospitals since august.

tommorrow i have to decide if i should take anatomy instead of cell biology

after taking med terminology im worried that i won't do as well as i'm use to doing.

my sis just came over, she has like 20 yrs in hospitals. She rattled off a bunch of stuff so i really worried. I think i would be better off after finishing med terminology II

but time is an issue. I hope to get in next year or the year after. Depends on how much biology and lab experience they want.

one final question> I have applied to volunteer with the elderly. Is this suitable volunteer experience(healthcare)

Unfortunately, I don't think any of us have applied to BCIT so I have no idea how long it could possibly take. But according to the program page, applications are processed until April 30th so perhaps admission offers will be sent out soon after. As for preparing for the interview, learn as much as you can about MLT as a career, the state of health care in Canada and B.C, and current issues surrounding MLT's. Of course, these are things that I think would be important, but they're not necessarily what BCIT may ask you during the interview so take it with a grain of salt! I believe BCIT will have a waiting list like Michener since there will always be students who apply, get accepted, but decide not to attend.

The more relevant education you have, the better it will be for you because you will have to learn less from scratch. I have no idea how BCIT admissions process works so I cannot say whether previous post-secondary education even matters in the admissions process. Since you already have a degree, you've already proven that you can complete education at a post secondary level. In terms of specific courses, anatomy would be more applicable to MLS than cell biology. If you have concerns over your performance in a course, take a look at all the resources that you have (i.e. instructors, peers, counselors, tutors) and ask for advice on how to excel in a course.

The whole point of the letter of intent is to prove that you know what you're getting into and that you want it BAD so you've already done X,Y and Z.

Anything related to the heathcare system would be appropriate including nursing homes, clinics, rehab centers, etc. Why?
(1) You're learning about the health care system (which you want to be a part of)
(2) It will put a face on samples that you may receive as a MLT and understand that there are people behind the samples as well as the impact a MLT's results may have on these people.

As Jacquelyn said, do the tours (doesn't have to be long) or find someone to interview. Job shadows can be hard to come by due to liability reasons but you could try. Just remember, people love to talk about themselves. You just have to ask for a couple minutes at first and perhaps you might get 30 minutes instead.

Vendors are folks that supply equipment or reagent stuff to laboratories. CRO's might have to do with clinical research for pharma companies.

If you have specific questions, you could try to get an official answer from the school via their administrative staff, Debbie Power, at Deborah_Power@bcit.ca and she could probably forward you to the right person. If that doesn't work, there's a list of faculty (http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/6580diplt#FACULTY) that you could hassle with questions. Fire off 20 emails and you're bound to get at least one reply.

[JaneSmith]

Hi danny,

One thing I did when I decided I wanted to be an MLT was find a mentor. I read everything I could get my hands on about being a MLT, especially the csmls (csmls.org) and the cmlto (cmlto.com - this is for ontario, but there will be a similar BC one). From these sites, I was able to find names of people in the industry and I emailed one of them, and started up many months of email correspondence with them, in which I would ask tons of questions, and they would try to answer my questions...but more importantly they gave me great insight into life as a technologist and what they had done with their career (this person actually ended up in sales, and travelled the world). When it came time to write my entrance essay, I spoke of my mentor and what I had learned from them. Our school also offers courses for brushing up on your skills as an MLT (I guess for people who have been out of the industry for a while) and I actually signed up and took this course (I never actually finished it since it was too hard for me at the time...hard to 'brush up' on something you've never taken, but I did end up with a ton of great course notes that I still refer to now, and it was something else to talk about in my essay..i just said i wanted an overview of what i could expect). Other than that I didn't really have any lab experience either. I just wrote about the lab work i did in university (just as an undergrad, and nothing that really applied to working in a med lab). So don't worry too much...just think of creative ways in which you can show your dedication. That's what they're really looking for. People suggested going on a hospital lab tour, which is an excellent idea as well.

[kayoko]

Looks like this thread has been revived! Well I guess it never really died but wow, my last post has been buried by all these new posts =)

The pathologists do have some interesting stories that they work into their lectures, but of course, it depends on who it is =P and some of the pathologists are a little crazy (maybe from breathing in large amounts of formaldehyde every day). I guess one of the advantages of having pathologists teach us is that we can realize how important it is to work with other health professionals as a team... but at the same time, it is hard to adjust to so many lecturers. The MLS program at the U of A is actually part of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology... so it is probably bonus if you have the BSc in MLS (it is the only undergraduate program in the department). It sure seems like the requirements to get into pathology are really tough and it's probably really competitive as well. It would be nice to become a pathologist... it would be fun, but I don't know if I'm capable of getting into that... so we'll have to see how things go in the next few years!

I'm looking forward to doing clinicals! Our classroom and student lab is in a basement of a random building connected to the hospital and I'm so sick of living down there. Finally, we get to learn and work in a place with windows! I'm sure a lot of bonds will be made in the next year and half, but I'm actually not from Edmonton, so once I graduate and go back home, those bonds will probably be broken haha.

I'm sure you can relate to this - in my first year of university, my chemistry prof had asked the class to raise their hand if they wanted to go into medical school and literally 90% of the class raised their hands. At the U of A open house this year, I volunteered for the MLS booth and most of the people who came up to our booth had no idea what the program was about and what lab techs even did. Of course, the medicine, dentistry/dental hygiene, and pharmacy booths were just swarmed with people. I don't know if there's really anything they can do about promoting awareness of allied health professionals because it doesn't seem to be as prestigious as becoming a doctor, dentist, or pharmacist. Maybe it has to do with the fact that we're not upfront and always in contact with the patients or maybe it's because we're not the ones that are responsible for diagnosis or treatment. Anyways, it doesn't seem to be that big of a problem because I guess allied health programs are filling up with no vacancies, so it seems like there will always be people who are willing to become allied health professionals! But it does bug me when people never think to try something other than medicine, dentistry, or pharmacy =P I'm sure that goes for you too!

As for my coordinator's email, that is correct! I think that email is specifically for questions about the program and it is checked several times a day. Thanks for adding something about the U of A program onto the first post =) hopefully that'll give the program some more attention. If I meet any students in the future telling me about how they read about the program on RFD, I'll definitely come on here and let you know.

I keep forgetting to mention this but...
I have a friend who worked with Canadian Blood Services one summer as a lab attendant. She had no prior experience with working in a medical lab and she wasn't a med lab student, but she did have some previous experience with volunteering at Canadian Blood Services. Maybe you could keep your eye out on the Canadian Blood Services website (http://www.blood.ca/CentreApps/Internet/UW_V502_MainEngine.nsf/page/Job%20Opportunities?OpenDocument) for job postings or you could email human resources. They also post jobs on workopolis (http://www.workopolis.ca) and sometimes there are jobs posted on workopolis that are not posted on their own website... not sure why, but it's something I've realized. If you are really keen on getting a job there, I think it would be best to volunteer there (if you have time). Of course, the experience of volunteering there would be great and it would look great on the resume!

The activity in this thread has been rather crazy (in an extremely exciting sort of way). I wish I knew all the answers that everyone's been asking, but this has really been a wonderful learning experience surrounding the various programs across Canada and the stories to people who want to become MLT's, are MLT's or work with MLT's. Makes me happy!

Speaking of windows at school. The only time I saw the outside would be going to my locker. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to tell whether you're missing out on a beautiful day or it's snowing cats and dogs outside. Hopefully, there will be some natural light at your clinicals. Considering how much we've been taught about vitamin D and calcium regulation, I sure as heck don't get enough of it.

You know what's sad? I've had the same experience as danny411 with the CBS and their volunteering application. I applied long time ago in September but never got a reply. I could have been more active about it, but it's frustrating not getting a reply of any sort. Gwar.

Thanks for the link to the summer positions at the CBS. I don't think I have decent enough letters of references to even try to compete for summer positions at the CBS. It's the part of job hunting that I need to improve but not really knowing too much on how to do so. I think I really need to find a volunteer position somewhere next term. Argh. I wouldn't mind walking around offering people beverages! I think the only solution would be do go to a donor clinic and ask the folks there. Hopefully, I can charm the people enough to give me a name and phone number. Hopefully.

[kayoko]

One thing I did when I decided I wanted to be an MLT was find a mentor. I read everything I could get my hands on about being a MLT, especially the csmls (csmls.org) and the cmlto (cmlto.com - this is for ontario, but there will be a similar BC one). From these sites, I was able to find names of people in the industry and I emailed one of them, and started up many months of email correspondence with them, in which I would ask tons of questions, and they would try to answer my questions...but more importantly they gave me great insight into life as a technologist and what they had done with their career (this person actually ended up in sales, and travelled the world). When it came time to write my entrance essay, I spoke of my mentor and what I had learned from them. Our school also offers courses for brushing up on your skills as an MLT (I guess for people who have been out of the industry for a while) and I actually signed up and took this course (I never actually finished it since it was too hard for me at the time...hard to 'brush up' on something you've never taken, but I did end up with a ton of great course notes that I still refer to now, and it was something else to talk about in my essay..i just said i wanted an overview of what i could expect). Other than that I didn't really have any lab experience either. I just wrote about the lab work i did in university (just as an undergrad, and nothing that really applied to working in a med lab). So don't worry too much...just think of creative ways in which you can show your dedication. That's what they're really looking for. People suggested going on a hospital lab tour, which is an excellent idea as well.

Wow. You actually got through to someone via CSMLS/CMLTO. I tried to see if they had anything official in terms of job shadowing, but did not ever get a reply. I wish they would turn it into something official as part of their whole we must raise public opinion of the career! Hm, I'll definitely mention something like this at the feedback session they're having at school in the new semester. =)

[danny411]

Hi Danny,

Since you do not have experience in health care or the laboratory, perhaps it would be a good idea to do some research on the medical laboratory and what the lab technologist does. Also, contact your hospital labs, or private labs and ask for a tour, as others suggested. You could also tell them you are interested in a career as an MLT and ask to Job Shadow for a couple of hours on day.

When doing your interview or writing your letter of intent, you can than discuss what you have learned about an MLT, and how you think you possess the qualitites that is required of an MLT. If you are lucky enough to get to job shadow, than you can discuss this as well.

Hope this helps!

Jacquelyn

thanks. I applied to bc cancer last nite at 2am and they already want me to come in.

Good idea about doing more research. I have done some and watched some youtube videos of what they do but more is better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5qTFxMPciI&feature=related

[kayoko]

thanks. I applied to bc cancer last nite at 2am and they already want me to come in.

Good idea about doing more research. I have done some and watched some youtube videos of what they do but more is better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5qTFxMPciI&feature=related

Congrats on getting a spot that quickly!

Took your advice and put some videos on the first post. I can't believe I never thought about looking on Youtube! They have everything on Youtube (except those Michener videos, which were well done).

[danny411]

Congrats on getting a spot that quickly!

Took your advice and put some videos on the first post. I can't believe I never thought about looking on Youtube! They have everything on Youtube (except those Michener videos, which were well done).


:)

anyways i found my problem

We receive placement requests from schools and you must be enrolled in a program the school will sponsor.

Are you currently enrolled in a school and will the school cover you for 3rd party liability and personal injury insurance during your shadow?

VCH Placements
Vancouver Coastal Health

maybe this is why i cant volunteer or shadow I need to be in the program already.

Ridiculus rules.

BCIT wants me to have experience before i get in there program yet i can't get it?

Im attending douglas taking credits in science and im pre nursing. I don't think they will sponsor me.

Anyways, I got a interview with the cancer society and its just down the block. And riverview has to get back to me.

Bloody red cross is messed up too. I sent them my app 3 weeks ago. I phoned them and got the run around. Last time i was told to phone back on new years day. Ye right. Anyways, they have to close on monday cause they dont have volunteers yet here iam offering my services. Must be that liability thing again.

[jconroymla]

Congrats on getting a spot that quickly!

Took your advice and put some videos on the first post. I can't believe I never thought about looking on Youtube! They have everything on Youtube (except those Michener videos, which were well done).

I still haven't watched those! Are the videos on the CD they give you in the michener booklet?

[kayoko]

:)

anyways i found my problem

We receive placement requests from schools and you must be enrolled in a program the school will sponsor.

Are you currently enrolled in a school and will the school cover you for 3rd party liability and personal injury insurance during your shadow?

VCH Placements
Vancouver Coastal Health

maybe this is why i cant volunteer or shadow I need to be in the program already.

Ridiculus rules.

BCIT wants me to have experience before i get in there program yet i can't get it?

Im attending douglas taking credits in science and im pre nursing. I don't think they will sponsor me.

Anyways, I got a interview with the cancer society and its just down the block. And riverview has to get back to me.

Bloody red cross is messed up too. I sent them my app 3 weeks ago. I phoned them and got the run around. Last time i was told to phone back on new years day. Ye right. Anyways, they have to close on monday cause they dont have volunteers yet here iam offering my services. Must be that liability thing again.

It'll probably be easier to do a tour than a job shadow. Like I said before, it's not that BCIT wants you to have medical lab experience before the MLT program. They just want to ensure that you know that you're interested, informed and know what career you're getting into.

Have you tried calling BCIT and asking for suggestions as to what kind of experience that they want? Perhaps you could talkthem into giving you some contacts.

[kayoko]

I still haven't watched those! Are the videos on the CD they give you in the michener booklet?

Yeah. They're pretty neat videos because they walk you through various labs. Although the CD would probably be of less interest to you considering you work in one.

I don't recall there being anything school life related on the CD's but that may have changed since last year (perhaps?).

Temporary classrooms in the library and cafeteria are horrid! They're long, narrow and you can't see/hear very well. Instead of 3-4 rows of seats in a regular classroom, we have 10+ rows! I hope they're done renovations by the time the new groups of students get here!

[danny411]

It'll probably be easier to do a tour than a job shadow. Like I said before, it's not that BCIT wants you to have medical lab experience before the MLT program. They just want to ensure that you know that you're interested, informed and know what career you're getting into.

Have you tried calling BCIT and asking for suggestions as to what kind of experience that they want? Perhaps you could talkthem into giving you some contacts.

yep, thanks. Im in constant contact with BCIT

Like you said they want you to make a good career decision.

see ya later. Watch more iv's and medical procedures.

[lame23]

I finally finished my application for the MLS program. I am very worried that I wont meet the deadline of Feb 1st. as my transcripts from high school and university can take about 3 weeks before it get sent out to michener. Now I was just wondering if there's anyone here who applied early January and was put on a wait list due to transcripts not being sent on time, thus missing the deadline or any related problems or issues with transcripts? TIA

[kayoko]

I finally finished my application for the MLS program. I am very worried that I wont meet the deadline of Feb 1st. as my transcripts from high school and university can take about 3 weeks before it get sent out to michener. Now I was just wondering if there's anyone here who applied early January and was put on a wait list due to transcripts not being sent on time, thus missing the deadline or any related problems or issues with transcripts? TIA

But 3 weeks would only make it Jan 28th so you should be okay! If you're concerned, fire an email to Karyn Roscoe (kroscoe@michener.ca) or give her a call (1-800-387-9066 Ext 3143) and ask her. They'd probably be able to tell you if your transcripts will arrive in time or if you need to make some calls to your high school/university and put in a rush order or something. =)

[drvoid]

I finally finished my application for the MLS program. I am very worried that I wont meet the deadline of Feb 1st. as my transcripts from high school and university can take about 3 weeks before it get sent out to michener. Now I was just wondering if there's anyone here who applied early January and was put on a wait list due to transcripts not being sent on time, thus missing the deadline or any related problems or issues with transcripts? TIA

Yes I had a similar problem of not sending out my highschool transcripts in time i.e. pass the deadline. When I applied I thought that I had sent them in but found out that I needed to go to my highschool to arrange for them to send it out. I was put on a waitlist but they don't tell you the reason. It could have been marks, or maybe they were waiting for the first round people to not accept the offer, or possibly the late transcript. But if you have sent in your transcripts by now, I think you should be fine.

Just remember to check the Ontario colleges webite (OCAS) site periodically to check what has been received.
Also like Kayako said you can call Karyn Roscoe to see if Michener has received your transcripts.
Good luck!

P.S. Yeah the cafe blue is a horrible classroom. Good thing we get the auditorium (which should have been the case from day 1)

[lame23]

Really bad news. I finally received my high school transcript and my level U math course is a 68, the rest of the courses are above 80. Will the admissions department look at this critically, although Ive been in university for 2 years and got accepted in the bachelors nursing program? I honestly, dont want to wait another year to get in this program. Is Karyn Roscoe the best to contact in regards to this?

[kayoko]

Really bad news. I finally received my high school transcript and my level U math course is a 68, the rest of the courses are above 80. Will the admissions department look at this critically, although Ive been in university for 2 years and got accepted in the bachelors nursing program? I honestly, dont want to wait another year to get in this program. Is Karyn Roscoe the best to contact in regards to this?

It would really depend on whether you did any post-secondary courses in mathematics (like statistics). If you did, then there shouldn't be a problem. If you didn't, then you'd really need to find an answer from Karyn as I have no clue whether this might affect your ranking. She would be the person to talk to in regards to this.

If you can't get through to Karyn, try contacting Stephen as an alternative [Link (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7974332&postcount=242)]. Michener administration have this strange tendency to sporatically ignore emails (instructors do that to me sometimes). If that happens, hound them on the phone (i.e. call every 30 minutes or something like that).

[lame23]

It would really depend on whether you did any post-secondary courses in mathematics (like statistics). If you did, then there shouldn't be a problem. If you didn't, then you'd really need to find an answer from Karyn as I have no clue whether this might affect your ranking. She would be the person to talk to in regards to this.

If you can't get through to Karyn, try contacting Stephen as an alternative [Link (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7974332&postcount=242)]. Michener administration have this strange tendency to sporatically ignore emails (instructors do that to me sometimes). If that happens, hound them on the phone (i.e. call every 30 minutes or something like that).

I contacted karyn and she basically told me to update my math grade. The only thing i need to do is to send her a proof of registration that im taking/upgrading my math before Feb 1. Now i just need to find where I can update my mark. Anyone have any suggestion. Also, Karyn only mention that my application will remain active (which i think means equal consideration and not being put on the waitlist). Ill contact her again to clarify this. This whole admission process is really stressing me out!! Im just really worried that ranking will be done by feb1 and i will not qualify due to the one course not being above 70 or will be low in the rankings (due to the fact that they need to wait for my new grade)...

[kayoko]

I contacted karyn and she basically told me to update my math grade. The only thing i need to do is to send her a proof of registration that im taking/upgrading my math before Feb 1. Now i just need to find where I can update my mark. Anyone have any suggestion. Also, Karyn only mention that my application will remain active (which i think means equal consideration and not being put on the waitlist). Ill contact her again to clarify this. This whole admission process is really stressing me out!! Im just really worried that ranking will be done by feb1 and i will not qualify due to the one course not being above 70 or will be low in the rankings (due to the fact that they need to wait for my new grade)...

Contact your local school board for night courses or whenever you have time to take class. The TDSB website can be found here (http://www.tdsb.on.ca/_site/ViewItem.asp?siteid=200&menuid=2213&pageid=1729) and the TCDSB can be found here (http://www.tcdsb.org/continuinged/nightschool/index.htm). The faster you can do it, the better.

The ranking can't be done by Feb 1 because we have two people ranking every single applicant out there (as far as I know). Last year, I was emailed around March inquiring about the pre-requisite that I was still in the middle of taking. I'm sure it affected my ranking to some extent, but I was still asked to do all the supplementary stuff for diagnostic cytology admissions. Just remember that ranking won't be complete until May since the MMI's take place in April. So ideally, you'd want to have your upgrade by May in time for the first round of admissions.

[lame23]

Contact your local school board for night courses or whenever you have time to take class. The TDSB website can be found here (http://www.tdsb.on.ca/_site/ViewItem.asp?siteid=200&menuid=2213&pageid=1729) and the TCDSB can be found here (http://www.tcdsb.org/continuinged/nightschool/index.htm). The faster you can do it, the better.

The ranking can't be done by Feb 1 because we have two people ranking every single applicant out there (as far as I know). Last year, I was emailed around March inquiring about the pre-requisite that I was still in the middle of taking. I'm sure it affected my ranking to some extent, but I was still asked to do all the supplementary stuff for diagnostic cytology admissions. Just remember that ranking won't be complete until May since the MMI's take place in April. So ideally, you'd want to have your upgrade by May in time for the first round of admissions.

Ok thanks for the info. I contacted TDSB and will enroll asap!!

[kasianman]

Ok thanks for the info. I contacted TDSB and will enroll asap!!

There are also "private schools" where you pay around $500 per course.
You can finish the course in 2-3 months I think.

[lame23]

There are also "private schools" where you pay around $500 per course.
You can finish the course in 2-3 months I think.

I was looking at that too....but im not financially well right now....

[SHEEEEP]

More on summer opportunities at Canadian Blood Services!

I was just walking through the hallway the other day at school and saw a flyer for this posted on the bulletin board. It looks like CBS has a summer internship program. I haven't really read through the guidelines yet, but I kind of skimmed through it really quickly and it looks like there's some pretty good learning opportunities.

Here is the link to the site for guidelines, applications, and contact info:
http://www.bloodservices.ca/centreapps/internet/uw_v502_mainengine.nsf/page/E_SIP?OpenDocument

[kayoko]

More on summer opportunities at Canadian Blood Services!

I was just walking through the hallway the other day at school and saw a flyer for this posted on the bulletin board. It looks like CBS has a summer internship program. I haven't really read through the guidelines yet, but I kind of skimmed through it really quickly and it looks like there's some pretty good learning opportunities.

Here is the link to the site for guidelines, applications, and contact info:
http://www.bloodservices.ca/centreapps/internet/uw_v502_mainengine.nsf/page/E_SIP?OpenDocument

Yeah. Someone had posted a link (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7979353&postcount=266) to that a bit earlier. But thank you for thinking about us!

Gah. Where the heck am I going to find two references? =( I could definitely ask an instructor, but don't really know how I feel about asking two instructors. I don't even know if they know me well enough to write me a reference that long. T_T

[SHEEEEP]

Yeah. Someone had posted a link (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7979353&postcount=266) to that a bit earlier. But thank you for thinking about us!

Gah. Where the heck am I going to find two references? =( I could definitely ask an instructor, but don't really know how I feel about asking two instructors. I don't even know if they know me well enough to write me a reference that long. T_T

Oops! That's what I get for not reading up before I post. Well... there's the link for the 2009 program haha. By the looks of it, it's mainly an internship in research labs, which I'm not really interested in. I'd much rather work in a clinical lab (probably the same for you too!). Maybe I'll email the lady on that site and ask if there are any opportunities available outside of research labs.

[kayoko]

Oops! That's what I get for not reading up before I post. Well... there's the link for the 2009 program haha. By the looks of it, it's mainly an internship in research labs, which I'm not really interested in. I'd much rather work in a clinical lab (probably the same for you too!). Maybe I'll email the lady on that site and ask if there are any opportunities available outside of research labs.

I'd take what I can get as long as it pays me more than minimum wage. If offered, I wouldn't say "no" to working in a research lab. It's different and who knows what kind of people you might meet there!

My dream job is to actually do research and development at an ice cream manufacturer (or create my own cookie). XD Very different from being a MLT.

[JL2002]

anyone applied for next September?

[Justine]

How does the Michener Institute Medical Lab Tech compare to the Everest College Medical Laboratory Assistant/Tech program? Anyone go to that college?

[Justine]

After searching on this forum and reading a couple of threads I am noticing a lot of negative feedback on everest/cdi and other private colleges.

[kasianman]

How does the Michener Institute Medical Lab Tech compare to the Everest College Medical Laboratory Assistant/Tech program? Anyone go to that college?

Medical Laboratory Technologist and Medical Laboratory Assistant/Technicians are totally different. Basically, as a technician, you work under the technologist. You do more of a routine job, you don't get paid well, and there's not too many job opportunities for med lab assistant/technicians (permanent & full time positions that is).

[kayoko]

How does the Michener Institute Medical Lab Tech compare to the Everest College Medical Laboratory Assistant/Tech program? Anyone go to that college?

I absolutely hate the title of this thread because it's misleading now that I've learned more about the career. But I have yet to figure out how to change it so my apologies for the confusion.

Essentially, the difference between the two colleges is the difference between a technologist and a technician/assistant. They are very very different in terms of responsibilities and salary. More information comparing the two can be found here (http://www.cmlto.com/public/FAQ/) (external link to CMLTO). A technologist has more responsibilities, more opportunities for growth and higher salary. A technician does more "grunt" work, has fewer responsibilities, limited job growth and a lower salary to reflect all this.

Michener is a publicly funded college (meaning you can apply for OSAP) and offers the TECHNOLOGIST program. Everest offers a TECHNICIAN program. I believe Everest is privately funded, but I could be wrong. There's a lot of negative impressions of private career colleges because people have spoken up and said that they did not get the education that they paid for or was promised. Ultimately, it's your decision whether you want to attend Everest or somewhere else. If you do decide to do a MLA program, I would recommend you take a look at the accredited programs for MLA (here (http://www.cma.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/55167/la_id/1.htm)). Any program that is accredited by the CMA has to hold to certain standards (which is a good thing).

There's also more information comparing the technologist/technician in the first post of this thread.

[lame23]

anyone applied for next September?

I did!! but i have to upgrade my math course from highschool:mad:!! are u applying for next september too/

[kayoko]

This is a post courtesy of Julian Barkin, 2nd year MLS student Michener, Program Rep about first year, second semester of the MLS program:


This is not an official department sanctioned e-mail so some things expressed are my personal experiences and opinions. They are not the final say and your collective experiences may be different from mine. I am just trying to give you the best advice I can from a student's perspective.

Julian, 2nd year rep MLS

MIML 120: The course is based on learning about the most common organisms you will be identifying in the micro lab. You will learn about and how to perform specific ID tests for each group of organisms each week. Theory is dreadful because it's jam packed info on every organism and a number share similar presentations of symptoms.The good thing is almost each week is devoted to specific group of organisms that are tied in with the labs. You might want to organise study notes in that manner and devise short flow charts on identification. The small assignments are quite fun and good for marks, and you will have a group project, so plan well ahead now.
Lab is pretty decent, although you will have to work well with your partner to do all the tests on all organisms in a given week. On top of that are unknowns. For the unknowns they do not include your current week but any previous weeks you have covered, and the unknown tests are done alongside your current week's work. Bigeest advice I can give you is for future micro courses and work: Master this course, especially the SOPs!!!! You should pretty much memorize the SOP and procedures as It will Make the year 2 courses more easy. Also in MIML 240, Aruna love the "socratic" method where she questions you a lot ... on everything from prior courses.

BAIP 120: Ah more fun with people you rarely see. Course material, well you start learning about laws and regulations surrounding general health care practitioners (The RHPA, Health Act etc.) and other things that will make up your MCQ test material. Interesting exercises in tutorial may be, for example, deciding in a disaster scenario on an ethics committee which 5 of 10 people get medical treatment and which 5 are to die or seek out other medical care. You'll also be doing more group work and along with the project will be feedback. Hopefully you will have an easy going group as a very assertive and intelligent group might be overly competitive. Be friendly, because your group members' evaluations of you will count to an average mark as well as the facilitator's mark. When you do feedback, make sure to evaluate your group members PROPERLY, as in not criticizing them. I personally found that some of the feedback sounded more like criticism and that the princples from the BAIP 111 lecture or session on that topic was forgotten. In addition I wished I gave more "feedback" to my group members. However, I did enjoy the people I worked with and always stop to chat to them when I can. You might make a professional ally or two here. I know that if I needed an MRI or consultation or groupwork the people I had in BAIP 111 would be my first choices or avenue to seek out.

HEML 120: So you can do a diff eh? Now in this course you begin to examine more laboratory aspects of hematology. This course is like INML 120 in that a good portion of the labs are devoted to teaching you instrumentation. ALso you will be learning about the coagulation system in the body and other aspects surrounding the lab. When you have morph, you will now learn how to estimate specific types of cells an how to identify RBC morphology. By the end of the course, you will start suggesting clinical conditions for IDA (microcytic hypochromic) and megaloblastic (macrocytic normochromic) anemias based on the RBC morphology, Diff and cell estimates. Oh you will also have a test lab where you just run the analyzer. Have fun in this course and if you are really stuck with cell morph, go to the instructors or request a tutor. I was so bad to begin with on my silent slides (almost a 0 on one) but by the end of the course I was able to get perfect on them. And I thank the hard work Michelle and Elizabeth gave so do not be shy with them. Oh, biggest advice here: Know the unit on the Act5 well!!! Ask a ton of what happens in this scenario questions because this unit will be repeated in HEML 240 and they love to ask regular and critical thinking questions on the exams about this unit.

INML: This is a pretty fun course. You get to learn how we measure things in chemistry. The course starts with spectrophotometry and ends with immunoassays. Theory wize its a ton of material, so all I can say to that is study hard, and work with your classmates on assignments.Also, CSMLS generally recommends you know one major analysis method for analytes and that includes how they are measured, so you do need to know this course. Lab wise, well it is instrumentation so that is what you learn. The biggest eval is a 2 week test lab at the end where you do Vitros or CX4 alternating each week. Again, its a can you run the analyzer situation. I can only seeing you do poorly in this course if you do not put the time into studying and attending class.

Histo: Ah, my fave. heheheheh. Last semester all you did was look at DST slides and learn anatomy. Now you will learn the full histotechnology process from the start when you get the sample, all the way to basic staining (H & E) at the end of the course. Theory wise, it goes about everything from start to finish. Always read your course package and if you have it, Carson, prior to each lecture to impress Beth when you answer her questions. Tests I thought were still Beths challenges to us (hey it wouldn't be fun if she didn't challenge our minds), but a bit easier, they are MCQ with short answer. First test just that, where short answers are like for example, what is the chemical process for verifying complete decalcification and what are the steps. Term test 2 and 3, Short answers change a little when embedding, microtomy, and staining is introduced. QUestions with these will be more trouble shooting, so knowing what is the fault, what caused the fault, and how to prevent or fix the situation. Lab is quite fun. You start with a brief grossing lab (well to the best Beth and the lab can do it, PAs do it so much more in depth) and then get into embedding and microtomy (the bulk of your labs wach week). THe last third is to see staining reactions and finally doing H & E. Bookwize you should read Bancroft Theory and practice of histotechnology and Carson in the LRC. These will give you good extra info on a number of your lectures.

Note: BAIP120 for Winter 2009 has changed quite a bit as we do not have any MCQ test anymore.

[JaneSmith]

I would disagree with "memorizing the SOP" suggestion for micro. The truth is, the chemical tests you do in first year, are barely seen again in second year. The SOPs are always in lab, available for you to look at, and you can even look at them during the lab final. In real life you don't memorize procedures. You refer to them and follow them.

[JL2002]

is there actually a part-time program for the MLT?....just wondering....

[JL2002]

I did!! but i have to upgrade my math course from highschool:mad:!! are u applying for next september too/

Ya, actually, does anyone know if it matters that I put this program as 1st or 2nd choice?...if i put MLT as 2nd choice, will I not get it if i got my first choice?

[kayoko]

is there actually a part-time program for the MLT?....just wondering....

No, there is no part time program for MLT because they only offer courses once a year.

[kayoko]

Ya, actually, does anyone know if it matters that I put this program as 1st or 2nd choice?...if i put MLT as 2nd choice, will I not get it if i got my first choice?

It should not matter whether you put it into first choice or second choice. They should be given equal consideration cause, what if you want to get into both programs badly?

Your admissions into MLS program is dependent on your academic record and MMI results. The preference given on the application sould only have a negligible effect, if any effect at all.

[JaneSmith]

No, there is no part time program for MLT because they only offer courses once a year.

Actually you can take the program as a "reduced load" student.

[kayoko]

Actually you can take the program as a "reduced load" student.

But can you apply as a reduced load student or is it something that happens after you enter the program? There isn't an official part-time version of the program as far as I know (my point essentially).

p.s. I totally agree with your previous post about not really memorizing the SOP. Becoming familiar with the tests/techniques would help you go faster in the lab, but I don't trust my memory that much.

[JaneSmith]

But can you apply as a reduced load student or is it something that happens after you enter the program? There isn't an official part-time version of the program as far as I know (my point essentially).

p.s. I totally agree with your previous post about not really memorizing the SOP. Becoming familiar with the tests/techniques would help you go faster in the lab, but I don't trust my memory that much.


I believe you have to enter as a fulltime student and do all courses in first semester. After that you can reduce your courseload. It's a huge pain though, because as you mentioned, each course is only offered once a year, so you have to take many things out of synch. One woman in our class started in 2005 and is just now finishing the 4th semester courses. I don't know much more about it than that though. I tend to only know things about Michener that directly affects me :)

[danny411]

Congrats on getting a spot that quickly!

Took your advice and put some videos on the first post. I can't believe I never thought about looking on Youtube! They have everything on Youtube (except those Michener videos, which were well done).

the volunteering is ok. The blood bank has contacted me and also on the 29th i start my orientation at the hospital.

Dropped one class in college though. I didn't have enough money...

more time to volunteer though :)

Contacted some lady about doing a hospital tour...she has to get more people. But she said she would do it for me anyways.

Good thread. Lots of good info.

Im applying now to bcit anyone know what the interview is like ?

[danny411]

hey whats anatomy and phyisology like ?

do i have to remember all the latin roots, pre, suffixs ?

[kayoko]

hey whats anatomy and phyisology like ?

do i have to remember all the latin roots, pre, suffixs ?

Sadly, it's depends on your specific school/course. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But the latin helps every now and then.

[Simpliciti]

Hi there, I created an account just to reply to this thread haha.

Well I'm in grade 11 right now, and I've had my eye on the MLT career for a while now. And I'm also planning to get a university degree in Chemical Engineering, because it is something else of interest to me, and I doubt that I will get accepted into Michener directly from high school anyway. So I'm wondering...would that be a waste of a university degree, since I want to go to Michener afterwards for something different? Would a degree in Chemical Engineering help in getting me accepted, or would they prefer something more Biology oriented?

Thanks in advance. I know I'm still pretty young, but I don't think it's ever too early to start planning :]

[kayoko]

Hi there, I created an account just to reply to this thread haha.

Well I'm in grade 11 right now, and I've had my eye on the MLT career for a while now. And I'm also planning to get a university degree in Chemical Engineering, because it is something else of interest to me, and I doubt that I will get accepted into Michener directly from high school anyway. So I'm wondering...would that be a waste of a university degree, since I want to go to Michener afterwards for something different? Would a degree in Chemical Engineering help in getting me accepted, or would they prefer something more Biology oriented?

Thanks in advance. I know I'm still pretty young, but I don't think it's ever too early to start planning :]

Thanks for finding this thread! I should put up a poll to discover how everyone found this thread.

Kudos to you for thinking about future careers! I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do, changed my major 2 times in uni and then took a year off school before I ended up where I am right now. Horribly round about way to do things, but hey that's life!

Well, we do have students straight from high school so it's possible! It would not be a waste time/money if you want to do a degree before going to Michener. It's a wise career move to have a B.Sc, whether you choose to do it before or after your diploma from Michener because having a degree tends to open up a lot more possibilities.

Now, chemical engineering and MLS are VERY different subjects. Chemical engineering is a mix of chemistry, physics and math while MLS is more biology and chemistry. Both of the subjects are very career oriented, as in you can get a job after you graduate. I'm sure an engineer gets paid a heck of a lot more than a MLT (not to mention the prestige of being an engineer).

Try to figure out what you like, what subjects you're good at and do some more research into the careers (get a sense of what exactly is it that they do, stressors that are encountered, work hazards, labor demand, future career paths like promotions or related professions). Talk to your guidance counselor and see if they can get you hooked up with some kind of job shadowing or interview.

In my opinion, the best way to find out whether you like something or not is to dive into it. If you choose chemical engineering and hate it to death, keep in mind your interest in MLS and try that. If you choose MLS or a biology related field and hate it, remember your interest in chem eng.

Hope this helps!

[onexeyed]

How does the Michener Institute Medical Lab Tech compare to the Everest College Medical Laboratory Assistant/Tech program? Anyone go to that college?

You should read the thread about Everest in the "Careers" section. I'd avoid Everest because not many employers take Everest diplomas seriously. Most people would say that Everest is one of those scam career colleges. Michener has ties with University of Toronto making the school legit.

[danny411]

I have many questions still


Im thinking about specializing in microbiology. whats the difference between specializations? And how bout the work you perform on a daily basis? Long term impact on your career ?

[kayoko]

I have many questions still
Im thinking about specializing in microbiology. whats the difference between specializations? And how bout the work you perform on a daily basis? Long term impact on your career ?

The type of tests/tasks you perform will vary depending on the lab you're working at. The CSMLS (http://www.csmls.org/english/career/index.htm) website has a short blurb on the different specializations and most common tests performed. Keep in mind that you must be competent in ALL five disciplines so you can't "pick" microbiology and just study that one component. You need to learn everything (which is good cause there's some variety during your studies)

However, once you graduate, you may find work in a variety of labs. Some are specialized in one area (i.e. Histology, Micriobiology) so you only perform tasks related to that one area. There are also other labs that have a multiple areas in a centralized location (i.e. chemistry and hematology) so you may rotate between the areas.

What area of specialization you end up in really depends on many factors like labour demands (esp those labs that need to run 24 hrs will hire more people) and your personal interest (what you like in school may be different from where you enjoy working!). Throughout your career, you can move through positions in all 5 areas, stick to one area or a combination. Eventually, people tend to find an area that they like and stick with it (maybe do an ART).

[nalababe]

Keep in mind much is changing in the laboratory world and a lot has to do with the technology. Lines are starting to blur a bit more that they once did....

There are a number of hospitals (including midsized) in Ontario that are moving to automation systems for their central laboratory: Chemistry, Immunochemistry, Hematology, Hemostasis and Urinalysis can all be performed on the same track without user intervention. Times are Changing. At the largest Automation track in Canada, more than 75k tests are performed daily....this would have been unheard of even 5 years ago...

For hematology the system can give 5 part diffs and reflex to automatic slide makers

For Urinalysis the system can be automated to included automated microscopy.

Int the world of Microbiology, molecular testing has started to creep into play. From the small MRSA Cephied to CT/GC using Real Time PCR (arriving on the market shortly).

Add to that testing being moved to Point of Care: HbA1C in clinics, Blood Gas/Cooximetry in the OR or ICU....instruments that are all cartridge based and have no maintenance.

One note: Take every chance you get to get very accustomed to the software aspect. A MLT that is comfortable with middleware, LIS and systems to drive Automation...these are quite rare and like gold for us Vendors.

[danny411]

wow thanks

I got a volunteer position in the hospital. And i got another with blood services. I start both on saturday so i got to do some reading. They gave me a bunch of stuff.

During the interviews i pretty talked my way into the position. I actually mentioned that i obtained alot of info on the daily practices and duties from MLT's that posted here.

I also got a lab tour on feb 25. They said the same thing as everyone else at first. No liability insurance and stuff. I must have convinced the lady cause she said she do it specially for me.

At the very least i have made 3 contacts for future use.

Can i use you guys as a reference when i do my letter of intent for bcit this weekend :) ?

[JaneSmith]

Hi Simpliciti!

I just wanted to tag onto Kayoko's excellent advise. She is right in saying that getting a degree would not be a waste of time, however, if you already know you want to be a lab technologist (excellent choice, by the way), you should definitely apply to Michener right out of highschool. If you don't get in, then you have university as a backup. I would recommend doing a more general degree, for example general biology. This will give you an excellen background for a lot of the work you will do as a technologist. Chemical engineering sounds great, but it won't really help you as a technologist as it doesn't expose you to a lot of them biological aspects of the job. However since you're still so young, you might end up changing your mind about career options 50 more times still, before you find something that you really like, so always go into things trying to keep as many options open for yourself as possible.

[JaneSmith]

Hey Kayoko

How's second semester going? I have good news for you...4th semester has been my easiest yet! It's the end of week 6, and we've hardly done anything. Of course I do have 4 midterms as soon as we get back from reading week, so I might be eating my words later :(
How are you finding micro now? Any easier?
When we had our 2nd year information/complain-fest session it was mentioned that the 1st year students have barely seen the second year students and would like more contact/advice from them. I thought about mentioning this thread, but then kept my mouth shut. I remember in first year, I thought the same thing...i NEVER saw the second years except for every once in a while on the 14th floor. I guess they have us on opposite schedules, as we have to share the labs. We said we'd also like to get in contact with the third year students to see how their clinicals are going!
I'm expecting to find out where my clinical placement is soon...that's pretty exciting. It's an interesting process in itself...

[kayoko]

Keep in mind much is changing in the laboratory world and a lot has to do with the technology. Lines are starting to blur a bit more that they once did....

There are a number of hospitals (including midsized) in Ontario that are moving to automation systems for their central laboratory: Chemistry, Immunochemistry, Hematology, Hemostasis and Urinalysis can all be performed on the same track without user intervention. Times are Changing. At the largest Automation track in Canada, more than 75k tests are performed daily....this would have been unheard of even 5 years ago...

For hematology the system can give 5 part diffs and reflex to automatic slide makers

For Urinalysis the system can be automated to included automated microscopy.

Int the world of Microbiology, molecular testing has started to creep into play. From the small MRSA Cephied to CT/GC using Real Time PCR (arriving on the market shortly).

Add to that testing being moved to Point of Care: HbA1C in clinics, Blood Gas/Cooximetry in the OR or ICU....instruments that are all cartridge based and have no maintenance.

One note: Take every chance you get to get very accustomed to the software aspect. A MLT that is comfortable with middleware, LIS and systems to drive Automation...these are quite rare and like gold for us Vendors.

I'm so proud of myself, I know what you're talking about (thanks for the instrumentation course)! We've been running a lot more instruments this semester, although we've had limited experience troubleshooting and really exploring the instruments. Guess they don't really want us to break the analyzers (expensive things).

It's rather amusing that I personally like to compare reagent loading as some form of sophisticated printer cartridge loading. Although, I'm slightly confused as to what you mean by being accustomed to the software aspect of things. Do you mean know how the machine works, the functions of the programs, what's good, what's bad, etc? I figure that most of the young graduates are pretty tech savy these days.

[kayoko]

Hey Kayoko

How's second semester going? I have good news for you...4th semester has been my easiest yet! It's the end of week 6, and we've hardly done anything. Of course I do have 4 midterms as soon as we get back from reading week, so I might be eating my words later :(
How are you finding micro now? Any easier?
When we had our 2nd year information/complain-fest session it was mentioned that the 1st year students have barely seen the second year students and would like more contact/advice from them. I thought about mentioning this thread, but then kept my mouth shut. I remember in first year, I thought the same thing...i NEVER saw the second years except for every once in a while on the 14th floor. I guess they have us on opposite schedules, as we have to share the labs. We said we'd also like to get in contact with the third year students to see how their clinicals are going!
I'm expecting to find out where my clinical placement is soon...that's pretty exciting. It's an interesting process in itself...

Good day! One more day until reading week! Hoorah!

How can fourth semester be easy?! I thought that they would pump you full of information since it's the last theory component. Did your class not complain about having 4 midterms when you get back? People in my class complain when we have two in a row on separate days (don't ask, I don't get it either). BTW, how's transfusion science going? I see you guys carrying around that textbook a lot. I suppose that's a textbook worth buying (unlike the chemistry book).

Micro is actually getting a bit better! Thanks for asking! I've gotten a good grip on what I need to do in the lab and not letting it overwhelm me. We've had 2 marked unknowns and I think I did pretty good on them. But we'll see what happens when it comes to the midterm practical and I don't have my notes. Any advice (know the media, know the how to identify the organism)? Ours is the friday after reading week.

Wish you lots of luck with the clinical placement. Hope you get somewhere you want to be! Uh-oh, how has the process been interesting? We had our instrumentation midterm with the third years doing their mock CSMLS exam. Kelly was like, "look they survived!" Speaking of which, did you ever get a PM from the third year? There was a third year student from Michener that found this thread and PM-ed me.

About the whole mentoring thing, I actually went to the first year feedback session. The program chair's discussing it with our program liaison officers (or so she told us). I had a plan of action in case she didn't take action on our idea, which involved survey to determine interest, a brainstorm session to determine what we want from the mentoring thing (with a promise of cupcakes) and then reporting to the program liaison officers to see how we can make it work officially. Although, there are advantages to having it official or unofficial. This all went out the window when I heard that they were discussing it officially. I'm sort of torn as to what I want to do at this point because I'd really want it up and running in time for September next year (or as soon as possible). Any ideas/suggestions?

In a way, I think feel this thread has become more focused on helping potential MLT students find their way around, whether they go to Michener or not. It also serves as an unofficial information portal to the Michener admissions process. Besides yourself and me, there's not much action going on between Michener students. What do you think?

p.s. What on earth kind of feedback did you guys give for HEML120? I appreciate that they're revising the course so it makes more sense and easier to learn, but I wish they wouldn't change the course/labs as we're going through the course.

[aimmers]

I too attended the session as kayoko knows, and my suggestion of MLT program mixers was shoved back saying the class reps should organize it. As a second year do you think the second years would be up for it? at least we could meet each other and mingle and have a few wobblypops. Oh and profs would be invited of course too. For a program that touts networking we sure don't do much of it with each other!

[JaneSmith]

I'm sure many second years would be up for some sort of 'unofficial' get-together. It's always nice to know the people you go to school with, especially those in the same program. I have no clue what a wobblypop is, but if you're offering one, I'll take it!
As for kayoko's question...I'm not too sure what our class said about heme. I haven't been a huge fan of heme right from the beginning and I know I strugged with it in second semester. However now I look back at the material and realize it really wasn't that bad. I guess that can be said about most things though. I do remember the labs being quite overwhelming, but it is the first time you're exposed to the instrumentation..I think? (here's a tip..do your INML research paper on one of the heme instruments. You don't get to use them as often as the chem analyzers, so it's a good way to become more familiar with them...plus there's always a manual available).
Transfusion is good this semester. It's nothing like last semester though. Last semester was the real deal, this semester is just a one hour class per week with no lab. It's still interesting though, and yes, definitely invest in the transfusion text. I'm not a huge textbook reader...I'll generally read specific topics in a textbook if i don't understand the lecture notes, or look a few things up every now and then, but I have read that textbook almost front to back and it really helps with understanding the material.
I was thinking I should maybe mention this thread to Michele as an example of the type of set up they may want to arrange more officially. Do you think that would be a good idea? I'll have to go back through all these pages though to make sure I haven't said anything too incriminating!

[JaneSmith]

Oh..and yes, we're all scared and miserable about the fact we have so much to do after reading week, but we are also very thankful to be getting a bit of a break now, as most of us are still recovering from last semester :o

[nalababe]

I'm so proud of myself, I know what you're talking about (thanks for the instrumentation course)! We've been running a lot more instruments this semester, although we've had limited experience troubleshooting and really exploring the instruments. Guess they don't really want us to break the analyzers (expensive things).

It's rather amusing that I personally like to compare reagent loading as some form of sophisticated printer cartridge loading. Although, I'm slightly confused as to what you mean by being accustomed to the software aspect of things. Do you mean know how the machine works, the functions of the programs, what's good, what's bad, etc? I figure that most of the young graduates are pretty tech savy these days.

Actually in some instances, loading printers is now more difficult! For printers you have to stop your print job. For several analyzers (i.e. Advia Centaur/XP) you can change reagents on the fly while running the analyzer...

Yes, many recent graduates are tech savy...at least relatively. Due to need, software is becoming increasingly complex...the Tech who understands how to write rules on the middleware and "gets" the program is a Technical Specialists best friend. Believe me they are not all user friendly...especially open systems/software.

Yes, learn how to repair the instruments...not just troubleshoot. You will likely never fully repair an instrument, but again, watch and ask questions when Field Service is there....you will gain a new appreciation for the instrument.

With these two skills is becomes easier to move upwards or in newer directions (i.e. like Point of Care). Most of the POCT managers that I know were once MLTs, the good ones are all tech savy....and this is definitely a field on the grow.

[aimmers]

wobblypop=alcohol or beer :)

[kayoko]

I'm sure many second years would be up for some sort of 'unofficial' get-together. It's always nice to know the people you go to school with, especially those in the same program. I have no clue what a wobblypop is, but if you're offering one, I'll take it!
As for kayoko's question...I'm not too sure what our class said about heme. I haven't been a huge fan of heme right from the beginning and I know I strugged with it in second semester. However now I look back at the material and realize it really wasn't that bad. I guess that can be said about most things though. I do remember the labs being quite overwhelming, but it is the first time you're exposed to the instrumentation..I think? (here's a tip..do your INML research paper on one of the heme instruments. You don't get to use them as often as the chem analyzers, so it's a good way to become more familiar with them...plus there's always a manual available).
Transfusion is good this semester. It's nothing like last semester though. Last semester was the real deal, this semester is just a one hour class per week with no lab. It's still interesting though, and yes, definitely invest in the transfusion text. I'm not a huge textbook reader...I'll generally read specific topics in a textbook if i don't understand the lecture notes, or look a few things up every now and then, but I have read that textbook almost front to back and it really helps with understanding the material.
I was thinking I should maybe mention this thread to Michele as an example of the type of set up they may want to arrange more officially. Do you think that would be a good idea? I'll have to go back through all these pages though to make sure I haven't said anything too incriminating!

Hm. We don't have an INML research paper this year. We have a reflective paper to do instead (very BAIP-ish) after our individual assessment. But I'll keep that in mind if it pops up!

Good to know that the transfusion science book is useful! I'll give my class rep some prodding and try to get some MedLab event started.

If you want to throw this thread out to Michele, that's fine with me. I don't think you've said anything too incriminating, they're your opinion on things! An online thread thing could be a good start as long as questions get separate threads. It is a pain to go through this thread and try to find individual posts from 20+ pages ago. One of my ideas was to actually use the forum on the MyMichener website that no one else seems to use. Only down-side is that it doesn't have email subscription/notification. Having said that though, I think an online forum would work wonderfully when trying to extract information from third years.

[kayoko]

Actually in some instances, loading printers is now more difficult! For printers you have to stop your print job. For several analyzers (i.e. Advia Centaur/XP) you can change reagents on the fly while running the analyzer...

Yes, many recent graduates are tech savy...at least relatively. Due to need, software is becoming increasingly complex...the Tech who understands how to write rules on the middleware and "gets" the program is a Technical Specialists best friend. Believe me they are not all user friendly...especially open systems/software.

Yes, learn how to repair the instruments...not just troubleshoot. You will likely never fully repair an instrument, but again, watch and ask questions when Field Service is there....you will gain a new appreciation for the instrument.

With these two skills is becomes easier to move upwards or in newer directions (i.e. like Point of Care). Most of the POCT managers that I know were once MLTs, the good ones are all tech savy....and this is definitely a field on the grow.

I love talking to you cause there's always something to learn. I'll definitely start asking my instrumentation instructor about middleware, rules and other things I have no clue about and hopefully sound like an eager student. When I started this semester and saw the CRT touchscreen monitors and dot-matrix printers in the chemistry lab, I laughed and felt teleported backwards in time.

Thanks as always!

[ritalau]

wow, I just stumbled into this thread today and this is amazing. I wish I had such in-depth knowledge about my program when I applied after my BSc. It makes me kind of regret not accepting my MLT offer from Michener. I'm working as a cytogenetic technologist right now after going through the BCIT genetics technology program and the field is narrow. On the first few pages, nalababe mentioned that having experience as an MLT is a great "in" for instrument companies. I wonder how "hot" the job market is for a technical/applications specialist. I looked at workopolis for some job postings but only found one. Does anyone know where I should look for these jobs? Thanks in advance. I'm doubtful that nalababe will see this as his/her posts were from a year ago, but I just thought I'd give it a shot.

As for the posters in this thread who are in the MLT program, good luck in your school/clinicals. I really enjoyed reading the interesting things you learn in your program.

[kayoko]

wow, I just stumbled into this thread today and this is amazing. I wish I had such in-depth knowledge about my program when I applied after my BSc. It makes me kind of regret not accepting my MLT offer from Michener. I'm working as a cytogenetic technologist right now after going through the BCIT genetics technology program and the field is narrow. On the first few pages, nalababe mentioned that having experience as an MLT is a great "in" for instrument companies. I wonder how "hot" the job market is for a technical/applications specialist. I looked at workopolis for some job postings but only found one. Does anyone know where I should look for these jobs? Thanks in advance. I'm doubtful that nalababe will see this as his/her posts were from a year ago, but I just thought I'd give it a shot.

As for the posters in this thread who are in the MLT program, good luck in your school/clinicals. I really enjoyed reading the interesting things you learn in your program.

Try PM-ing nalababe about your question in regards to getting vendor jobs. Have you tried looking on the manufacturer's website job posting?

As for the market for technical/applications specialist, my guess would be that the demand would have a tendency to increase as automation becomes more common in the smaller laboratories while the bigger labs get those honking automation tracks. More machinery out there usually equals more service calls.

Cytogenetics program at BCIT. That's amazing considering how difficult it can be to get into the program. Cool~

I really think we need a dedicated MLT website that's more open to talking about the career, education and anything related.

[ritalau]

right, I'll try that, thanks. I looked at a couple of them (abbott, roche, siemens, beckman), but there's not much. Maybe it's just a science thing, haha, there are not many jobs out there.

heh, I applied to Michener's genetic technology program too, but I didn't get an interview there, unfortunately. From the first post in this thread, you seem to know more about the clinical genetics program than I do before I went to BCIT, did you apply there as well?

We really should start one, maybe a facebook group or something.

[kayoko]

right, I'll try that, thanks. I looked at a couple of them (abbott, roche, siemens, beckman), but there's not much. Maybe it's just a science thing, haha, there are not many jobs out there.

heh, I applied to Michener's genetic technology program too, but I didn't get an interview there, unfortunately. From the first post in this thread, you seem to know more about the clinical genetics program than I do before I went to BCIT, did you apply there as well?

We really should start one, maybe a facebook group or something.

Sorry that I can't help you out with the job thing anymore than that. I really have no clue.

I actually never applied to the genetics program. A lot of people ask for information about the program so I tried to learn as much as I could to relay information back to them. I think it's cause people think genetics is cool and the program is short. I'm curious about the career, but not enough to try and jump ship, yet.

Facebook? Hm. It would work, only I enjoy the anonymity of the internet. Facebook can get a bit, personal. I'll keep thinking about it, but we're here on RFD for now.

[TheWitch22]

Okay so I have a question to all the people who are currently in the MLT program at Michener...
How do you finance your education?
I ask because I really want to do it but the cost deters me... somewhat...

I have (well almost have) a 4 year B.Sc in Microbiology but since I have no experience I am not planning on getting a job in the field any time soon... (with the current economy and all that) so I really want to get some extra qualifications and MLT sounds like a safe bet.

However, I am already in 20k student debt... and I don't think I can just keep taking student loans... so I am wondering if any of you manage to work your way through school?

[kayoko]

Okay so I have a question to all the people who are currently in the MLT program at Michener...
How do you finance your education?
I ask because I really want to do it but the cost deters me... somewhat...

I have (well almost have) a 4 year B.Sc in Microbiology but since I have no experience I am not planning on getting a job in the field any time soon... (with the current economy and all that) so I really want to get some extra qualifications and MLT sounds like a safe bet.

However, I am already in 20k student debt... and I don't think I can just keep taking student loans... so I am wondering if any of you manage to work your way through school?

I took a year off school so I had some savings. Otherwise, most people do OSAP or have a line of credit from the bank. In regards to how much student debt you can accumulate, go poke through the OSAP thread(s) on this section of the forum and I'm sure there's an answer in there somewhere.

It is possible to work part-time while doing the MLT program, but I'll have to say that it'd be nearly impossible to work full time in addition to the program. There are scholarships and bursaries that you may be eligible for.

[JaneSmith]

Okay so I have a question to all the people who are currently in the MLT program at Michener...
How do you finance your education?
I ask because I really want to do it but the cost deters me... somewhat...

I have (well almost have) a 4 year B.Sc in Microbiology but since I have no experience I am not planning on getting a job in the field any time soon... (with the current economy and all that) so I really want to get some extra qualifications and MLT sounds like a safe bet.

However, I am already in 20k student debt... and I don't think I can just keep taking student loans... so I am wondering if any of you manage to work your way through school?

I have been working my way through school. I started by working 20-30 hours a week but I burned out pretty fast (surprisingly my marks didn't suffer, just my mental health!). I now work about 15 hours a week, which is still hard, given the MLT schedule, but manageable. OSAP is available to Michener students and there are some scholarships available as well. I did have some savings before I started the program, which I used to pay for first and part of second year, and I moved back home with my parents in order to save rent (and food and laundry etc).
This is just my personal opinion, not knowing anything about your financial situation, but if you are seriously considering the MLT program, I think it is worth it to take out more OSAP. I am in a lot of OSAP debt as well, and really didn't want to apply for anymore, but I figured that I had already spent so much on a degree that wasn't getting me a job, so why not spend a bit more on a diploma that might actually get me somewhere?
I'm not sure how other people in our program support themselves...I know some work, but I'm sure nobody actually works enough to pay their tuition (let alone pay for life), some receive osap, some have their parents paying for them I guess.
Oh..you can also defer part of your tuition payment as well, which is helpful. You can pay half in september and half in January, instead of the full amount up front (however there is a 75 dollar fee for that).

[Simpliciti]

Thank you Kayoko and JaneSmith for the great advice :)

It probably would be best to try and apply right from highschool, but I don't think my parents would approve of that. No matter what I do afterwards, they definitely expect me to at least have a university degree. I know that this is about me, and I shouldn't let my parents lead my life, but I also feel that it is probably best to have that university degree in my resume.

So, I was thinking of applying into Lab Medicine and Pathobiology in UofT, and then applying to Michener afterwards. Good idea? xP

Also, today I talked to my guidance councillor, and she said that Michener wouldn't accept anyone without at least one university degree. Was she just misinformed?

[kayoko]

Thank you Kayoko and JaneSmith for the great advice :)

It probably would be best to try and apply right from highschool, but I don't think my parents would approve of that. No matter what I do afterwards, they definitely expect me to at least have a university degree. I know that this is about me, and I shouldn't let my parents lead my life, but I also feel that it is probably best to have that university degree in my resume.

So, I was thinking of applying into Lab Medicine and Pathobiology in UofT, and then applying to Michener afterwards. Good idea? xP

Also, today I talked to my guidance councillor, and she said that Michener wouldn't accept anyone without at least one university degree. Was she just misinformed?

Actually, that sounds like a great plan you've got so far! One thing to keep in mind is that Michener is working on opening up a lot of health care related programs (like pathologist's assistant and physician's assistant). By the time you're done university, you'll have more choice and knowing that these programs are out is one of those "why didn't any tell me" regrets that I have.

Your guidance councilor's definitely misinformed. If I could send one of those information booklets to her, I would. Advance practice programs aside, the "professional program" requirements are as follows:

Chiropody - university degree
Medical laboratory science - high school
Nuclear Medicine - one year of university
Radiation Therapy - one year of university
Radiological Technology - one year of university
Respiratory Therapy - high school

Perhaps you could request a viewbook from Michener and then give her one or give her this link: http://www.michener.ca/ft/req.php

[nalababe]

Thank you Kayoko and JaneSmith for the great advice :)

It probably would be best to try and apply right from highschool, but I don't think my parents would approve of that. No matter what I do afterwards, they definitely expect me to at least have a university degree. I know that this is about me, and I shouldn't let my parents lead my life, but I also feel that it is probably best to have that university degree in my resume.

So, I was thinking of applying into Lab Medicine and Pathobiology in UofT, and then applying to Michener afterwards. Good idea? xP

Also, today I talked to my guidance councillor, and she said that Michener wouldn't accept anyone without at least one university degree. Was she just misinformed?

Technically no degree is required....but then there is reality.

[JaneSmith]

Technically no degree is required....but then there is reality.

You're right nalababe, I couldn't have said it better myself. As far as I know, there's only one student in my year who didn't have a degree or some sort of post secondary school before applying.
That being said, I think Simpliciti should still apply! If I had known about this program before going to University, I definitely would have tried to get in and saved myself 4 years. Even if you decide you'd still like to go to university first, it wouldn't hurt to go through the process of applying, just so you know what it's all about. I hear there are now those multi mini interviews for med lab, so it would be good to go through them and get an idea of what they ask. Then if you decide to apply again after you get a degree you will have a bit of an advantage. Personally, I can tell you that having a degree does help...but only as far as being somewhat disciplined and knowledegable about how to study and basically how to be a "student". Although I do have a science background, it's not like I went into the program knowing much, and for me, anything that was "review" was really "learn it all again from scratch cause i've forgotten it all".

kayoko, thanks for posting those stats! I wonder how this years group is going to do..I think they write it tomorrow?!

[nalababe]

From my perspective, all of the Mitchner graduates that are working for our company have all completed a degree first. Then built on the degree with the Mitchner program. Most had lab experience first, and then wanting a new challenge moved to Technical/Application support (often leaving as Supervisors or Charge Techs).

[nalababe]

To show that opportunities continue in this recession...and that options exist beyond MLT...

Shortly we will posting externally for both Technical Applications Specialists (Chemistry/IA centric) and Field Service Representatives based in the Ottawa Area.

For the TSR the requirement is a MLT or BSC. Experience is necessary, 2-3 years.

For the FSR the requirement is a 3 year Electronics degree or equivalent. 2-3 years experience is necessary.

[kayoko]

It seems that they changed the days of the MMI. Before, I believe that they were during exams. At this moment, they're set for April 27 - May2:

Mon Apr 27 - Evening
Tues Apr 28 - Afternoon
Wed Apr 29 - Morning & Afternoon
Thurs Apr 30 - Morning & Afternoon
Fri May 1 - Morning & Evening
Sat May 2 - Morning

Not sure whether candidates are assigned a date or not, but information should be out soon-ish. They've started recruiting volunteers and have an information session next week for volunteers. Unfortunately, I'll be away during the MMI so I won't be able to volunteer at the MMI as I initially planned. Darn.

Also a little bit more info from their terminology PDF:

Michener’s MMI includes 8 stations of interviews plus 1 rest station. Candidates have 6 - 8 minutes at each station to speak to the question and 2 minutes to move between stations.

[jconroymla]

I am so upset!!!:mad: I subscribed to this thread awhile ago, and at first, they always sent me an email when someone posted....So when it stopped I assumed it had slowed down here. I just popped in today to see what was going on to find there was like 4 new pages!! ughh! So mad!
There is a couple things I want to say
1. When the second years find out their placements COME AND TELL US! I want to know!
2. Kayoko, I PM'd in regards to starting your own forum.
3. I finished my grade 12 math course!!! I got an 80%! Disappointed because my mark dropped. I totally BOMBED the final :(. Considering I was worried when I started the course of even getting a 75% I am going to take this mark and run with it!!
4. There was a student wondering about where to update their mark. It is too late I know (I really wish RFD would have sent my emails!!) but I am taking my gr 12 courses through virtuallearning.ca. It is an online learning website that is run by a school board in Lindsay/Peterborough (Lakelands district). I have taken gr 12 BIO and GR 12 Math (advanced functions), They are GREAT!! Amazing instructors, very helpful. What is great is that it is all online, you don't need to go to a night class. Math was the best because the teacher has slideshow presentations set to audio of her voice. It made learning the material easy! Just in case there are any others in the same boat I wanted to get this information out there.
5. I loved reading that letter about the second year experience. Thanks for posting that email form the rep.
6. I would love to take the PA program!! That would be awesome. When does Michener plan on having that available??? When you do your clinical as a Med Lab I know that you get to sit in on autopsy's (or did in previous years) when doing the histology/pathology portion. I find that so interesting. I am worried if I would be able to handle it.... But , I would be so interested in that program!
7.WOW I didn't know the MMI's were that intense! You have different interview stations?? And you have to travel to each one? SCARY. What kind of questions did they ask, for those of you have experienced it.

I guess thats everything. I guess I won't trust RFD to email me anymore...Maybe I should review my settings?

Hope everyone is doing well!!

Jacquelyn

P.S Kayoko. Thanks for the shout out in the post regarding OUIT and their "success" rate! lol. I didn't know they only had 19 students take the exam! I know some people who had to stay behind an extra year to because of failing a course, so they couldn't take the exam. I am pretty sure they had a full program intake the first year, but I could be mistaken. I'll ask a coworker who was in the first group of students. BUT still 37%, that is rough...

[kayoko]

The email notification works fine for me so check your settings or check your spam box in your email. Maybe it got filtered accidentally.

Congratulations on finishing your math course! 80% is a wonderful mark. I'll keep that online schooling in mind for future reference. That's pretty cool since they have slide show and audio to go along. I can read slides myself, but I always like to have someone read them to me (although I'm a visual learner).

My histology instructor briefly mentioned the pathology assistant program to us in class but didn't give us any more details. I suppose it's all a part of Michener's facelift (They're been renovating the place like mad. We have Starbucks coffee now!). Adding a physician's assistant program would surely increase Michener's reputation.

You know what. I know some people in my class who tried to get into the genetics program last year and went through the MMI. I'll ask them if they remember any of the questions/scenarios.

Actually, 19 students at OUIT sounds like a reasonable amount of students. Perhaps they lost a couple of students to failing or personal reason, but I'm sure they've increased capacity since then. Look at Michener for example: Class of 2008 = ~49 and Class of 2011=~64. Sure, we expect to lose 2-3 between first year and second year, but that's still an extra 10 spots.

I'm going to poke around that website you sent me over the weekend. Right now, I want to shoot myself trying to study for my Microbiology practical mid-term on Friday. I'm going to fail......


I am so upset!!!:mad: I subscribed to this thread awhile ago, and at first, they always sent me an email when someone posted....So when it stopped I assumed it had slowed down here. I just popped in today to see what was going on to find there was like 4 new pages!! ughh! So mad!
There is a couple things I want to say
1. When the second years find out their placements COME AND TELL US! I want to know!
2. Kayoko, I PM'd in regards to starting your own forum.
3. I finished my grade 12 math course!!! I got an 80%! Disappointed because my mark dropped. I totally BOMBED the final :(. Considering I was worried when I started the course of even getting a 75% I am going to take this mark and run with it!!
4. There was a student wondering about where to update their mark. It is too late I know (I really wish RFD would have sent my emails!!) but I am taking my gr 12 courses through virtuallearning.ca. It is an online learning website that is run by a school board in Lindsay/Peterborough (Lakelands district). I have taken gr 12 BIO and GR 12 Math (advanced functions), They are GREAT!! Amazing instructors, very helpful. What is great is that it is all online, you don't need to go to a night class. Math was the best because the teacher has slideshow presentations set to audio of her voice. It made learning the material easy! Just in case there are any others in the same boat I wanted to get this information out there.
5. I loved reading that letter about the second year experience. Thanks for posting that email form the rep.
6. I would love to take the PA program!! That would be awesome. When does Michener plan on having that available??? When you do your clinical as a Med Lab I know that you get to sit in on autopsy's (or did in previous years) when doing the histology/pathology portion. I find that so interesting. I am worried if I would be able to handle it.... But , I would be so interested in that program!
7.WOW I didn't know the MMI's were that intense! You have different interview stations?? And you have to travel to each one? SCARY. What kind of questions did they ask, for those of you have experienced it.

I guess thats everything. I guess I won't trust RFD to email me anymore...Maybe I should review my settings?

Hope everyone is doing well!!

Jacquelyn

P.S Kayoko. Thanks for the shout out in the post regarding OUIT and their "success" rate! lol. I didn't know they only had 19 students take the exam! I know some people who had to stay behind an extra year to because of failing a course, so they couldn't take the exam. I am pretty sure they had a full program intake the first year, but I could be mistaken. I'll ask a coworker who was in the first group of students. BUT still 37%, that is rough...

[jconroymla]

UGH! You won't believe this. I didn't even TOUCH my settings and when you posted I got an email in my inbox (not junk!) That is strange?
Anywhoo, study hard! Good luck!! I am sure you will do fine!
I wouldn't be surprised if the the PA program was similar to the cyto gen program in that you are eligible after a degree/uni courses or your MLT diploma. I say this because in a quick google search I saw that U of Manitoba has a PA program as an practicum MSc. Oh!! I hope so, because I would go straight there after MLT is done. I think I am going to start doing some research on them.... I wonder what they make?!
hmmm
Sorry back to MED LAB......hehe

[kasianman]

UGH! You won't believe this. I didn't even TOUCH my settings and when you posted I got an email in my inbox (not junk!) That is strange?
Anywhoo, study hard! Good luck!! I am sure you will do fine!
I wouldn't be surprised if the the PA program was similar to the cyto gen program in that you are eligible after a degree/uni courses or your MLT diploma. I say this because in a quick google search I saw that U of Manitoba has a PA program as an practicum MSc. Oh!! I hope so, because I would go straight there after MLT is done. I think I am going to start doing some research on them.... I wonder what they make?!
hmmm
Sorry back to MED LAB......hehe

...dude
PA programs are extremely competitive.
Despite what they state in their requirement, they only accept a handful of people, and you need a high GPA in the university and do well on the interview.
Also, if you are not talking about a pathology assistant, it's not related to MLT. It's more related to nursing and for people who are in science specialist or major programs (clinical biochemistry, physiology, etc). I've also worked with a pathology assistant. Is it related to MLT? In the histopathology lab, they seem to go through organs and point out the diseases they have.
From what I can see in Canada's PA tasks, they do a little more than what the nurses can do, and a little less than what a nurse practitioner can do.
In US, some of the nurses or BSc graduates go into that program for their masters.

[danny411]

Ok guys to update.

i applied to bcit. I only have the pre reqs and a degree in another field.

thanks to this thread i managed to talk myself into a lab tour. They did it specifically for me only--she even said they usually don't do it unless your in the programs already.

Vgh is big. Around 100 employees. 5 lab departments. They don't call em benches.

Porters bring stuff

lots of cultures, slides and stuff i never heard of. Color coding. Bar.

Some cool things. The many many machines, automation and to instantly update info in patients charts(takes 6 mins). I like the tech part the most. Something about real time....

They said most people had a degree. 50% of people are retiring soon.

I asked if there was a centralized system--they said no but different hospitals often work together.

I asked about privitization and they said it won't be a problem since hospitals can only perform some tests.

Basically i found the tour overwhelming. I don't remember much--Basically they have a bunch of machines, test for everything possible and safety is the most important thing

anyone know how to write a thank you letter?

[jconroymla]

...dude
PA programs are extremely competitive.
Despite what they state in their requirement, they only accept a handful of people, and you need a high GPA in the university and do well on the interview.
Also, if you are not talking about a pathology assistant, it's not related to MLT. It's more related to nursing and for people who are in science specialist or major programs (clinical biochemistry, physiology, etc). I've also worked with a pathology assistant. Is it related to MLT? In the histopathology lab, they seem to go through organs and point out the diseases they have.
From what I can see in Canada's PA tasks, they do a little more than what the nurses can do, and a little less than what a nurse practitioner can do.
In US, some of the nurses or BSc graduates go into that program for their masters.

Sorry, Yes I was talking about a Pathology Assistant. On the HRDC website, MLT and Pathology Assistants are in the same category.

http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2006/QuickSearch.aspx?val65=3211

Most postings for Pathology Assistants that I have seen ask for certification as an MLT , registered with CMLTO and 'preferably' a degree.

The programs for Pathology Assistants are relatively new, most have been implemented in the last 5 years! (Mostly in the US, not too many in Canada)

And sorry, I was writing PA because I was too lazy to write it all out. :P

[jconroymla]

Ok guys to update.

i applied to bcit. I only have the pre reqs and a degree in another field.

thanks to this thread i managed to talk myself into a lab tour. They did it specifically for me only--she even said they usually don't do it unless your in the programs already.

Vgh is big. Around 100 employees. 5 lab departments. They don't call em benches.

Porters bring stuff

lots of cultures, slides and stuff i never heard of. Color coding. Bar.

Some cool things. The many many machines, automation and to instantly update info in patients charts(takes 6 mins). I like the tech part the most. Something about real time....

They said most people had a degree. 50% of people are retiring soon.

I asked if there was a centralized system--they said no but different hospitals often work together.

I asked about privitization and they said it won't be a problem since hospitals can only perform some tests.

Basically i found the tour overwhelming. I don't remember much--Basically they have a bunch of machines, test for everything possible and safety is the most important thing

anyone know how to write a thank you letter?

That is very exciting! I know what you mean about overwhelming. I was sent on to another hospital lab today to look at ONE new machine and it was a lot! So I could imagine touring 5 dept!! What a great experience though I am sure.

I would definitely write a thank you letter. You can start of by thanking her/him for the chance to tour the lab. Talk about some of the things you saw, and what you enjoyed about it. Talk about how you it just makes you more eager to start your program.

This way they she may remember you, it allows you to do some networking!

good luck!

[kayoko]

This is hilarious:

"You know you've worked too long in a lab when...." [Link to LiveJournal (http://community.livejournal.com/medtechs/69571.html)]

My personal favourite is:
"56. You give lab equipment human names."
*nod* Our chemistry analyzers are all named. Stuart and me don't get along. He keeps paper jamming on me. Mighty, on the other hand, is awesome.

"You keep slides of interesting looking cells, like the neutrophil shaped like a heart for Valentine's Day, or the neutrophil with segments shaped like smiley faces. "
I've seen those! XD

[JaneSmith]

How'd your lab practical go??? We don't have any in second year, but I remember stressing big time over them. Then again, I stress over everything! I just finished 3 midterms...histo, micro and heme. Is this program done yet????

[kayoko]

How'd your lab practical go??? We don't have any in second year, but I remember stressing big time over them. Then again, I stress over everything! I just finished 3 midterms...histo, micro and heme. Is this program done yet????

It went pretty well! Yeah, everyone was pretty tense and stressed yesterday. I personally found it fair, it was a good mixture of things easy and more difficult. In a way, I didn't expect almost every station to be "identify the organism". Now I know for the final practical.

How were your midterms? I heard some second years talking something about being asked what antibiotics would be used as treatment (I think). It's hard to believe that there are no practicals in second year. Do they assess based on unknowns and filling out the requisitions?

Almost done. Just wait until you start studying for your mock CSMLS exam. That'd be as stressful as anything. Trying to remember stuff from 2 years ago.

[JaneSmith]

I don't think my midterms went very well :( I usually feel good about them, but now I just feel burned out.
In micro lab we get marked on our unknowns, colonial morph, and the final practical (sorry, before I meant to say we don't have midterm practicals). So there's more stuff to do, but the marks are spread out a bit, which is nice.
You probably did hear people talking about antibiotics...lots of that stuff this semester.

I heard some first years talking about doing their micro essay. I remember being SO stressed out over that for some reason. Hearing them talk about it made me happy though, because I remember once I did it last year, the semester was almost over!

[Simpliciti]

Thanks again you guys, you've given me a lot to think about :]

You guys make the Michener school experience sound so fun haha. I really like that there are small classes, and teachers who actually seem to care. I'm looking forward to it! (in another 5 years or so xP)

[WJagGy]

Wow, I just stumbled upon this thread and its very useful. Even I learned a thing or two and I'm in second year at Michener, lol.

[kayoko]

Wow, I just stumbled upon this thread and its very useful. Even I learned a thing or two and I'm in second year at Michener, lol.

That's awesome! Glad to be of help.~

Feel free to add anything you feel is relevant.

[imp]

anyone currently in Med. Lab Science at St. Lawrence College?

It would be nice if you could share your experience with us!

[lame23]

anyone here received any updates about admissions for Sept. 2009?

[kayoko]

I didn't realize this until my instructor told me today, but they raised the minimum average from 65% (last year) to 75% (this year). It was also confirmed that medlab at Michener usually gets 600 applications (dang).

MMI preparation has gone underway. I've got a friend who's volunteering for the event as a "ranker"/"interviewer" so I'm trying to get information from her. I also coerced her into writing something for me after the event for next year.

- Apparently, the "interviewer" can be anyone (student, faculty, staff). They have no idea what your name is or what you're applying for.
- You're essentially "graded" on your response to a situation in terms of attributes, problem solving, communication, conflict resolution amongst other skills. Each scenario should prompt you to display certain skills that they're marking you on. They will ask you additional questions if your response did not cover all the skills they need to mark you on.
- There really isn't much you can do to prepare for the MMI because it's about soft skills and how you handle situations rather than facts from your resume.

EDIT: I don't think Michener's going to send you anything until April 1, 2009. According to this website (http://www.michener.ca/admissions/gen_admission_info.php), the statement of intent is being sent out by email (then regular mail) April 1st. Unless you're missing stuff for your application, then they'd email you and see what's going on.

p.s. People in my class are such lurkers on this thread! Turns out lots of people have come here but never said anything! *pokes them with a stick*

[lame23]

omg! i think my chances of getting accepted just went down hill! Ill just have to wait till april 1st to find out! maybe i will do a lab technician program and ill apply again!

[kayoko]

Nono. Don't think like that. You have post secondary education, which is very very good. Remember 50% of you ranking comes from your MMI. Marks are only a small part of it!

Should you end up on the wait list, there's still hope cause people WILL reject MLT admissions offers. They're taking in 64 people again for September 2009 (or so I've been told)


omg! i think my chances of getting accepted just went down hill! Ill just have to wait till april 1st to find out! maybe i will do a lab technician program and ill apply again!

[kayoko]

anyone currently in Med. Lab Science at St. Lawrence College?

It would be nice if you could share your experience with us!

Unfortunately, I haven't seen anyone from St. Lawrence College. Try facebook. I believe they have some groups there.

[lame23]

Nono. Don't think like that. You have post secondary education, which is very very good. Remember 50% of you ranking comes from your MMI. Marks are only a small part of it!

Should you end up on the wait list, there's still hope cause people WILL reject MLT admissions offers. They're taking in 64 people again for September 2009 (or so I've been told)

thanks kayoko! Ill just wait it out for now! and Ill practice for MMI, keep us posted if you find more stuff about MMI!! Just a thought, I currently work as a personal support worker at a hospital, and when I tell people that im going back to school in September for medical lab technologist, li, people have this reaction, like how im wasting my time on that, and that I should do something else because its hard to find a job once im done and that there's too many lab tech rightnow,I think, they think im taking a lab technician course, as oppose to a lab technologists. Just a thought. Do people in healthcare (acute care hospital)just assume when one say lab technologists, that its the same as a lab technician? and that its low-type of job.

[imp]

thanks, I'll check out facebook!

Michener rejected me for Med Lab Sci as my high school marks did not make the minimum requirements. They didn't even consider my post-secondary GPA.

yes keeps us posted about any information you find out about MMI

do you know how many are they taking for diagnostic cytology or genetics technology...I heard those programs are crazy competitive?

lame23 I think most people think lab technicians and lab technologists are the same thing.

[kayoko]

I definitely believe that there's some confusion in those conversations. The whole technologist/technician can be rather confusing. It probably doesn't help that MLT's don't have a very high public image.

I've never worked in a hospital before so I'll wait for someone else to answer that technician vs technologist question.

I'll definitely keep you posted about the MMI. I know it's really nerve-wracking!


thanks kayoko! Ill just wait it out for now! and Ill practice for MMI, keep us posted if you find more stuff about MMI!! Just a thought, I currently work as a personal support worker at a hospital, and when I tell people that im going back to school in September for medical lab technologist, li, people have this reaction, like how im wasting my time on that, and that I should do something else because its hard to find a job once im done and that there's too many lab tech rightnow,I think, they think im taking a lab technician course, as oppose to a lab technologists. Just a thought. Do people in healthcare (acute care hospital)just assume when one say lab technologists, that its the same as a lab technician? and that its low-type of job.

[kayoko]

I don't think their class sizes change too much due to limitations in market demand. Something like 12-16 for each program. Yes, they're very competitive programs and people usually don't reject their offers (sadly).


do you know how many are they taking for diagnostic cytology or genetics technology...I heard those programs are crazy competitive?

[imp]

wow thats too little lol

I wonder how many apply per year


I don't think their class sizes change too much due to limitations in market demand. Something like 12-16 for each program. Yes, they're very competitive programs and people usually don't reject their offers (sadly).

[kayoko]

I applied to the diagnostic cytology program last year and made it to the wait list. At that point, I was competing against ~40 people. It's probably a higher number for genetics.

Unfortunatetly, I don't have a number for applicants. Let's say it's probably a number less than 600. But remember, it's not the number of applicants, it's the total number of people who have ALL the requirements. Those two numbers are not always the same.


wow thats too little lol

I wonder how many apply per year

[drvoid]

p.s. People in my class are such lurkers on this thread! Turns out lots of people have come here but never said anything! *pokes them with a stick*

But I like lurking here lol. Kayoko aren't you volunteering for the MMI?
Oh right if you got any new info that you want on the facebook group I'll put it up. To all those who have applied good luck! I might be a rater/interviewer, so I may see you there or I will be given a mindless job of data collection.

[kayoko]

But I like lurking here lol. Kayoko aren't you volunteering for the MMI?
Oh right if you got any new info that you want on the facebook group I'll put it up. To all those who have applied good luck! I might be a rater/interviewer, so I may see you there or I will be given a mindless job of data collection.

They moved the MMI to after exams and I'm going on vacation at that time. If you're volunteering for the MMI, post whatever information/advice you get that you think is relevant~

I've been working on putting information on the new forum all day after Micro. I'm probably going send a class-wide email to everyone and explain it a bit, tempt them with some information about the CSMLS exam. Beg them to write advice for each other, etc.

[ritalau]

wow thats too little lol

I wonder how many apply per year
I applied to the diagnostic cytology program last year and made it to the wait list. At that point, I was competing against ~40 people. It's probably a higher number for genetics.

Unfortunatetly, I don't have a number for applicants. Let's say it's probably a number less than 600. But remember, it's not the number of applicants, it's the total number of people who have ALL the requirements. Those two numbers are not always the same.

The figures I got from clinical genetics at BCIT (and med lab) were:

CG - 10 seats, 85 applicants
MLS - 60 seats, 225 applicants

These were the numbers from 2006. I guess Michener will probably have double the number of seats and applicants.

[aimmers]

The figures I got from clinical genetics at BCIT (and med lab) were:

CG - 10 seats, 85 applicants
MLS - 60 seats, 225 applicants

These were the numbers from 2006. I guess Michener will probably have double the number of seats and applicants.


actually michener has the same number of seats just triple the number of applicants.

If I remember correctly genetics gets about 200 applications and like kayoko said earlier med lab gets about 600 applicants.

Just for those applying to MLT at michener, you never know! I was waitlisted at first and with in a week I got accepted. So have a back up but hey you still might get in if wait listed!

[jconroymla]

I am a Lab technician/asst,
Please do not waste your time and money doing this program. Whether at a private college (1 year) or public (2 year). It does not get you ahead it ANY way. Although you may get some experience in a lab, it will just be $10,000 down the drain, if you are planning to go for a technologist program!
To give you an idea of differences in technician jobs and technologist jobs.....My lab employs about 50 ppl (haem/chem/specimen handling) We have 10 technicians the rest are technologists).
We do have an outpatient lab where they have blood technicians (paid $18 here but a private lab would be $12-13), but its small, and nurses are responsible for drawing blood around the hospital.
There are still those from my program 2 years ago looking for jobs, I was extremely lucky!! It is honestly just review of gr 12 biology and some intro to micro and histo staining.
Do you have Bsc? Perhaps try getting a job in a research lab of some kind if you do not get in, or upgrade you pre reqs?
Go to CMLTO and take a course from there to get some experience like JaneSmith did (if I am correct?).
I definitely think your coworkers are misinformed. MLT was on the top 20 jobs with the best prospects (95% of those I work with are over 50 yrs old, and want to retire early!!!)
Good luck!


thanks kayoko! Ill just wait it out for now! and Ill practice for MMI, keep us posted if you find more stuff about MMI!! Just a thought, I currently work as a personal support worker at a hospital, and when I tell people that im going back to school in September for medical lab technologist, li, people have this reaction, like how im wasting my time on that, and that I should do something else because its hard to find a job once im done and that there's too many lab tech rightnow,I think, they think im taking a lab technician course, as oppose to a lab technologists. Just a thought. Do people in healthcare (acute care hospital)just assume when one say lab technologists, that its the same as a lab technician? and that its low-type of job.

[imp]

jcon

let me clarify...are you talking about technician or technologist?


I am a Lab technician/asst,
Please do not waste your time and money doing this program. Whether at a private college (1 year) or public (2 year). It does not get you ahead it ANY way. Although you may get some experience in a lab, it will just be $10,000 down the drain, if you are planning to go for a technologist program!
To give you an idea of differences in technician jobs and technologist jobs.....My lab employs about 50 ppl (haem/chem/specimen handling) We have 10 technicians the rest are technologists).
We do have an outpatient lab where they have blood technicians (paid $18 here but a private lab would be $12-13), but its small, and nurses are responsible for drawing blood around the hospital.
There are still those from my program 2 years ago looking for jobs, I was extremely lucky!! It is honestly just review of gr 12 biology and some intro to micro and histo staining.
Do you have Bsc? Perhaps try getting a job in a research lab of some kind if you do not get in, or upgrade you pre reqs?
Go to CMLTO and take a course from there to get some experience like JaneSmith did (if I am correct?).
I definitely think your coworkers are misinformed. MLT was on the top 20 jobs with the best prospects (95% of those I work with are over 50 yrs old, and want to retire early!!!)
Good luck!

[kayoko]

Go to CMLTO and take a course from there to get some experience like JaneSmith did (if I am correct?).

I believe she did the MLT review course from Michener. [link (http://www.michener.ca/ce/course_info.php?course_group_id=354)]

.XXXXX.


jcon - let me clarify...are you talking about technician or technologist?
I believe jconroymla is saying that it is difficult to find work as a technician, but the job prospects for a technologist is much better.

[kayoko]

I'd like to invite everyone on this thread to the new forum that will hopeful organize things a bit better so any new readers don't have to sift through 20+ pages of post. Feel free to move information that you've posted onto the new forum. I've already moved the information posts from here with revisions and added a couple of new information posts.

It can be located here (http://medlab.freeforums.org/).

Questions and comments?
Fire a pm or email me at medlabsci@gmail.com

[petergriffin]

jcon

let me clarify...are you talking about technician or technologist?


He's talking about lab technicians or technologists assistants. ML technologists make a bit less than a registered nurse, but should be in the 60s range.

[imp]

thats what I thought!

Thanks for that clarification and also for the forum!

[Obi Wan]

Hey guys, I want to apply to the MLT program for september 2010, but my HS English mark is pretty bad. Is there any way I can upgrade that mark by re-taking the class through night/summer school or replacing it with a UNI English class?

Just some background info: I'm in the 3rd year or my BSc and my cGPA is 3.25. My HS (physics, chem, calc, bio) average without English is 83.3 (eng mark was a 64). What are the chances I can get in assuming I with these marks?

Also, on the admissions page it says to have two uni level courses. Does this mean any courses are acceptable or is it limited to bio and chem?

Any advice/help thrown my way would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[kayoko]

You will definitely need to upgrade your high school english mark because one of the requirements is, "No grade lower than 70% in the six courses." Also, your average right now doesn't meet the minimum 75% average that they want for high school courses.

I'm not too sure how they will count your retake of a course towards admissions. Definitely a question to throw at student services.

Any U level course will be acceptable for your elective (i.e. religion, french, arts, music, comp sci, etc). Considering chemistry and biology are part of the four required courses, you can't use them as your "elective".


Hey guys, I want to apply to the MLT program for september 2010, but my HS English mark is pretty bad. Is there any way I can upgrade that mark by re-taking the class through night/summer school or replacing it with a UNI English class?

Just some background info: I'm in the 3rd year or my BSc and my cGPA is 3.25. My HS (physics, chem, calc, bio) average without English is 83.3 (eng mark was a 64). What are the chances I can get in assuming I with these marks?

Also, on the admissions page it says to have two uni level courses. Does this mean any courses are acceptable or is it limited to bio and chem?

Any advice/help thrown my way would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Obi Wan]

Thanks for the reply kayoko..

Is it actually possible to upgrade my English mark though? I'm 3 years removed from HS..do they actually let people go back and upgrade marks?

My average is an 80 on the dot if i include english and physics instead of bio.

I'll try contacting someone tomorrow to see what I can do about english.

[kasianman]

Thanks for the reply kayoko..

Is it actually possible to upgrade my English mark though? I'm 3 years removed from HS..do they actually let people go back and upgrade marks?

My average is an 80 on the dot if i include english and physics instead of bio.

I'll try contacting someone tomorrow to see what I can do about english.

I think that you can do
1) Private high school course
2) Adult night school

[kayoko]

I don't see why they wouldn't let you upgrade your mark. Some of my friends have been out of high school for 10+ years. They still counted those marks as ridiculous as it seems.

Let me dig for the link that jconroymla sent us (it's on the new forum somewhere)... This is the Lakelands District School Board (Lindsay/Peterborough) (http://virtuallearning.ca/) and they offer online high school courses.


Thanks for the reply kayoko..

Is it actually possible to upgrade my English mark though? I'm 3 years removed from HS..do they actually let people go back and upgrade marks?

My average is an 80 on the dot if i include english and physics instead of bio.

I'll try contacting someone tomorrow to see what I can do about english.

[jconroymla]

Thanks, Amy!
I was going to write about it, too.
I don't think I mentioned it in the new forum. So I am going to start a thread about that soon! Just in case anyone else is in the same situation.

[kayoko]

Thanks, Amy!
I was going to write about it, too.
I don't think I mentioned it in the new forum. So I am going to start a thread about that soon! Just in case anyone else is in the same situation.

I think that'd be a wonderful idea!

[anhdo]

Hi,

Does anyone apply Ultrasound at Michener? I applied MLT and ultrasound as well.

I am worried abt the MMI because English is not my first language :(.

[rnakra]

does anyone know how to prepare for the interview for the genetic technologist course? what kind of questions do they ask you and what should you prepare before walking in? I have understood they will be different stations but i didnt see any list of sample questions

any help would be useful thanks!

[kayoko]

Hi,

Does anyone apply Ultrasound at Michener? I applied MLT and ultrasound as well.

I am worried abt the MMI because English is not my first language :(.

The purpose is of the MMI is to explore a candidate's personality, views and other people skills that are important in dealing with patients and working in healthcare teams.

As long as you are able to get your point across to whoever, having English as a second language is not going to put you at a disadvantage. Eight minutes is a long time to explain something so take your time, ask if the interviewer needs clarification and explain it again if you need to.

[kayoko]

does anyone know how to prepare for the interview for the genetic technologist course? what kind of questions do they ask you and what should you prepare before walking in? I have understood they will be different stations but i didnt see any list of sample questions

any help would be useful thanks!

Please visit this MMI thread here [link (http://medlab.freeforums.org/the-mmi-thread-t19.html)] It'll answer some of your questions.

Please note that there is no specific interview for the genetics technology course. Every Michener candidate will go through essentially the same interview.

[anhdo]

Thank you very much for what you did for us, Amy :lol:.

[thepook]

hi! I just got my statement of intent for MLS from Michener, and I will tentatively accept it and get the interview process over with hopefully soon enough. I guess my main concern about this entire career path is, all i see are working evenings, weekends, and night shifts. Is that really it, will I be able to find more jobs that have day shifts in the states? I want to get married to my girlfriend one day and spend time with her after she's done work too and start a family. Will I have time for this? :(

[kayoko]

hi! I just got my statement of intent for MLS from Michener, and I will tentatively accept it and get the interview process over with hopefully soon enough. I guess my main concern about this entire career path is, all i see are working evenings, weekends, and night shifts. Is that really it, will I be able to find more jobs that have day shifts in the states? I want to get married to my girlfriend one day and spend time with her after she's done work too and start a family. Will I have time for this? :(

Histology is supposed to be regular working hours. I believe the rest of them may have shift work or be on-call basis.

Well, if you think about, it'll probably be the new graduates that get stuck with the crappy shifts, hence the job postings. As you gain more seniority, you'd probably be able to work the daytime hours (and possibly rotate weekends).

Most of my instructors have family and kids so yes, people find time to get married and have kids. There are opportunities to do part-time or casual work should you choose to spend more time with your family or personally.

You could always jump ship to teach or work for a equipment company for more regular workings hours.

[nalababe]

hi! I just got my statement of intent for MLS from Michener, and I will tentatively accept it and get the interview process over with hopefully soon enough. I guess my main concern about this entire career path is, all i see are working evenings, weekends, and night shifts. Is that really it, will I be able to find more jobs that have day shifts in the states? I want to get married to my girlfriend one day and spend time with her after she's done work too and start a family. Will I have time for this? :(

It is not all that black and white. Larger hospitals will have have 3 shifts...though not all benches will necessarily be open 24/7. Smaller hospitals will not have the same hours. So much depends where you want to live/work.

I know many a lab tech that actually want what would be considered off hours. It allows the family to split care of their kids without having to pay for day care...there are many options.

The states has the same current situation with regards to lab techs as here in Canada: there are far too few, the average is far too high, and hospitals are driving automation and point of care to compensate for the drying up pool of techs.

Career path is what you make of it....options include

Tech
Charge Tech
Point of Care
Management
Sales or Technical Support at a Vendor (and the subsequent career paths)

[jusy]

hi everyone!

i have a couple quick questions :) i applied to the ultrasounds program, the cytology program and the genetic technology program. I got statements of intent for all of them. (yay!) can someone please tell me how many spaces are availalbe for each of them, how many people usually get interviews, and approximately how many people apply?
thanks so much!

[kayoko]

hi everyone!

i have a couple quick questions :) i applied to the ultrasounds program, the cytology program and the genetic technology program. I got statements of intent for all of them. (yay!) can someone please tell me how many spaces are availalbe for each of them, how many people usually get interviews, and approximately how many people apply?
thanks so much!

Ultrasound intake is about 20 people/year. No idea how many interviews or applicants. Probably a couple hundred appicants if the other programs are anything to go by.

Diagnostic cytology intake is about 12 people/year. About 40-50 make it to the interview/secondary stuff out of the 250+ applicants.

Just a note that the number of applicants doesn't always reflect competition because some of those applicants may not have all the requirements.

[danny411]

i have the strangest question for you.

ok my counsellors at school can't help me.

im trying to show bcit i can handle the workload for their med lab science program.

I have already did a BA; i got mostly A-, B+ in college --C english. and i took 4 courses at a time. Then, i went to SFU and i slacked off and got average marks but took 3-4 courses. Whatever i could afford at the time.

I recently upgraded hs courses and got all A's. Took me 3 weeks for some and up to 2 months. But i only did 2 classes at a time since i worked full time too.

Now, im going to college. I lost my job so i thought i would do it full time. Kwantlen college will only let me do biology 1110 and chem 1105. I can pick up 1160 anat and physiology if their is space left after the nursing student apply.

What other courses can i take ? I only have math 12, physics 11. I have done all the psych/crim/english/comm/poli courses before and have gotten A's

What should i take i have read the course outlines for bcit med lab science and biology and chem seem relevant.

gl with this one?

summary:

i need a full course schedule but can only take one biology and one chem. What else can i take

[kayoko]

Well, being able to handle the workload of a program can be accomplished in many ways. The fact that you said you were working full time AND doing courses is already significant. You don't really need to show them that you can overload on courses and still do well in order to be good at time management or studying.


i have the strangest question for you.

ok my counsellors at school can't help me.

im trying to show bcit i can handle the workload for their med lab science program.

I have already did a BA; i got mostly A-, B+ in college --C english. and i took 4 courses at a time. Then, i went to SFU and i slacked off and got average marks but took 3-4 courses. Whatever i could afford at the time.

I recently upgraded hs courses and got all A's. Took me 3 weeks for some and up to 2 months. But i only did 2 classes at a time since i worked full time too.

Now, im going to college. I lost my job so i thought i would do it full time. Kwantlen college will only let me do biology 1110 and chem 1105. I can pick up 1160 anat and physiology if their is space left after the nursing student apply.

What other courses can i take ? I only have math 12, physics 11. I have done all the psych/crim/english/comm/poli courses before and have gotten A's

What should i take i have read the course outlines for bcit med lab science and biology and chem seem relevant.

gl with this one?

summary:

i need a full course schedule but can only take one biology and one chem. What else can i take

[thepook]

Hi again,

I have another question, I'm not sure what to do for the MMI interview date, as during the 27th and 28th, I'll be out of Ontario for a wedding which I am part of, yet I am not sure what to do if I have the interview those days. Currently I have not received any email, and I don't know if I should call them, or email them, and if they are even willing to accommodate my circumstances, I should have contacted them earlier, but what should I do now?

[ix3katz]

^ just schedule your MMI interview for the dates in may
they even have interviews on april 30th

[anhdo]

You can choose the day and time for the interview, It takes from April 27 to May 2.

[ix3katz]

did you guys apply to anything else besides med lab tech?

i also applied to cardiovascular perfusion & respiratory therapy..
there are no other forum topics on those..:|

im worried about the MMI...and it seems REALLY long

[kayoko]

You can choose the day and time for the interview, It takes from April 27 to May 2.

I had no idea you could choose the date of your MMI! That's pretty awesome.

[kayoko]

i also applied to cardiovascular perfusion & respiratory therapy.. there are no other forum topics on those..:|

im worried about the MMI...and it seems REALLY long

8 minutes per station x 9 stations + 2 minute reading x 9 stations = 90 minutes

Factor in time to move about the stations, getting registered, completing the survey....about 2 hours. It sounds like a long time, but you'll be busy for the most part so I'm sure time will fly by once you get started.

Is there a specific question you want to ask about respiratory therapy or are they general questions? I have a classmate who did one year of respiratory therapy before jumping ship to medlab.

At least you have me for the MedLab part, imagine when I applied and I had none of this information. I don't want to sound narcissistic, but answering everyone's posts and writing up new articles actually takes up a lot of my time. I have fun doing this so that's why I'm here instead of studying or doing something else like my test on Tuesday. :-0

[ix3katz]

^ lol i guess. this topic + the forum you started up is really useful and informative.. thanks a lot!
the michener site is rather vague

hm i don't have specific questions to ask about the other programs, but I'm just wondering what the admissions stats are like

I wonder how many people apply for each program, and how many actually get invited to the MMI, and then how many they actually take in
so far I only found the stats from med lab tech (from you)


also do you know if they only send out MMI invitations today? or will michener be sending out more invitations throughout this week?
I have a friend applying too but he hasn't gotten anything yet and he's getting a little anxious :|

[anhdo]

I paste the information in my invitation letter.

MMI-MULTIPLE MINI INTERVIEW CIRCUIT FORMAT

Candidates will be interviewed using the MMI - Multiple Mini Interview process. The MMI is NOT program specific, so if you have applied to more than one program at Michener, you will only participate in the MMI once. (Your interview score will be counted towards each of the programs you applied to).
Candidates have 7 minutes to answer questions and deal with scenarios at a series of 8 stations, each of which has a different interviewer who will rate the candidate's performance. Candidates will have 2 minutes to move between stations. An orientation session will be held prior to the MMI. You will not be allowed to bring any electronic equipment (i.e. cell phones, Blackberries, cameras, etc.) into the interview stations.

[anhdo]

I applied both ultrasound and MLT . Any ideas about which one is better? Thank you.

[kayoko]

I applied both ultrasound and MLT . Any ideas about which one is better? Thank you.

Thanks for the info on the MMI.

It depends on what you mean as "better". They're quite different in terms of day-to-day tasks, scope of practice, amount of patient interaction, regulation, etc.

[kayoko]

Have you tried asking Karyn those questions? Or even student services?

I would imagine that they'd be sending out invitations over the next couple of days considering they're sending out invitations to hundreds of applicants. Limited man-power in admissions.


I wonder how many people apply for each program, and how many actually get invited to the MMI, and then how many they actually take in

also do you know if they only send out MMI invitations today? or will michener be sending out more invitations throughout this week?
I have a friend applying too but he hasn't gotten anything yet and he's getting a little anxious :|

[anhdo]

Thanks for the info on the MMI.

It depends on what you mean as "better". They're quite different in terms of day-to-day tasks, scope of practice, amount of patient interaction, regulation, etc.

yeah, in terms of finding job, salary, and career.

Thank you very much, Amy.

[kayoko]

yeah, in terms of finding job, salary, and career.

Thank you very much, Amy.

As a diagnostic medical sonographer, your skills would include an extensive knowledge of the human anatomy because you don't just look at fetus'. You would also need technology skills to operate the instrumentation. You would also be dealing with patients everyday.

Healthcare seems to be have a human resource shortage in most professional positions. Finding a job shouldn't be difficult (I see a lot of job postings) as long as you're willing to move and look outside of your usual locations.

For more info, do a quick google search on "Diagnostic medical sonographers"

The scope of practice is quite different from a medical laboratory technologist that it's difficult to say which is "better". It is a matter of personal opinion.

Is being a doctor better than being a MLT? Depends who you ask. I'd prefer to be a MLT because it's less stressful, I don't have to deal with grouchy sick people, even if it mess a lower salary. People over at premed101 (or whatever it is called) would probably disagree with me.

[danny411]

How do i prepare for it ?

The deadline is apr 30, 2009 for the applications.

Im not sure what to expect ? what scenarios ?

I asked another guy who did rad tech and he had very basic questions: what you know, skills, experience. They also asked him if he had money saved. And to assemble a needle or Iv..

What other stuff can i expect and how can i prepare ?

[kayoko]

Assuming BCIT is doing traditional interviews, then prep like you would for a real job. Answer the question, why you would be a good fit at BCIT as a MLS student.

- What are your top 3-5 qualifications for the position?
- Determine your weakness as it relates to the position.
- What is your unique selling point that makes you different from other candidates who may have similar skills and qualifications?
- Why you want this position? How does it fit with your career goals?


Here's a list of other interview questions from York University (www.yorku.ca/careers/cyberguide/downloads/new/Interview_Questions.pdf).




Im not sure what to expect ? what scenarios ?

I asked another guy who did rad tech and he had very basic questions: what you know, skills, experience. They also asked him if he had money saved. And to assemble a needle or Iv..

What other stuff can i expect and how can i prepare ?

[slinger99]

For the Michener immunization requirements, do you think we can wait and get the 2-step TB skin test done at the Michener when the program starts? It would be more convenient for me to have it done and checked by the school nurse than try to make several appointments with family doctor who is on the other side of town. What do you think?

[kayoko]

Definitely possible since I've seen people do their Hep B shots throughout the school year. You still have to hand in the immunization sheet, cause they'll call you and ask you about it. This leads to the logical conclusion that it's not always filled completely.

Of course, you can always call the Health Nurse about it. =)


For the Michener immunization requirements, do you think we can wait and get the 2-step TB skin test done at the Michener when the program starts? It would be more convenient for me to have it done and checked by the school nurse than try to make several appointments with family doctor who is on the other side of town. What do you think?

[danny411]

thanks kayoko

Im finding that when im answering those questions that im using alot of my background in criminology and my difficulties with student loans.

Tell me about a difficult time and how did you handle it ? After university i had 30k in debt. I didn't have a full time job so i couldn't pay them. So i went on several websites and researched and stuff. Then, i applied for debt reduction 13 times. I kept a record in a notebook. I sent in forms to be told the program didn't exist and to contact so and so. That they lost my forms. Didn't receive them. That so and so wasn't in. Didn't work there. That i couldn't apply since my debt was in default. I didn't meet the criteria. So I kept a record in a notebook to keep on top of things. For six months straight i fought student loans. Doesn't sound to relevant to this MLT program though?

Biggest achievement? paying my student loan. It was hell. I never made more than 10 bucks an hour but i put together a plan. I got the run around for 8 years. Having to prove i was too poor to pay some months sucked, walking to the bank each month, collecting forms, lost forms, denial of services. Having the banks lie. Spending thousands of hours online to find information. Being turned down 13 times for debt reduction. I learnt to be very persistant--and not to take NO!! for an answer.

difficult people? When i work security

Working with others? I work with the guards and tenants. Younger guards phone me or i train them.

Implementing programs and stuff. I set up security program for the malls. Basically work with the tenants and other storefront guards rather than alone. Address issues when needed.

Seems like all my info is from my previous education and background rather the specific things that i have done for this program?

Best accomplishment? Getting 92% math 12. I only had grade 9 math and failed out. So i took out books for 1.5 years from the library. Then, i took classes and did ok. Never thought i could

Should i use any of my stuff from my previous ed in psych/crim, work experience in the crim field ? Or should i just stick to stuff relevant to this program ?

[jusy]

quick question...
does everyone who gives back the statements of intent get an interveiw? or is there another sorting process?
thanks!

[kayoko]

I believe that your answers are wonderful. No one expects you to have all this clinical laboratory experience before you attend the program! That's why you're going to school! They mostly want to know what kinds of transferable skills you have to bring into the program. So talking about your previous experience is expected and encouraged. Just remember to back up whatever you say with examples that reinforce what you're saying.


Seems like all my info is from my previous education and background rather the specific things that i have done for this program?

Should i use any of my stuff from my previous ed in psych/crim, work experience in the crim field ? Or should i just stick to stuff relevant to this program ?

[kayoko]

quick question...
does everyone who gives back the statements of intent get an interveiw? or is there another sorting process?
thanks!

They send out more Statements of Intent than MMI invitations. So it is not a guarantee to get a MMI invitation.

However, people who get an invitation may not necessary say yes to it. Someone on the MLT forums said that the last day to register for a date for the MMI is April 17th. Perhaps they will send out a second round of invitations (maybe, just a guess).

[firey3]

I have a question..I have a interview at Michener Institute and I'm wondering if a tie is really necessary or is dress shirt + dress pants ok for the interviews?
Thanks!

[kayoko]

I have a question..I have a interview at Michener Institute and I'm wondering if a tie is really necessary or is dress shirt + dress pants ok for the interviews?
Thanks!

Interview for the MMI? Dress nice, but formal formal shouldn't be required. Business casual, I suppose.

[westernroad]

I applied Radiation Therapy program in Michener this year and will have an interview recently. Does anyone know this program? What kind of questions will they ask in the interview? So scared now.

Any suggestions or help will be appreciated.

[kayoko]

I applied Radiation Therapy program in Michener this year and will have an interview recently. Does anyone know this program? What kind of questions will they ask in the interview? So scared now.

Any suggestions or help will be appreciated.

I think you'll have better luck on facebook. Search for "Radiation Therapy Michener" and there are a couple of open groups.

[westernroad]

I think you'll have better luck on facebook. Search for "Radiation Therapy Michener" and there are a couple of open groups.

Thank you so much for the quick reply.

[kayoko]

Thank you so much for the quick reply.

Or send messages to students who have identified themselves in the program from the facebook search. If you message a bunch people, someone's got to reply to you...

Sorry that I can't be of any more help.

[yagneshnatalia]

Is anyone done DMLT in india and continue there study in canada throught csmls and Miechener Institue. Please reply me back. My wife has done DMLT in india and I need to know scope of this field and what she should do in order to get admission easily. I know I have to do PLA throught CSMLS but I am lost after that.
Please reply back

[kayoko]

All the information you're looking for can be located on Michener's website for Internationally Educationed Health Professionals (located here (http://www.michener.ca/access/ao_pgm_medlab.php))

The steps to obtaining a license from the CSMLS is also listed on the website:
1. Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) with the CSMLS
2. Access & Options Program Application & Assessment with Michener to determine any upgrading and courses required.
3. Individualized Program Design & Completion with Michener that is tailored to the student's needs.
4. Certification Examination with the CSMLS

Those are the steps your wife would need to take and successfully complete in order to practice in Canada. My impression is that admissions to the program and "bridging" courses are done on a case-by-case basis.

For more information, I would highly recommend you contact Michener's Access & Options Department by phone at 416.596.3101 ext. 3217




Is anyone done DMLT in india and continue there study in canada throught csmls and Miechener Institue. Please reply me back. My wife has done DMLT in india and I need to know scope of this field and what she should do in order to get admission easily. I know I have to do PLA throught CSMLS but I am lost after that.
Please reply back

[yagneshnatalia]

Thanks for Reply,

My wife has done Diploma In MLT and she has BSc degree with microbiology.
I am wondering after she done PLA. How many cources she has to complete in order to go for CSMLS exam.

[kayoko]

Unfortunately, no one can provide you an answer to that until the PLA is completed and reviewed by Access and Options at Michener. It really depends on how the previous education courses transfer to equivalent Canadian standards and possibly the results from English proficiency testing. The number of courses required, if any, will vary on a case-by-case basis.


I would highly recommend you contact the Access & Options Department at Michener tomorrow during normal office hours by telephone 416.596.3101 ext. 3217 or e-mail: access@michener.ca who will be able to provide you better information in regards this process.

Good luck!


Thanks for Reply,

My wife has done Diploma In MLT and she has BSc degree with microbiology.
I am wondering after she done PLA. How many cources she has to complete in order to go for CSMLS exam.

[yagneshnatalia]

Thanks kayoko.
Is any one did PLA recently from CSMLS and went to Mmichener Institute for MLT.
Please reply it back

[thepook]

Heya,

well I guess my question is that I have been waitlisted, and I'm in a good position on the list, top 5, can anyone give me a good indication of what are the chances to get a spot in MLS from being waitlisted? Does anyone from previous years know of anyone who was waitlisted and got a spot? This has been asked before, but how may people are normally accepted into the MLS program?

I guess I am both antsy to know but also I do need to know so I can plan out what I'm doing in September, because I have already accepted another program at Seneca in the interim while waiting for Michener.

[kayoko]

The number of people who are offered admissions and reject the offer will vary each year so take everything I say with a grain of salt. I can list 3 people off the top of my head who were offered admissions after being wait listed, but I'm sure the number's a bit higher than that. I believe for September 2009 admissions, the class size will be the same as last year, ~65

As far as I know, the waiting list is ongoing until September and there was someone on RFD last year who received admissions quite late last year from the waiting list (early August-ish).

Just keep checking that email daily. Number one complaint from people in regards to waiting list, you're not given much time to respond to offers of admission.


Heya,

well I guess my question is that I have been waitlisted, and I'm in a good position on the list, top 5, can anyone give me a good indication of what are the chances to get a spot in MLS from being waitlisted? Does anyone from previous years know of anyone who was waitlisted and got a spot? This has been asked before, but how may people are normally accepted into the MLS program?

I guess I am both antsy to know but also I do need to know so I can plan out what I'm doing in September, because I have already accepted another program at Seneca in the interim while waiting for Michener.

[kasianman]

Heya,

well I guess my question is that I have been waitlisted, and I'm in a good position on the list, top 5, can anyone give me a good indication of what are the chances to get a spot in MLS from being waitlisted? Does anyone from previous years know of anyone who was waitlisted and got a spot? This has been asked before, but how may people are normally accepted into the MLS program?

I guess I am both antsy to know but also I do need to know so I can plan out what I'm doing in September, because I have already accepted another program at Seneca in the interim while waiting for Michener.

I was accepted last year, but I was one of the people who declined the offer.
I'm sure that there will be more than 5.

[Sach4070]

Hye guys

COngrats on all your acceptances. Now if you all cna help me ot. Im gtraduating next year April 2010 from Wilfred Laurier/Nipissing. I am in the concurrent Education program (the combined teaching program) My marks are the around mid 70. Now I am thinking CAREER CHANGE! Haha and Michner adn is the place im looking into. My average in highschool was a low 80. I wnat to get into michner. Im wondering if I should be redoing some highschool classes so I can increase my chances of getting in. Cause you all had high 90's and I definetly dont have that. WHat do I DO?

[JaneSmith]

It makes no sense to go back and re-do highschool courses after having completed a University degree. I wouldn't do that on principle alone.
When looking at your application, admissions will look at your marks, your experience (both life and program related), and your interview marks. Your highschool marks don't sound bad, and as long as you have ther required courses, you should be ok. You could always call admissions and ask them about this.

[danny411]

Hi everyone BCIT has asked me to do a lab tour for med lab science and fill out a questionarre

what can i expect ?

I talked my way into a tour of Van Gen. in jan. What i found out is they process tons of samples, have different departments, tons of centrifuges and lots of stuff i don't know anything about...

It was very confusing but i still have my notes--

This weekend im going to brush up on my blood typing. Anything else i can do ?

I don't know many of the procedures--and specific tests to determine specific things...

[ix3katz]

Hye guys

COngrats on all your acceptances. Now if you all cna help me ot. Im gtraduating next year April 2010 from Wilfred Laurier/Nipissing. I am in the concurrent Education program (the combined teaching program) My marks are the around mid 70. Now I am thinking CAREER CHANGE! Haha and Michner adn is the place im looking into. My average in highschool was a low 80. I wnat to get into michner. Im wondering if I should be redoing some highschool classes so I can increase my chances of getting in. Cause you all had high 90's and I definetly dont have that. WHat do I DO?

no i say not....
as long as your marks are 70+ (or 75+? i forget the cut off) for the required courses, i think it's fine
i applied with 80s and i got in (after being waitlisted.. i also have a degree now + no related work experience)
if anything you should look into what type of questions they ask at the MMI
if your required course mark is lower than the cut off, they might still send u a letter of intent, but chances are u probably won't get invited to MMI ... in that case u should probably redo that course
also if you have a degree (do u? i don't really know what your program is), i believe you have a much higher chance than applicants who haven't finished university

[yagneshnatalia]

Is any one did PLA from CSMLS and went to michener institute. Please reply me back
Thank you.

[JaneSmith]

Just a reminder that this thread has a whole forum of its own now, and your questions would be best answered over there.

http://medlab.freeforums.org

[sld2009]

First, Congrad for everyone that pass CSMLS and finial year of MLS
so did all your current MLS grad find a job in the lab yet?
did your placement offer you a job?
and which path have they taken? Sale? hospital? private lab? research?
anyone has any info or may want to share what is their salary range as a new grad?

[sbin]

Does the MLT program consists mostly girls??

[kayoko]

Does the MLT program consists mostly girls??

Let's just say that there are more girls than guys as with Michener students as a whole.

[JaneSmith]

Does the MLT program consists mostly girls??

There's 9 guys in my class of 54.
:(

[sld2009]

i think our school it the same as well...
9 guys out of maybe 60 students

[radiological]

I was accepted last year, but I was one of the people who declined the offer.
I'm sure that there will be more than 5.


What was the reason for your decline?

[kasianman]

What was the reason for your decline?

Nursing

[petergriffin]

Nursing

RN?
That's definitely a better choice. RN offers better pay and more advancement oppurtunities.

[petergriffin]

I applied both ultrasound and MLT . Any ideas about which one is better? Thank you.



yeah, in terms of finding job, salary, and career.

Thank you very much, Amy.





Sonographers usually work 8-4 or 9-5. Each appointment is 30min in length though at least half of the scans could be done in less than 15min (but some scans can be very hard & frustrating).

In terms of scope of practice, sonographers are allowed to give initial impression of the scan. But only to the radiologists. In fact depending on the hospital some places actually want the sonographers to write as much as they can.

In terms of salary, sonographers are paid higher than MLTs (just comparing unionized hospitals & clinics, but I doubt non-unionized places will be different). In fact in some hospitals sonographers can get paid up to over 45$/hr (hospital pharmacists make 45-47$ in 7 years or so). Generally sonographers start from 28-32$/hr (MLTs start from 26~ish).

In terms of oppurtunities? I don't know. All I know is that from what I read we're going to have a big shortage of MLTs in the future (possibly now as well). We certainly do have a shortage for sonographers as well but I think MLT probably offer some more opportunities.

[radiological]

Sonographers usually work 8-4 or 9-5. Each appointment is 30min in length though at least half of the scans could be done in less than 15min (but some scans can be very hard & frustrating).

In terms of scope of practice, sonographers are allowed to give initial impression of the scan. But only to the radiologists. In fact depending on the hospital some places actually want the sonographers to write as much as they can.

In terms of salary, sonographers are paid higher than MLTs (just comparing unionized hospitals & clinics, but I doubt non-unionized places will be different). In fact in some hospitals sonographers can get paid up to over 45$/hr (hospital pharmacists make 45-47$ in 7 years or so). Generally sonographers start from 28-32$/hr (MLTs start from 26~ish).

In terms of oppurtunities? I don't know. All I know is that from what I read we're going to have a big shortage of MLTs in the future (possibly now as well). We certainly do have a shortage for sonographers as well but I think MLT probably offer some more opportunities.


That was a good read! :)

What about x ray techs?

[petergriffin]

That was a good read! :)

What about x ray techs?

X-ray techs make about the same as MLTs.

$27.05 - $36.28$/hr per OPSEU. From what I've heard for non-unionized places (I assume most imaging clinics) the pay is lower, and I doubt they provide better benefits too.

Radiography technologists are not allowed to make preliminary readings like ultrasonographers. Basically you take the images and assess the quality and give it to the radiologists to interpret the data.

Since x-ray does not require the patients to make appointments (unless it's CT, but CT appts are like 10 or 15min I think), the work can be quite stressful and physically demanding.

[locococo]

Has anyone entered this program knowing that they have a problem with the idea of drawing blood? I will admit, I look away when I get my blood drawn :o and am a bit intimidated at the idea of drawing blood from others. Does this mean the program is a no go for me or do some people get over the fear? Also, would taking a pre-health program at a college be enough to get the prerequisites to apply? I don't have a university education...

[JaneSmith]

Has anyone entered this program knowing that they have a problem with the idea of drawing blood? I will admit, I look away when I get my blood drawn :o and am a bit intimidated at the idea of drawing blood from others. Does this mean the program is a no go for me or do some people get over the fear? Also, would taking a pre-health program at a college be enough to get the prerequisites to apply? I don't have a university education...

You only have to get through one venipuncture class. You start off drawing blood on fake arms, and by the time they work you up to drawing blood from a person, you will feel a lot more comfortable. After that class, there are only one or two instances where you might need to draw blood/have blood drawn in order to get a sample to work with (for example, to blood type yourself), however you don't have to if you don't feel comfortable, and you can work with a random blood sample.
A lot of people feel uncomfortable/queasy with drawing blood, and they understand that!
Also, keep in mind that as a technologist it's not really your job to draw blood anyway (unless you work in a rural hospital, or in other rare circumstances), so you don't have to be an expert at it...just skilled enough to get by.

About your education: I think it's pretty safe for me to say that 100% of students in the class have a university degree. I don't think I would have been able to get through the program without one, as the workload is very heavy, as is the material. However, a degree is not a prerequisite. Without something to make you stand out a bit however, it will be hard to get into the program. Do you have any healthcare experience? Lab experience?

[locococo]

You only have to get through one venipuncture class. You start off drawing blood on fake arms, and by the time they work you up to drawing blood from a person, you will feel a lot more comfortable. After that class, there are only one or two instances where you might need to draw blood/have blood drawn in order to get a sample to work with (for example, to blood type yourself), however you don't have to if you don't feel comfortable, and you can work with a random blood sample.
A lot of people feel uncomfortable/queasy with drawing blood, and they understand that!
Also, keep in mind that as a technologist it's not really your job to draw blood anyway (unless you work in a rural hospital, or in other rare circumstances), so you don't have to be an expert at it...just skilled enough to get by.

About your education: I think it's pretty safe for me to say that 100% of students in the class have a university degree. I don't think I would have been able to get through the program without one, as the workload is very heavy, as is the material. However, a degree is not a prerequisite. Without something to make you stand out a bit however, it will be hard to get into the program. Do you have any healthcare experience? Lab experience?

Hey Jane, thanks for replying! No healthcare or lab experience. The closest I ever got to working in a hospital was as a janitor:o Actually, this was where my interest in the career path started, as I often cleaned the lab areas. I went as far as getting one of the text books on histology and read through it with great interest. The only thing holding me back right now is the lack of pre-requisites and as you say, something to help me stand out.

[kasianman]

RN?
That's definitely a better choice. RN offers better pay and more advancement oppurtunities.

RN.
I wanted more patient interaction.

[JaneSmith]

Hey Jane, thanks for replying! No healthcare or lab experience. The closest I ever got to working in a hospital was as a janitor:o Actually, this was where my interest in the career path started, as I often cleaned the lab areas. I went as far as getting one of the text books on histology and read through it with great interest. The only thing holding me back right now is the lack of pre-requisites and as you say, something to help me stand out.

Well you know, your reason for wanting to get into the program does make you stand out. That's actually pretty cool! The entrance requirements have changed since i got in. Now they have multiple mini interviews which makes up a big part of your entrance assessment. Do you have the highschool courses that you need to get in?
Michener does offer some online or distance ed courses...I took one. It was a med lab review course. I think it was meant for technologists who had been out of practice for a while, but I took it just to see what it was all about. They sent me a huge package full of notes, and i read through them (never actually finished the course though). They were a GREAT representation of what the program actually taught (some of the notes were exactly the same) and then I wrote in my application essay that I had taken that course, which i think helped me get in. So you might want to look into taking that, instead of doing college-type courses, if you already have your highschool pre-reqs.
I have no idea who you are, but for some reason I really want you to get in! lol

[radiological]

Well you know, your reason for wanting to get into the program does make you stand out. That's actually pretty cool! The entrance requirements have changed since i got in. Now they have multiple mini interviews which makes up a big part of your entrance assessment. Do you have the highschool courses that you need to get in?
Michener does offer some online or distance ed courses...I took one. It was a med lab review course. I think it was meant for technologists who had been out of practice for a while, but I took it just to see what it was all about. They sent me a huge package full of notes, and i read through them (never actually finished the course though). They were a GREAT representation of what the program actually taught (some of the notes were exactly the same) and then I wrote in my application essay that I had taken that course, which i think helped me get in. So you might want to look into taking that, instead of doing college-type courses, if you already have your highschool pre-reqs.
I have no idea who you are, but for some reason I really want you to get in! lol

I am not sure but why would they let you in if you haven't even finished the course? Maybe you just said you took the course AND PROBABLY THEY ASSUMED YOU ACTUALLY FINISHED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Could you tell me did you finish a degree from a university before getting in and what was your GPA if you dont mind me asking!

[danny411]

Updating

I did my lab tour they gave me a form at the end to fill out

the questions were basic. They asked me to calculate by hand how many agar dishes i needed given so and so grams of substance. I forgot how to do it without a calculator

They asked about blood. If i have any problems with it. I said. Not really. I know the risks and the precautions are ok with me. I have watched videos of the procedure of drawing blood. etc etc.

They asked what are the main roles-to process samples of x and y, coordinate information,safety, quality control...etc. I should have stuck to the stuff you guys told me

Any unexpected stuff from the tour. I said not really. I did lots of research. Talked to all the MLT's on michner and had done a lab tour before.

Any questions. I just wanted to know the impact of technology on the future of this career. Maybe i should have asked them when i would get into the lab tech program

Well, its been a month so i guess i didn't do that well on the questionnaire.

Anyways, im almost done my first two courses of biology and chem at school. Spending almost 10 hours a week in the lab. Got an A and a B so far.
Fall, im taking more chem and bio and english. Maybe anat and phys if they open it up to non nursing students. Or i could do math functions--i don't think its too helpful to bcit's program so maybe not

[locococo]

Well you know, your reason for wanting to get into the program does make you stand out. That's actually pretty cool! The entrance requirements have changed since i got in. Now they have multiple mini interviews which makes up a big part of your entrance assessment. Do you have the highschool courses that you need to get in?
Michener does offer some online or distance ed courses...I took one. It was a med lab review course. I think it was meant for technologists who had been out of practice for a while, but I took it just to see what it was all about. They sent me a huge package full of notes, and i read through them (never actually finished the course though). They were a GREAT representation of what the program actually taught (some of the notes were exactly the same) and then I wrote in my application essay that I had taken that course, which i think helped me get in. So you might want to look into taking that, instead of doing college-type courses, if you already have your highschool pre-reqs.
I have no idea who you are, but for some reason I really want you to get in! lol

Thank Jane! That is very sweet of you to say! I do have a College education, but not science related at all. I graduated high school way back in 95 and did not take OAC, so I would need to get those prerequisites. I figured since I have another year before I can apply to the program, that I could either take a college pre-health program or perhaps do the needed credits through an online course (if they exist). A little overwhelmed at what to do at the moment.

[danny411]

Thank Jane! That is very sweet of you to say! I do have a College education, but not science related at all. I graduated high school way back in 95 and did not take OAC, so I would need to get those prerequisites. I figured since I have another year before I can apply to the program, that I could either take a college pre-health program or perhaps do the needed credits through an online course (if they exist). A little overwhelmed at what to do at the moment.

I also had a degree in another field.

I recommend going college pre-health just to get labs. This is vital.

Online classes you don't get labs so kind of a waste.

At my college all the pre stuff is free.

I too had a degree in another field. I took the online courses and wasted most of my time.

Now im in college and doing most of the pre health courses just to get lab experience.

Lab experience is vital. Chem, bio, anat and physiology....and english...

[locococo]

I also had a degree in another field.

I recommend going college pre-health just to get labs. This is vital.

Online classes you don't get labs so kind of a waste.

At my college all the pre stuff is free.

I too had a degree in another field. I took the online courses and wasted most of my time.

Now im in college and doing most of the pre health courses just to get lab experience.

Lab experience is vital. Chem, bio, anat and physiology....and english...

Thanks for the input Danny. Seems like a college course may be the best (albeit more expensive) route compared to online. I wish I had thought about all of this while I was in high school (hindsight is 20/20)...a year of pre-health and the another 3 years of med lab means another 4 years of schooling...lots to think about with a mortgage and all...sigh.

[JaneSmith]

I am not sure but why would they let you in if you haven't even finished the course? Maybe you just said you took the course AND PROBABLY THEY ASSUMED YOU ACTUALLY FINISHED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Could you tell me did you finish a degree from a university before getting in and what was your GPA if you dont mind me asking!

I took that course as an "extra" thing to do just to see what the program was all about. I already had a science degree. The course I mentioned wasn't mandatory at all...I just thought it would be something good for you to do instead of having to go take college courses.
I don't know what my university GPA was...I'd say I was an A student though.

[danny411]

dt

[danny411]

Im in

Provisionally accepted at BCIT.

I have 4 college science courses. anatomy physiology, bio, chem, bio.

But, i did whatever you guys said and it worked.

Also, accepted into the RN at kwantlen and psych nursing at douglas and kwantlen. I turned them down.

MLT suits my personality better.

My biggest concern is the workload. I never had more than 4 courses. And arts is slack.

[rosarosa911]

Hey, I'm in the Rad Tech program at Michener and just from chatting with people in the MLT program here I have a feeling that you've been mislead. I certainly couldn't tell you for sure, but I've heard that the max you could possibly make with an MLT diploma is 50k/yr at management level. So But if what you're saying is true, then I'm definately in the wrong program. Maybe I'm biased but I think that even though the Rad Tech and other MRS programs might take a bit longer than the MLT program (MRS programs are 3 yrs), your career will be much more satisfying and you will most likely be paid more. I mean, 1 yr is not that big of a difference esp when you would be increasing your salary by substantial percentage.



Average salaries for MLTs range from $24,900 to $52,000* and vary according to job responsibility. Salaries for experienced supervisors and managers would be higher.

I know someone who graduated from Mitchener and now working as a medical lab technologist.

[kasianman]

Average salaries for MLTs range from $24,900 to $52,000* and vary according to job responsibility. Salaries for experienced supervisors and managers would be higher.

I know someone who graduated from Mitchener and now working as a medical lab technologist.

That's a bit low. Medical laboratory technologist had hourly wage of $28 at the government lab that I was working at.

[SHEEEEP]

Average salaries for MLTs range from $24,900 to $52,000* and vary according to job responsibility. Salaries for experienced supervisors and managers would be higher.

I know someone who graduated from Mitchener and now working as a medical lab technologist.

Although I'm not sure if it's province dependent, the starting salary for MLTs in Alberta is around $56,000. I've heard (from somewhere in this very long thread) that it's around the same across the country. The lowest amount that MLAs get is around $30,000. I know this because I am a medical lab student doing clinicals and am checking out job postings regularly.

[nalababe]

There are three levels for salaries with regards to MLTs...the general ranges for experience techs would be in the following ranges.

Monster Labs: 40's to 50's
Government Labs: 50's to 60's
Hospital Labs: 60's to 70's

This of course does not take into account overtime etc. Right now there is an issue at the Ministry labs as they are having considerable trouble keeping staff as the hospital environment pays more and and now often have much newer equipment and facilities.

Typically we draw our technical specialists from the MLT pools at the hospitals. Now, since there has been an upswing in salary, it becomes more of a challenge as a starting technical specialist would be in the same 60's range to start. Then you have to consider the trade off: 9-5 routine vs more hours, some freedom, company car...and opportunities to move up.

[funzone36]

Is standing up all day something that bothers MLTs?

[kasianman]

Is standing up all day something that bothers MLTs?

I've seen many sit down to do their jobs.

[bestknightmare]

There are three levels for salaries with regards to MLTs...the general ranges for experience techs would be in the following ranges.

Monster Labs: 40's to 50's
Government Labs: 50's to 60's
Hospital Labs: 60's to 70's

This of course does not take into account overtime etc. Right now there is an issue at the Ministry labs as they are having considerable trouble keeping staff as the hospital environment pays more and and now often have much newer equipment and facilities.

Typically we draw our technical specialists from the MLT pools at the hospitals. Now, since there has been an upswing in salary, it becomes more of a challenge as a starting technical specialist would be in the same 60's range to start. Then you have to consider the trade off: 9-5 routine vs more hours, some freedom, company car...and opportunities to move up.

what are those numbers? $ per hour? isnt that a little too high ??
or are those $50-60k salary per year?

[blazinbuster]

Who's applying for September 2010 entry. I put in my application already but currently completing my pre-reqs through ilc.org. Any takers?

[funzone36]

I've seen many sit down to do their jobs.

What specialization?


Also, it's really not a badly paid job.


The average starting salary for an MLT is approximately 40,000 Canadian dollars
per year
http://www.cmlto.com/registration/process/pdf/efactsheet.pdf


Average: $30.54/hour
http://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Certification=ASCP_Certification_--_MLT/Hourly_Rate

FACT: They make more per hour than doctors (specialized or not).

PROOF:

http://www.jobfutures.ca/noc/3111.shtml
http://www.jobfutures.ca/noc/3112.shtml

[SHEEEEP]

What specialization?


Also, it's really not a badly paid job.


http://www.cmlto.com/registration/process/pdf/efactsheet.pdf


Average: $30.54/hour
http://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Certification=ASCP_Certification_--_MLT/Hourly_Rate

FACT: They make more per hour than doctors (specialized or not).

PROOF:

http://www.jobfutures.ca/noc/3111.shtml
http://www.jobfutures.ca/noc/3112.shtml

In terms of sitting down, it does depend on which area you are working in. For microbiology, you pretty much sit there all day looking at bacteria, but in most of the chemistry departments, you're on your feet. Also, for all of the areas, if you are working with the microscope, you are going to be sitting. Of course, if your department or lab is less busy, then you are probably going to sit around waiting for things to come in.

I find it hard to believe that MLTs make more than doctors... although not really a recent source, this article (http://www.canada.com/topics/story.html?id=5026e786-a8bf-4e30-ba11-233689738d29) says that family doctors make $212,000 and neurosurgeons and cardiovascular surgeons make more than that. A $212,000 salary would be around $105/hr, which sounds about right. The huge salary is what attracts so many people to go to med school, instead of to some college to get a diploma to become a MLT.

[funzone36]

Overhead costs, taxes and long hours could account for why their hourly wages are lower. Paying back debt probably wasn't considered. I guess you could contact jobfutures for more details.


Heavy analysis of their salaries reveals disturbing information. Too bad it's something that more than 90% of non-physicians don't realize.


Also, med technologists are #16 best jobs in the world according to Jobs Rated Almanac: http://www.aktuerya.hacettepe.edu.tr/web_english/mes.htm

It's also higher than biologist which used to be #1 in 2002.

[SHEEEEP]

Overhead costs, taxes and long hours could account for why their hourly wages are lower. Paying back debt probably wasn't considered. I guess you could contact jobfutures for more details.


Heavy analysis of their salaries reveals disturbing information. Too bad it's something that more than 90% of non-physicians don't realize.


Also, med technologists are #16 best jobs in the world according to Jobs Rated Almanac: http://www.aktuerya.hacettepe.edu.tr/web_english/mes.htm

It's also higher than biologist which used to be #1 in 2002.

You're right, I never actually thought about the overhead, although I was aware that they would have to pay off their student loans and that they were taxed heavily, but it's still hard to believe that they make less than $30/hr. I would've expected at least $45-50/hr. Perhaps this depends on things like years of experience and location of practice. I'm sure that is the case with a lot of the data on jobfutures, as they indicate that MLTs make at most $24.90/hr, which is definitely not the case where I am (and probably not the case in many other provinces), where the most an MLT could potentially earn is around $40/hr (it's at least $27/hr here). Payscale doesn't seem to be a good source either, since their data comes from such small samples. Although I have interacted with a lot of physicians and pathologists, I've never had the guts to ask them about their salary. Maybe someday when I'm working, I'll be able to ask someone for more information.

I agree that MLT is a great occupation to choose (but then again, I am pretty biased). Unfortunately, most people aren't even aware of the role of the medical laboratory in healthcare. Let's just say that in my program, if you satisfy the requirements for admission, you are pretty much in... it's not very competitive. There is definitely a lack of understanding of how rewarding this career actually is and therefore, lack of interest in going into a program like this.

[funzone36]

You're right, I never actually thought about the overhead, although I was aware that they would have to pay off their student loans and that they were taxed heavily, but it's still hard to believe that they make less than $30/hr. I would've expected at least $45-50/hr. Perhaps this depends on things like years of experience and location of practice. I'm sure that is the case with a lot of the data on jobfutures, as they indicate that MLTs make at most $24.90/hr, which is definitely not the case where I am (and probably not the case in many other provinces), where the most an MLT could potentially earn is around $40/hr (it's at least $27/hr here). Payscale doesn't seem to be a good source either, since their data comes from such small samples. Although I have interacted with a lot of physicians and pathologists, I've never had the guts to ask them about their salary. Maybe someday when I'm working, I'll be able to ask someone for more information.

I agree that MLT is a great occupation to choose (but then again, I am pretty biased). Unfortunately, most people aren't even aware of the role of the medical laboratory in healthcare. Let's just say that in my program, if you satisfy the requirements for admission, you are pretty much in... it's not very competitive. There is definitely a lack of understanding of how rewarding this career actually is and therefore, lack of interest in going into a program like this.

Actually, jobfutures list the median hourly wage, not the maximum. So, you're going to have one or two standard deviations from the norm when analysing the extremes in work experience.

[bestknightmare]

Overhead costs, taxes and long hours could account for why their hourly wages are lower. Paying back debt probably wasn't considered. I guess you could contact jobfutures for more details.


Heavy analysis of their salaries reveals disturbing information. Too bad it's something that more than 90% of non-physicians don't realize.



really? wow.... but they still make amazing heck of good income. how can it be at $25? they carried the decimal correctly?

any source to show net income for physcians?

[funzone36]

how can it be at $25? they carried the decimal correctly?


lol, why are you asking me? I didn't compute the data. Gross hourly wages are indeed many times higher so it was just obvious for me to assume they were net disposable income. The variables are probably endless though. Insurance, lawsuits, everything.


Also, how many people on RFD went into Michener's MLS straight out of high school?

[Mykester]

I applied to the UOIT program, primarily as a back up. I believe having both a degree and diploma allows for faster advancement into senior and supervisor positions. I've done quite a bit of research on this career path, workopolis ads state wages between 27-34 $/hr, and it shoots up alot more in Alberta, almost $41 which is around the wage a pharmacist earns here. And when I said back up, I don't want to sound like some prick who doesn't give a damn and wants to get in, I mean my first priority is to pursue a BSc in Biology since I love it, and that opens up alot of opportunities when pursuing grad school. And I can always apply to Michener after receiving my degree if I'm still interested.

[danny411]

anyone got any advise \?

im attending bcit med lab now.

were in class 25 hours a week. you dl handouts. and they go over them in class. Some just summarize the content of the book.

specimen procurement=drawing blood
integrated. labs ie. pipetting
micro=hard given your time limitations
self=easy
comm=is ok. emphasis on groups
ap=way easier than kwantlen. no labs. we do group work in the seminar. no skeletons and stuff. no figuring out the content
immuniology=not bad. innate and adaptive.


its a pretty heavy schedule. I can\t say its harder than university though. Just to compare criminology requires you to read 50 pages a week. At bcit we do some of the readings in class and some courses have readings from a text. The material isn;t as challenging as university.

labs start on monday. Were doing cultures and grams in micro. Anyone got advise for micro. its my hardest course.

integrated on tues. pipetting and dilution and using a analytical balance properly. any advise ?

lowsy part is the group speeches we have to do.

Micro looks like my toughest course.

[SHEEEEP]

I applied to the UOIT program, primarily as a back up. I believe having both a degree and diploma allows for faster advancement into senior and supervisor positions. I've done quite a bit of research on this career path, workopolis ads state wages between 27-34 $/hr, and it shoots up alot more in Alberta, almost $41 which is around the wage a pharmacist earns here. And when I said back up, I don't want to sound like some prick who doesn't give a damn and wants to get in, I mean my first priority is to pursue a BSc in Biology since I love it, and that opens up alot of opportunities when pursuing grad school. And I can always apply to Michener after receiving my degree if I'm still interested.

The wage is actually around the same in Alberta. The most I've seen, which is at Calgary Lab Services, is $29.42/hr starting for an MLT I, which I guess is a little more and it does add up. You can check out their site at http://www.calgarylabservices.com/AboutCLS/Careers/ if you want to take a look at the jobs. It changes every week so you might be able to check the wages of other positions if they come up.

[SHEEEEP]

anyone got any advise \?

im attending bcit med lab now.

were in class 25 hours a week. you dl handouts. and they go over them in class. Some just summarize the content of the book.

specimen procurement=drawing blood
integrated. labs ie. pipetting
micro=hard given your time limitations
self=easy
comm=is ok. emphasis on groups
ap=way easier than kwantlen. no labs. we do group work in the seminar. no skeletons and stuff. no figuring out the content
immuniology=not bad. innate and adaptive.


its a pretty heavy schedule. I can\t say its harder than university though. Just to compare criminology requires you to read 50 pages a week. At bcit we do some of the readings in class and some courses have readings from a text. The material isn;t as challenging as university.

labs start on monday. Were doing cultures and grams in micro. Anyone got advise for micro. its my hardest course.

integrated on tues. pipetting and dilution and using a analytical balance properly. any advise ?

lowsy part is the group speeches we have to do.

Micro looks like my toughest course.

It looks like you are just starting to skim the surface of laboratory medicine haha. For me and my classmates, micro was the hardest initially, but we all came out liking it after clinicals. I think it has to do with practice - the more you see the bugs, the more familiar you are with them. At the same time, you're also practicing the tests that you have to do to identify them. Since you just started, it's probably just overwhelming because everything looks the same to you, but just be patient and work hard at it. They probably don't expect you to get it right away anyways and your classmates are all in the same boat.

[nuberific]

Has anyone received an email from Michener about a Statement of Intent for MLT or RT? I'm just being a little bit antsy.

[Mykester]

Has anyone received an email from Michener about a Statement of Intent for MLT or RT? I'm just being a little bit antsy.

I got an offer from the UOIT program if it makes you feel any better.

[nalababe]

It looks like you are just starting to skim the surface of laboratory medicine haha. For me and my classmates, micro was the hardest initially, but we all came out liking it after clinicals. I think it has to do with practice - the more you see the bugs, the more familiar you are with them. At the same time, you're also practicing the tests that you have to do to identify them. Since you just started, it's probably just overwhelming because everything looks the same to you, but just be patient and work hard at it. They probably don't expect you to get it right away anyways and your classmates are all in the same boat.

Of course, there is far more automation in Micro then there once was...

UTI's and quick screening can be performed by an analyzer like the UF1000i or AUWi.

ID and Susceptability can be performed using instruments like Vitek2 or Microscan WA, Pheonix systems.

Sure you may have to do some work manually...but not nearly as much as before.

[JaneSmith]

Of course, there is far more automation in Micro then there once was...

UTI's and quick screening can be performed by an analyzer like the UF1000i or AUWi.

ID and Susceptability can be performed using instruments like Vitek2 or Microscan WA, Pheonix systems.

Sure you may have to do some work manually...but not nearly as much as before.


The manual work now comes from fixing all those machines when they break down....

[BrokenDoll]

So is there anyone like me, who is kinda freakin out a bit about the upcoming MMI? I've never been through a process like this before, so I think its the fear of the unknown thats getting to me right now :lol:


Anyone care to pass along any tidbits of advice?

[BrokenDoll]

bumpin' up..

Cant be the only one wondering this stuff :)

[intouch]

I have just recently applied to the medical lab science program at bcit. I have a BSc already and I was just wondering how hard it is to get in? You guys have been mentioning that a lot of people in the michener program have degrees already... is this true at bcit?

[BrokenDoll]

I'm not sure..but I would say its definitely an advantage.


Well I guess no one is around this thread anymore :lol: I think I've been stressing myself out way too much about this..gotta find a way to just relax.

I'm actually really hoping for genetics technology, MLT is my second. Atleast its just one interview though. :) :lol:

[intouch]

Ya, I applied to the genetics technology program but I didn't get in.. I didn't have many genetics courses though (only one), but I figured I would try anyway. I graduated from high school in 2005, so im worried about my physics 11 credit being six years old (because of that 5 year recency rule). But I have university physics, so hopefully it should count. Im not sure how they go about assessing things like that, but you would think that a biology degree with all those courses like chem and math ect would be better than high school.. im stressing though!!

[JaneSmith]

I got into Michener 10 years out of highschool. I still sent in my highschool transcript, but I also sent in my Uni transcript and I'm sure that's what they looked at. Honestly, they never accept anyone with just highschool, so that's pretty much just a way to weed out some applicants...then they look at your uni marks. They're also big on experience and of course the MMIs

[intouch]

OK, that makes me feel a bit better, but I'm applying to BCIT.. and they sent me a brief letter to 'remind me of the 5 year recency rule'.. They do say that if you are past 5 years, they will assess on an individual basis, so im hoping that going through university to get a degree will be good enough to be considered. It would be weird to have to redo my high school classes!!

[thechampion116]

So is there anyone like me, who is kinda freakin out a bit about the upcoming MMI? I've never been through a process like this before, so I think its the fear of the unknown thats getting to me right now :lol:


Anyone care to pass along any tidbits of advice?

I did an MMI for pharmacy and I'll tell you that you will find it more enjoyable than a 1 on 1 interview.

I'm not allowed to disclose what when on in the interviews so that it doesn't help those who are trying to prepare for the pharmacy interviews occuring in May. Can't help the competition too much.

[nalababe]

The manual work now comes from fixing all those machines when they break down....

Some yes, some no....there are instruments that have MTF's that number in the 100's of days...others 10...depends on many factors.

Actually the greatest challenge is the IT side.

[JaneSmith]

intouch: I don't think michener has that 5 year rule, but I'm 100% sure that BCIT won't care about your highschool marks if you have a degree. Anyone with a degree is going to be at least 4 year out of highschool to begin with! Good luck getting into the program! I really enjoyed it, and there seems to be a lot of jobs out your way.

For the person asking about the MMI's, there's some sample scenarios on the michener website

[BrokenDoll]

I did an MMI for pharmacy and I'll tell you that you will find it more enjoyable than a 1 on 1 interview.

oh I certainly hope so :) 1 on 1 interviews kinda suck sometimes.



Anyways, Ive had a look at those scenarios..and read the papers. I've also read alot of other ones on medicine interview forums and whatnot.

I just have small panic moments where I think I dont know enough about something, or I'm not as "up to date" in the current events as I think I should be. I've also heard of other "acting" scenarios that kinda make me freak out. My main fear is that I'll freeze up and not be able to say anything really coherent. I've had that happen to me before :lol:

[JaneSmith]

I've been in the school while the MMIs have been going on, and it seems like a fairly relaxed/fun thing. Well, maybe that's pushing it a bit, but it didn't seem horrible :)
I think the scenarios are all pretty basic. They just want to assess basic personality skills. I know one of the scenarios is an irate patient who has been waiting for a long time and he's mad and yelling...you just have to remain calm with him and be sympathic, etc. The big thing with all the scenarios is remembering that it's not about being able to solve them necessarily, but how you handle/deal with them.
Don't worry, you'll do great! Let us know how they go!

[bebit]

BrokenDoll, when is your interview? Mines on Friday.

[BrokenDoll]

when is your interview? Mines on Friday

Mines Thursday :) Good luck with yours :)

I wonder how many invites were sent out


I think the scenarios are all pretty basic. They just want to assess basic personality skills. I know one of the scenarios is an irate patient who has been waiting for a long time and he's mad and yelling...you just have to remain calm with him and be sympathic, etc. The big thing with all the scenarios is remembering that it's not about being able to solve them necessarily, but how you handle/deal with them.

Yeesh. Hope I handle something along those lines alright. :lol:


and it seems like a fairly relaxed/fun thing. Well, maybe that's pushing it a bit, but it didn't seem horrible
Thats great to hear though :lol: So you didnt see anyone running from a room bawling their eyes out or anything? Very good news :lol:

[mmwc02]

Good luck to those doing the Michener interviews this week!! I have my michener interview tomorrow *crosses fingers*
I've been having butterflies in my stomach all week because of the built up anxiety ><

[happy221]

I'm looking at applying to the med lab tech program next year and I'm just curious--how do they they conduct the interview if you live out of province? I'm in Atlantic canada. By phone?

[JaneSmith]

I'm looking at applying to the med lab tech program next year and I'm just curious--how do they they conduct the interview if you live out of province? I'm in Atlantic canada. By phone?

You have to go to the school for the interviews

[BrokenDoll]

I have my michener interview tomorrow *crosses fingers*

Good luck! :)



I'm looking at applying to the med lab tech program next year and I'm just curious--how do they they conduct the interview if you live out of province? I'm in Atlantic canada. By phone?


Yeah, like it was said you have to go up to Toronto for the interview. Which is what I'm doing.


I wonder if they'll offer tours of the Institute or whatnot after the interview? I have a few hours after the interview, I was thinking of taking a look around. I know they hold Meet me at Michener events, but I couldnt exactly attend those..

[bebit]

What are you suppose to wear to the interviews? It's not like its a job interview where you have to wear a suit.

[JaneSmith]

Brokendoll: You should definitely look around, although they don't have tours on that day. If you're interested you can PM me, and I can tell you where to go and what to look at that might be of interest to you

Bebit: I would say that it's appropriate to dress up for the interview, but you don't need to go as far as a suit or anything like that. I just wouldn't wear jeans. You want to look professional

[BrokenDoll]

Yeah, I'm not dressing up too much. Just a nice pair of black dress pants and a nice blouse. Nothing too fancy, nothing too casual :) :lol:

[happy221]

Thanks for the reply--I guess I'll have to make a trip.

I'm also curious about what grades are competitive for the med lab tech program. I am finishing up a BSc in biology next year with less than great marks (68% average), however my high school marks were better (~84%), and I am redoing introductory chem, bio, and math this year to try to increase that average (I called admissions and they said first year university courses can be used over high school marks if they are higher).

What kinds of stats do people that get in tend to have?

[mmwc02]

Just did my interview at Michener's yesterday, now comes the hard part: waiting for a reply :S

To all those doing their interviews this week, good luck! It wasn't as bad as I imagined it haha some of the scenarios were actually kind of fun to discuss :)

I actually found it sort of surprising that there were very few MLT interviewees in my group; the ones I spoke to were mostly in ultrasound, cytology or genetics. I wonder how many MLT applicants actually get an interview, does anyone know?

[BrokenDoll]

I had mine yesterday (Thursday)

I talked to quite a few who had MedLab, and not many who had genetics. So its different..I guess it just depends on what day you signed up for. And it goes till Sat..so..

Anyhoo..it was...different...some of the stations had me go WTF? And some I think I did pretty good on. Its really hard to guage how you did, I think. There was one station I completely sucked at :lol: I wasn't expecting that kind of station, to be honest. And yeah..best not to dwell on it :lol: And there was another one where after I left I couldnt stop thinking WHY did you say that?! :lol:

But..the good thing is all the people were nice and very friendly, and really made the experience a bit more enjoyable :lol:

I will say I was extremely happy I took some water with me..:lol: I needed it :)

And now I wait...with my fingers crossed..:lol:

[kasianman]

I had mine yesterday (Thursday)

I talked to quite a few who had MedLab, and not many who had genetics. So its different..I guess it just depends on what day you signed up for. And it goes till Sat..so..

Anyhoo..it was...different...some of the stations had me go WTF? And some I think I did pretty good on. Its really hard to guage how you did, I think. There was one station I completely sucked at :lol: I wasn't expecting that kind of station, to be honest. And yeah..best not to dwell on it :lol: And there was another one where after I left I couldnt stop thinking WHY did you say that?! :lol:

But..the good thing is all the people were nice and very friendly, and really made the experience a bit more enjoyable :lol:

I will say I was extremely happy I took some water with me..:lol: I needed it :)

And now I wait...with my fingers crossed..:lol:

For those that were granted an interview, what's the percentage of the people who get accepted post-interview? (How many people were interviewed and how many accepted).

Thanks & Good luck.

[mmwc02]

[QUOTE=BrokenDoll;10746460]Anyhoo..it was...different...some of the stations had me go WTF?QUOTE]

Haha I had the same reaction for some as well. I remember looking around in what I could only imagine as a look of disbelief after reading some of the scenarios on the door before the time was up lol

@ Kasianman: I'd like to know that as well. It'd be nice to know my chances of getting in now that the interviews are over

[bebit]

I went on Thursday and in the second cycle there were about 50 people (4 colours, 8 stations 7/8 people per colour). From that you can assume that each cycle has 50 people and since there were 4 cycles a day and 7 days, 50 * 4* 7 = 1400 interviewees. I have a friend in her second year at Michener and she said there is about 50 people in her program. So I guess its 50 people per program from 1400 people. There are 23 programs offered at Michener so 23 * 50 = 1150. Therefore around 1150 out of 1400 applicants are accepted. :D

[anhdo]

I went on Wednesday morning, and it has only 28 people with 3 colours. So I don't think it has the same people everyday. Also, each program offers the different number of students.

[kasianman]

I went on Thursday and in the second cycle there were about 50 people (4 colours, 8 stations 7/8 people per colour). From that you can assume that each cycle has 50 people and since there were 4 cycles a day and 7 days, 50 * 4* 7 = 1400 interviewees. I have a friend in her second year at Michener and she said there is about 50 people in her program. So I guess its 50 people per program from 1400 people. There are 23 programs offered at Michener so 23 * 50 = 1150. Therefore around 1150 out of 1400 applicants are accepted. :D

That's like 82% acceptance rate post-interview. lol

I guess most people who is granted an interview is pretty much guaranteed an acceptance.

[JaneSmith]

I went on Thursday and in the second cycle there were about 50 people (4 colours, 8 stations 7/8 people per colour). From that you can assume that each cycle has 50 people and since there were 4 cycles a day and 7 days, 50 * 4* 7 = 1400 interviewees. I have a friend in her second year at Michener and she said there is about 50 people in her program. So I guess its 50 people per program from 1400 people. There are 23 programs offered at Michener so 23 * 50 = 1150. Therefore around 1150 out of 1400 applicants are accepted. :D


There are only SIX main fulltime programs at Michener, and those are the programs that the MMI are for. All the other programs are distance ed, continuing ed, part time studies, etc (like ultrasound, sleep medicine, diabetes instructor)
There are roughly 50 people per program...so....300 people out of 1400 = 20%which is actually erring on the high side of things. When I did med lab, 600 people applied to the program and 55 were accepted, which is 10% acceptance rate. Sorry to burst your bubble!

[anhdo]

That's like 82% acceptance rate post-interview. lol

I guess most people who is granted an interview is pretty much guaranteed an acceptance.

Not really. Last year I failed and my waiting list number was 62 :cry:

[JaneSmith]

I just checked, and there are actually 7 programs, not 6

[BrokenDoll]

We only had three colours, and about 28 people in our session...


I would imagine afternoon sessions would have more, if people were trying to drive, ect.. to Toronto..they probably wouldnt want it first thing in the morning.

[mmwc02]

There are only SIX main fulltime programs at Michener, and those are the programs that the MMI are for. All the other programs are distance ed, continuing ed, part time studies, etc (like ultrasound, sleep medicine, diabetes instructor)
There are roughly 50 people per program...so....300 people out of 1400 = 20%which is actually erring on the high side of things. When I did med lab, 600 people applied to the program and 55 were accepted, which is 10% acceptance rate. Sorry to burst your bubble!

That's 20% for all the programs together, but what about JUST Medlab? I'm wondering whether the ratio between interviewees and acceptances might be different between programs as different programs take in different numbers of people.

Haha I know I'm being really anal-y specific, but the waiting is killing me, I'm sure a lot of you guys can relate :P

[kasianman]

according to my friend who has done his MMI there, you will know the result within one week.

[JaneSmith]

That's 20% for all the programs together, but what about JUST Medlab? I'm wondering whether the ratio between interviewees and acceptances might be different between programs as different programs take in different numbers of people.

Haha I know I'm being really anal-y specific, but the waiting is killing me, I'm sure a lot of you guys can relate :P

Like I said, when I started the program in 1997 there were over 600 applicants and our class was a little less than 60 people. That's less than 10% who made it. In 1997 they didn't have the MMIs for med lab though, so our acceptance was based soley on our marks, our experience, and our essay.

[BrokenDoll]

I would say MedLab had the most applicants of all the programs..how many they asked for the MMI I dont know.



Yeah, Mon-Wed is the first round of acceptances..after that is whether you are on a waitlist..so it happens quite fast, considering they only wrapped up today.

[BrokenDoll]

:lol: Well atleast we know now, thanks to the email they sent today


We interviewed approximately 4 applicants for every seat in Medical Laboratory Science and Respiratory Science and 3 applicants for every seat in each of our other programs.

[JaneSmith]

:lol: Well atleast we know now, thanks to the email they sent today

25% chance....not good :( but not as bad as it's been in the past :)
Keep us posted!!!

[thechampion116]

I just got acceptance into Medical laboratory sciences but have already accepted an offer for Clinical Research Associate at Humber College which is a postgrad certificate rather than an advanced diploma. Also, one lasts a year + internship and this lasts 2.5 years + internship.

I still don't know if I should switch. I feel that I'll get in again next year if I choose to apply after getting the postgrad certificate.

The Humber deadline past so I accepted it but this one is May 19 and I'm still waiting for UofT pharmacy. AHHHHHH, give me more time people.

Surprisingly my completely ignorant attitude towards the MMI got me through. Many people were sweating and definitely nervous going into the MMI. I merely remembered to go the day of but MMI's are so much more fun than panel interviews. I still wish we could discuss the questions in the MMI, some were very intriguing.

I remember one of the survey questions asking if we looked at the example questions online. I had the most confused look as to what they were referring too and the people sitting around immediately looked at me like this guy failed.

Just a quick question: what email did people receive before to find out about the interview and acceptance percentages.

[mmwc02]

I just got acceptance into Medical laboratory sciences but have already accepted an offer for Clinical Research Associate at Humber College which is a postgrad certificate rather than an advanced diploma. Also, one lasts a year + internship and this lasts 2.5 years + internship.

I still don't know if I should switch. I feel that I'll get in again next year if I choose to apply after getting the postgrad certificate.

The Humber deadline past so I accepted it but this one is May 19 and I'm still waiting for UofT pharmacy. AHHHHHH, give me more time people.

Surprisingly my completely ignorant attitude towards the MMI got me through. Many people were sweating and definitely nervous going into the MMI. I merely remembered to go the day of but MMI's are so much more fun than panel interviews. I still wish we could discuss the questions in the MMI, some were very intriguing.

I remember one of the survey questions asking if we looked at the example questions online. I had the most confused look as to what they were referring too and the people sitting around immediately looked at me like this guy failed.

Just a quick question: what email did people receive before to find out about the interview and acceptance percentages.

Congratulations! I just got my acceptance too :D It's now more of a relief lol

They sent out an email I think on Monday letting us know that they would be sending out acceptances by the end of this week and about the FAQs people had after the interview. Perhaps it got lost in your junk mail folder? That happens to me a lot.

[BrokenDoll]

crap..

Well, I mean good for you guys! :lol: :) I still havent heard anything though :(

[thechampion116]

Congratulations! I just got my acceptance too :D It's now more of a relief lol

They sent out an email I think on Monday letting us know that they would be sending out acceptances by the end of this week and about the FAQs people had after the interview. Perhaps it got lost in your junk mail folder? That happens to me a lot.

i understand what you mean. At least there is an option now for you after because most people applying finished their BSc or BA.

I had the same feeling worrying about trying to get a full-time job in the overcrowded market. I'm still looking of course, but I may not join this program afterall. I still feel that I'm capable of getting into this program next year as well if I choose to apply. I have a feeling for most people, its the MMI that kills them. A lot of the people I had it with were nervous and at the end said they felt uncomfortable about some of the situations so that probably greatly affected how they thought out answers or responded. Its always best to stay calm. I generally read the situations twice within the 1min and thought about an answer for 1min and just let it go during the next 7 minutes. I can understand people being scared of only doing 5min which was what I aimed for in the process. You want succinct thoughts without blabbering.

[BrokenDoll]

Damnit..I got on the waitlist..Im one of the ones who screwed up the MMI, I know it. Cause my marks are great..and I definitely screwed up atleast 2 stations of the MMI.


It kinda sucks they dont even tell you your position on the waitlist though...especially for people like me who are out of province..

[domigirl]

I am wondering...does anyone know the deferral acceptance policy at Michener? Thanks :) Congrats to those who got admitted!! :)

[forgamez]

My GF got acceptance today for both Med Lab Tech. and Respiratory Therapy. So RT acceptances are out as well.

[JaneSmith]

I just got acceptance into Medical laboratory sciences but have already accepted an offer for Clinical Research Associate at Humber College which is a postgrad certificate rather than an advanced diploma. Also, one lasts a year + internship and this lasts 2.5 years + internship.

I still don't know if I should switch. I feel that I'll get in again next year if I choose to apply after getting the postgrad certificate.

The Humber deadline past so I accepted it but this one is May 19 and I'm still waiting for UofT pharmacy. AHHHHHH, give me more time people.

Surprisingly my completely ignorant attitude towards the MMI got me through. Many people were sweating and definitely nervous going into the MMI. I merely remembered to go the day of but MMI's are so much more fun than panel interviews. I still wish we could discuss the questions in the MMI, some were very intriguing.

I remember one of the survey questions asking if we looked at the example questions online. I had the most confused look as to what they were referring too and the people sitting around immediately looked at me like this guy failed.

Just a quick question: what email did people receive before to find out about the interview and acceptance percentages.

Just so you know, the michener program is 2.5 years including the clinical rotations, not 2.5 years plus rotations.

[JaneSmith]

Damnit..I got on the waitlist..Im one of the ones who screwed up the MMI, I know it. Cause my marks are great..and I definitely screwed up atleast 2 stations of the MMI.


It kinda sucks they dont even tell you your position on the waitlist though...especially for people like me who are out of province..

Congratulations! Don't worry...the waitlist moves pretty fast!

[mmwc02]

i understand what you mean. At least there is an option now for you after because most people applying finished their BSc or BA.

I had the same feeling worrying about trying to get a full-time job in the overcrowded market. I'm still looking of course, but I may not join this program afterall. I still feel that I'm capable of getting into this program next year as well if I choose to apply. I have a feeling for most people, its the MMI that kills them. A lot of the people I had it with were nervous and at the end said they felt uncomfortable about some of the situations so that probably greatly affected how they thought out answers or responded. Its always best to stay calm. I generally read the situations twice within the 1min and thought about an answer for 1min and just let it go during the next 7 minutes. I can understand people being scared of only doing 5min which was what I aimed for in the process. You want succinct thoughts without blabbering.

I'm one of those that finished a BSc. I think my last resort was to do a second bachelors (A big time downer haha) in two years, and then reapply to graduate and professional schools. I am still contemplating it, but at the same time I've got to be realistic. MLT is a great program and I am ecstatic to have gotten accepted :)

I have a habit of smiling excessively and laughing when I'm stressed or anxious. Maybe that helped during the MMI hahaha I just know my marks weren't stellar, having read the forum and had an idea what the marks were (I think someone had mentioned the average for acceptance was 82%?)

Concerning that diploma in Humber, is it strictly clinical research? How's the job prospects?

[lilianc]

Hi, I'm so happy that I found this forum! just wonder if anyone can share some ideas on which program to choose, I got offers from both ultrasound and diagnostic cytotechnology....I'm an IMG with lab research background BTW, so I felt cyto fits me better, but I can't find any job posting in that field at all on workopolis, this scared me quite a bit. In the mean time, more jobs are available in ultrasound? Did i search a wrong place? Does anyone know anything about the job market in those fields? And what about the entry salaries respectively? Any suggestion/opinion would be helpful. Thanks a lot.

[nemes99]

i m on the waitlist too! does anyone know how many ppl michener puts on the waitlist for the medical lab science program? like what are the chances of getting in?
soo bummmed :-(

[BrokenDoll]

Congratulations! Don't worry...the waitlist moves pretty fast!

I hope so. :lol:


I seriously don't understand why they wont tell you your position on the waitlist though, it seems very strange that they dont.


It would greatly help me out if you guys that got accepted, decline the offer, ok? ;) :lol: Thanks a bunch, in advanced ;) :lol:

[llb136]

I wonder how fast the waitlist really moves. I guess since alot of people have more than one program of choice things can change really fast so fingers crossed!

[chonguk2000]

check this out about admission stats

http://www.saco.on.ca/documents/college-dialogue-handout-michener.pdf

Those ppl on waitlist, don't worry. There is a fair chance of getting accepted once you are on the waitlist. Waitlist moves quickly because Michener applicants usually apply to many different programs across Ontario. Waitlist moves until the last week of Aug, I heard.

Good luck.

[BrokenDoll]

i m on the waitlist too! does anyone know how many ppl michener puts on the waitlist for the medical lab science program? like what are the chances of getting in?


I wonder the same thing, they dont give any information as to how many people they even put on a waitlist.... arrrgg.. Its just fustrating is all :lol: I have no idea why they wont tell you your position either, it makes no sense. I'd feel a bit better knowing where I stood on that list.

I'm on the waitlist for genetics technology too, which I was expecting, especially since I didnt get MLT. My chances are even smaller for that one to make it in though. :(

[lilianc]

some older posts mentioned the required textbook in teamwork is not necessary to purchase, is that one called "looking out, looking in"? Can anyone clarify? Thanks.

[JaneSmith]

some older posts mentioned the required textbook in teamwork is not necessary to purchase, is that one called "looking out, looking in"? Can anyone clarify? Thanks.


You don't need to purchase any of the books for the interprofessional courses. I don't remember what they're all called, but that seems like it's probably one of them

[lilianc]

thanks, Jane. It's really nice hearing from you. How is the study? Have you started your clinical? I'm going to start this sept in ultrasound.....Thinking of giving up the other offer from Cytotech although I love pathology a lot. The job market for it seems to be small. Since I have struggled enough these couple of years in finding a job in molecular biology, I don't want to experience that pain again.

Do you know anything/anyone in the US program? Can you please share some info/ideas? How I wish there is a similar discussion group like this one for that program..

And best wishes to all other candidates on board. Hope everyone gets into their program of choice in the end!

[JaneSmith]

thanks, Jane. It's really nice hearing from you. How is the study? Have you started your clinical? I'm going to start this sept in ultrasound.....Thinking of giving up the other offer from Cytotech although I love pathology a lot. The job market for it seems to be small. Since I have struggled enough these couple of years in finding a job in molecular biology, I don't want to experience that pain again.

Do you know anything/anyone in the US program? Can you please share some info/ideas? How I wish there is a similar discussion group like this one for that program..

And best wishes to all other candidates on board. Hope everyone gets into their program of choice in the end!

Hey lilianc, congratulations on getting into both programs!!!! It would be a shame to give up cyto cause I know that is such a hard program to get into, but you are right...there seems to be more of a market for ultrasound.
I'm finished the med lab program now, and I wrote the csmls licensing exam in February. I am currently working in the field and loving it.
I'm sorry I really don't know anything about the other programs, nor do i know anyone in them.

[Ramchini]

Hey all, I've been following this thread very closely even though it doesn't relate to the rad tech field for which I applied for.

I tried to start a thread on the MRS program and Im relieved to say that I have gotten a final offer for rad tech!

That whole " best candidates in the first week of may" freaked me out because I didn't know if that applied to MRS as well as the programs which had MMI. Anyway I appreciate all the info on this thread as well as the tips I got from another about interview questions (one of the questions was almost identical!!):twisted:

[lilianc]

Thanks Jane, and congratulations to you too. It must be very different working comparing to the life in school....Did you find your job through your clinical placement?

I know, I felt bad that I have to turn down cyto, I love it. However, making a career change in one's 30's is not easy, so I need a program that can definitely bring me a job. I worked as a scientist in genomics/molecular biology in the past 10 years, but can't even find a entry level tech's position after this economic downturn. I need a job to pay the bills, as simple as that....One thing I learned is the more specific one's field of study is, the less job opportunities exist.


Hey lilianc, congratulations on getting into both programs!!!! It would be a shame to give up cyto cause I know that is such a hard program to get into, but you are right...there seems to be more of a market for ultrasound.
I'm finished the med lab program now, and I wrote the csmls licensing exam in February. I am currently working in the field and loving it.
I'm sorry I really don't know anything about the other programs, nor do i know anyone in them.

[JaneSmith]

Thanks Jane, and congratulations to you too. It must be very different working comparing to the life in school....Did you find your job through your clinical placement?

I know, I felt bad that I have to turn down cyto, I love it. However, making a career change in one's 30's is not easy, so I need a program that can definitely bring me a job. I worked as a scientist in genomics/molecular biology in the past 10 years, but can't even find a entry level tech's position after this economic downturn. I need a job to pay the bills, as simple as that....One thing I learned is the more specific one's field of study is, the less job opportunities exist..

I totally agree with you. Med lab was a career change for me as well, and it's never easy going back to school. I do think ultrasound is a great choice. In fact, there are two job openings in ultrasound at my hospital right now and i've seen others...so it's a smart choice. I did find my job through my placement, as did most of the students in my class who have jobs now (a lot still don't). No matter what you decide, you will enjoy your time at michener. It's a great place, and when it comes time to look for a job, there are lots of resources there for you

[lilianc]

WOW, you found a hospital job! I overheard that budgets for hospitals are quite tight this year, so many of them got hiring freeze. You're really lucky, and must be an outstanding student as well.

.

I totally agree with you. Med lab was a career change for me as well, and it's never easy going back to school. I do think ultrasound is a great choice. In fact, there are two job openings in ultrasound at my hospital right now and i've seen others...so it's a smart choice. I did find my job through my placement, as did most of the students in my class who have jobs now (a lot still don't). No matter what you decide, you will enjoy your time at michener. It's a great place, and when it comes time to look for a job, there are lots of resources there for you

[elleannie]

Hello! I was wondering if someone at michener could tell me how they like the school. I've been accepted to radiation therapy at both michener and mcmaster/mohawk. I don't know which school to pick and I only have a week :confused:

I hear theres less competition at mcmaster for clinical spots since there are more students at michener so everyone fights for toronto(?) Any advice? I really don't know which school to pick :cry:

[llb136]

mcmaster

[happy221]

For those of you who applied after doing an undergrad first or from out of province, what math course did you use for your average: calculus or an algebra&trig course? What topics are covered in grade 12 ontario math? I'm applying from Atlantic Canada& with a BSc in bio, so I'll be using my university math mark but I'm not sure which course will be in my 'required six' courses'.

[kayoko]

It's not specified which course they will use. All university, college and high school transcripts are submitted and I assume they just pick the highest scores from the applicable ones.

Information about Ontario's grade 12 math courses can be found here (http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/math.html).

[cyrene]

.

...I did find my job through my placement, as did most of the students in my class who have jobs now (a lot still don't)...

Hey Jane - what's your take on why a lot of your classmates still don't have a job? Oversupply in big cities or there just aren't that many positions? Thanks in advance.

[JaneSmith]

Hey Jane - what's your take on why a lot of your classmates still don't have a job? Oversupply in big cities or there just aren't that many positions? Thanks in advance.

cyrene,

It's definitely a case of oversupply in Toronto. In smaller areas it's a case of not much turnaround. The nice thing about being an MLT is that once you're in, you're in for life. The bad thing about being a NEW MLT is that people don't seem to leave the profession much (especially when most MLTs are unionized), so there's not tons of openings. Also, there have been a lot of cuts to hospital labs and healthcare in general over the last couple of years, so there isn't as much hiring going on; they're using a lot of casual and part-time employees instead of creating fulltime positions, etc.

The good news is that there do seem to be a lot of part-time/casual jobs out there, so you can at least get your foot in the door (and have access to internal postings). Also, the healthcare job market really seems to be cyclical...2 years ago everyone got jobs right away, this year not so much, two years from now there might be tons again.

There are lots of jobs if you are willing to go north or outside of Ontario. In fact those jobs come with a lot of incentives and a very high rate of pay...so if moving far away is an option for you, you have it made.

Now that it's been about 2 months since my class got our exam marks back, I'd say that a good 75% of us have jobs now. Most of them are part time, and most are in core labs, but a job is a job I guess!

[SHEEEEP]

Here's a recent article related to job demand for lab techs in Canada:
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Demand+techs+rising+nationally/3032463/story.html

[JaneSmith]

Here's a recent article related to job demand for lab techs in Canada:
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Demand+techs+rising+nationally/3032463/story.html

Good article! A lot of the jobs being offered around here (Ontario) are to re-locate to Alberta. It seems like there's a bigger boom out there than there is here right now. If I didn't get the job I have now, I probably would have headed out that way as I think Alberta would be great!

[lilianc]

Just wonder if anyone has OSAP application experience? Michener is not on the OSAP school list yet and won't be until mid June as the school counsulor mentioned, so I can't start my application now. However, July 15 is the deadline for tuition fee that I don't want to miss. So I'm thinking of taking a bank student loan now as backup but worried if this will have any negative effect on my OSAP application. For instance, will the government guys look at it and think that I already get enough funding available and then turn down my OSAP application?

OSAP is my preferred funding after all since it'll be interest free for a long time.

Thanks for your comments in advance.

[BrokenDoll]

Has anyone on the waitlists heard anything yet?

[SHEEEEP]

Good article! A lot of the jobs being offered around here (Ontario) are to re-locate to Alberta. It seems like there's a bigger boom out there than there is here right now. If I didn't get the job I have now, I probably would have headed out that way as I think Alberta would be great!

Unfortunately, it all just sounds good in the article. Right now, Alberta Health Services and Calgary Lab Services (which is actually a subsidiary of AHS) are undergoing hiring freezes and most positions are only open to candidates internal to AHS or CLS. This not only affects everyone in the lab field but also all other areas in the hospitals, including nurses. It's been going on for quite some time now and I'm surprised that they've been able to last this long without hiring anyone externally. A lot of students who are graduating from my program (a 4 year degree program) this year are having trouble with finding full-time positions. However, it seems like the students graduating from NAIT, the 2 year diploma program, aren't having any trouble with finding jobs and are getting tons of job offers. Not really sure what's going on with that but it sure is frustrating!

[cyrene]

Thanks Jane and Sheeeep for your insights about job situation. Hopefully the hiring market will be sunnier in a couple years when I get certified! The staff in school ALWAYS say there are lots of job, don't worry ,etc; but hey, I've done another post-secondary program before and heard the same thing - but it's all air :( Although I must say part-time at MLT wages would still bring home more bacon than my last job annual salary working full-time :) Thanks again!

[mmwc02]

Just wonder if anyone has OSAP application experience? Michener is not on the OSAP school list yet and won't be until mid June as the school counsulor mentioned, so I can't start my application now. However, July 15 is the deadline for tuition fee that I don't want to miss. So I'm thinking of taking a bank student loan now as backup but worried if this will have any negative effect on my OSAP application. For instance, will the government guys look at it and think that I already get enough funding available and then turn down my OSAP application?

OSAP is my preferred funding after all since it'll be interest free for a long time.

Thanks for your comments in advance.

This might be a little be late but I emailed them and this is what they said:

Michener program applications will be available on OSAP web site by end of this week. You will be able to enter your application then. Once you submit your application, please send your signature pages along with any supporting documents to my attention. Information on fee payment, invoice and OSAP fee deferral is being mailed this week. You will have this soon.


I forget where I read this, but i think there's a deferral fee as well....$75? I need to find out where the source I read that from.

[lilianc]

End of the week? That's good news. Thanks a lot for digging this out 'cause I was thinking of filing a paper application just to rush it up. Now I'll just relax and wait.

Yeah, there seemed to be a deferral fee of $75, search "deferral" in this thread:razz: Hopefully we still have this option this year.

This might be a little be late but I emailed them and this is what they said:

Michener program applications will be available on OSAP web site by end of this week. You will be able to enter your application then. Once you submit your application, please send your signature pages along with any supporting documents to my attention. Information on fee payment, invoice and OSAP fee deferral is being mailed this week. You will have this soon.


I forget where I read this, but i think there's a deferral fee as well....$75? I need to find out where the source I read that from.

[mmwc02]

No problem, I was sort of freaking out as well haha.
I'm not as worried about the deferral as the lady who wrote back had mentioned that the package we're going to receive has information on deferrals.
Its weird but we're going to be seeing each other in September haha :)

[lilianc]

well I just got the expected mail..It only had 3 pages, all about tuition payment but very simple and confusing indeed.

Yeah, there is a $75 deferral fee, but there is no details on how this is supposed to work out, especially on a 3 term/year program like mine....I was expecting to defer half fees to September and half to Janurary as those two date were mentioned in some previous posts, but according to the letter I have, "if you wish to pay in instalments, please ensure that all of the Fall 2010 charges as well as $75 are paid by the due date (july15)." So I guess I'll have to pay 1/3 fee+$75 in July, the rest in September when OSAP funding available? or 1/3 in september, 1/3 in January?

BTW, the online OSAP application is still not up for Michener students yet, just tried...

[lilianc]

hi, guys, just so you know the online list now includes Michener, but you have to use the search function

[mmwc02]

Hey Jane, just out of curiousity, and if you don't mind my asking, what is the starting salary they're giving you for a new MLT at the hospital? I'm reading a lot of discrepancies throughout this thread and I'm thinking its more reliable asking someone who's already doing it haha :)

Thanks!

[JaneSmith]

Hey Jane, just out of curiousity, and if you don't mind my asking, what is the starting salary they're giving you for a new MLT at the hospital? I'm reading a lot of discrepancies throughout this thread and I'm thinking its more reliable asking someone who's already doing it haha :)

Thanks!

I've been working for 2 months and i make 28.54/h plus full benefits, 3 weeks vacation, a pension plan (hospital contributes 126% of what i put in), and 18 paid sick days/year. Not too bad I don't think.

Most of my friends make the same amount, but benefits vary widely depending on where you work and if you're unionized or not (I'm not).

[Big Brother]

Jane, how much is a regular bench tech's salary after say.... 10 years of experience? Is there a maximum cap for wage for regular techs?

In BC, normal lab tech grade 1 in hospitals starts off at $26.25 to a maximum of $32.73 after 6 years. Private labs in bc get paid slightly less (about 50 cents difference).

I am also very curious to the wages in other provinces.

[JaneSmith]

Jane, how much is a regular bench tech's salary after say.... 10 years of experience? Is there a maximum cap for wage for regular techs?

In BC, normal lab tech grade 1 in hospitals starts off at $26.25 to a maximum of $32.73 after 6 years. Private labs in bc get paid slightly less (about 50 cents difference).

I am also very curious to the wages in other provinces.

When I applied for my job, the posting listed the wage as 28.54-36.xx, so I assume that in Ontario the cap for a regular bench tech is around 36. Like you mentioned, the wage for private labs is less, but I have no idea what the scale is for that.
When i was searching for a job, I got a pretty good idea of the rates amongst the provinces...in PEI (and I assume it's similar for the rest of the maritime provinces), the wage is about $22 to start, and goes to about $28. BC, Ontario and Alberta seem to be similar, and surprisingly, Manitoba and Sask have very high wages...however most of the jobs are in remote northern locations so they have to lure people there with high rates of pay.

I was also surprised to learn that technicians make around $24 in my hospital. I could have just done a one year college program instead of university/college and made almost the same! However, there is less room to move up over time as a technician, so I console myself with that.

[Big Brother]

Thanks for the info Jane. Glad to know Manitoba and Saskatchewan are in demand. If I ever get laid off, I dont need to go to Saudi anymore :)

A lot of my tech classmates once contemplate about being technicians. It is very good money but over the long run, techs make $10 more per hour. Quite significant investment to continue school for an extra year or 2 to finish the program.

[lilianc]

jane, may I ask why some people in the hospital are unionized while some are not? I used to think all fulltime tech staff in the hospitals are unionized...Is it true that when you get senior enough, you'll get an unionized position? Thanks

[JaneSmith]

jane, may I ask why some people in the hospital are unionized while some are not? I used to think all fulltime tech staff in the hospitals are unionized...Is it true that when you get senior enough, you'll get an unionized position? Thanks

Honestly, I really don't know. I was always under the impression that technologists were unionized as a profession. At the hospital i am at, no technologists are unionized...this includes bench techs right on up the ladder to senior techs and lab managers. However other allied healthcare workers are. At the hospitals in the downtown core, all technologists are unionized it seems.
It has nothing to do with the level of your job, I believe it's just a hospital administration thing.
One nice thing about not being unionized....we have all the benefits of a union (in terms of rate of pay, holidays, etc) without the union dues. This is because non-unionized hospitals are under pressure to conform with the standards of unionized hospitals, or they will lose their employees. It's actually a good situation to be in.

[MagikTek]

Is it even possible to be considered at Michener based on College grades rather than High School grades?

My High School grades were pitiful (lazyness) but my College grades from my Chemical Engineering Technology program was a 3.8 GPA with honors.

[JaneSmith]

Is it even possible to be considered at Michener based on College grades rather than High School grades?

My High School grades were pitiful (lazyness) but my College grades from my Chemical Engineering Technology program was a 3.8 GPA with honors.

Yes definitely. Here's the scoop on that...Basically, Michener says that the program is open to highschool graduates. However, NOBODY in my year or the year before or I believe the year after me was straight out of highschool. Everyone had a university degree. Some even had masters. One person in my class was a doctor. Michener gets funding based on the fact that it is open to highschool graduates, but they don't accept anyone who is. In fact this year they made the open house at weird hours in order to discourage highschools from coming through. So when you apply, highschool is just a baseline for considering you. As long as you have the basic highschool courses required they will continue to look at your application and what else you have to offer. Obviously your good college grades will trump your crummy highschool grades, so I wouldn't worry too much if I were you.

PS: This stuff I'm saying is all based on what i've heard from various sources throughout my years there. I don't want to be putting anything out there as fact when I could be wrong, but it is a fact that there were no highschool only students in my class.

[MagikTek]

As long as you have the basic highschool courses required they will continue to look at your application and what else you have to offer.

And there in lies my biggest hurdle. From what I can remember, the only high school courses that I completed that fit into Michener's admission requirements would probably be OAC English and OAC Chem.

I would assume it would be in my best interest to do some sort of upgrading course?

[JaneSmith]

And there in lies my biggest hurdle. From what I can remember, the only high school courses that I completed that fit into Michener's admission requirements would probably be OAC English and OAC Chem.

I would assume it would be in my best interest to do some sort of upgrading course?

I think you should call them and talk with an admissions person. It's senseless to go back and do highschool courses when you've already been through college. Call someone at the school and see what they have to say about it, because that sounds to me like you'd just be wasting your time.

[lilianc]

3.8 is quite outstanding GPA I would say, you should be ranked high on their list.

Do you have to submit your high school marks for the MLTs? I aplied to two other programs, didn't give them mine (well, mine were more than 10 years old and from another country anyways) and they didn't bother to ask.


And there in lies my biggest hurdle. From what I can remember, the only high school courses that I completed that fit into Michener's admission requirements would probably be OAC English and OAC Chem.

I would assume it would be in my best interest to do some sort of upgrading course?

[9394]

Hey Jane, just out of curiousity, and if you don't mind my asking, what is the starting salary they're giving you for a new MLT at the hospital? I'm reading a lot of discrepancies throughout this thread and I'm thinking its more reliable asking someone who's already doing it haha :)

Thanks!


I've been working for 2 months and i make 28.54/h plus full benefits, 3 weeks vacation, a pension plan (hospital contributes 126% of what i put in), and 18 paid sick days/year. Not too bad I don't think.

Most of my friends make the same amount, but benefits vary widely depending on where you work and if you're unionized or not (I'm not).

My fiance is a Micro MLT and she's getting mid $30's/hour (she's been working for I think 5 years). There are very few unionized labs so each hospital's salary will be different. Micro is the Holy Grail on MLT as there is no shiftwork, just on-call and the job is always interesting.

[lilianc]

enjoying all benifits without paying union fees, that sounds ideal...and having 3 weeks vacation as start and sick days on top, that's a really nice package.

I used to think all hospital employees are government employee as well since hospitals are funded by the government. Am I wrong again?:lol:
Honestly, I really don't know. I was always under the impression that technologists were unionized as a profession. At the hospital i am at, no technologists are unionized...this includes bench techs right on up the ladder to senior techs and lab managers. However other allied healthcare workers are. At the hospitals in the downtown core, all technologists are unionized it seems.
It has nothing to do with the level of your job, I believe it's just a hospital administration thing.
One nice thing about not being unionized....we have all the benefits of a union (in terms of rate of pay, holidays, etc) without the union dues. This is because non-unionized hospitals are under pressure to conform with the standards of unionized hospitals, or they will lose their employees. It's actually a good situation to be in.

[JaneSmith]

My fiance is a Micro MLT and she's getting mid $30's/hour (she's been working for I think 5 years). There are very few unionized labs so each hospital's salary will be different. Micro is the Holy Grail on MLT as there is no shiftwork, just on-call and the job is always interesting.


I work in micro too. I love it. No overnights, no early/late shifts. One weekend a month. Lots of different benches to rotate through

[nalababe]

Of course Micro is changing too...actually many of the really exciting changes will be occuring here (at least in my mind). Already we are seeing Molecular being incorporated into the Microbiology (CT/GC and MRSA being the obvious). Now, add to that the within the next 2-3 years, MALDI/TOF-MS will be the prefered ID technology (5 minutes for an ID!). NAmerica will be slower on the uptake, but based on ASM/CACMID, not by too much.

And there are 24 hour Micro labs! Some of the biggest can process 750-1000 ID and Sensitivies in a 24 hour period...though these are not hospitals. Now that being said, with the exception of stat/POC Micro, some provinces are looking to centralize microbiology. Alberta Health Services is in the process of looking to consoildate to two regional labs and shut down all others in the province. This is far from a done deal, but is a very real possibility...and the other provinces are looking at the Alberta model (BC is looking very closely).

[rnakra]

one of my friends is very very interested in getting into this course. She has tried before but didnt manage to get in. She graduated from University of Waterloo with biology and a specilisation in micro bio

Unfournatley her GPA is quite low her cumulative is in the low 60's and maybe her last two years are in the mid 60's. Is there any chance she can get into this program or can you recommend any other program/university which would allow her to further her bachelors degree.

she has been working for the last year almost at an food analytical company doing micro testing for them

Thanks so much in advance!

[rnakra]

anyone?

[cyrene]

I work in micro too. I love it. No overnights, no early/late shifts. One weekend a month. Lots of different benches to rotate through

Hey Jane, another question for you: did you pick micro because you like that discipline the best, or it happened to be the position that opened up and you turned out loving it? I don't know which discipline I want to be in yet; I don't think I would really know until I am almost done my placement and experienced it for real, or close to real. But if jobs are not very bountiful, did you (or your classmates) pick and wait for a position in a specific discipline or just take what comes along? I'm guessing if one has her heart set on getting specialized in say, micro, she would face the dilemma of accepting a contract in transfusion for 12 months to pay bills or wait for a micro lab position.

[kasianman]

one of my friends is very very interested in getting into this course. She has tried before but didnt manage to get in. She graduated from University of Waterloo with biology and a specilisation in micro bio

Unfournatley her GPA is quite low her cumulative is in the low 60's and maybe her last two years are in the mid 60's. Is there any chance she can get into this program or can you recommend any other program/university which would allow her to further her bachelors degree.

she has been working for the last year almost at an food analytical company doing micro testing for them

Thanks so much in advance!

I had a friend who was accepted into the MLT program about 2 years ago with a cGPA of 1.91/4.00 from UofT. She graduated and had a degree. It was before the whole MMI thing.

Another friend of mine was accepted this year with a cGPA of 3.0.

There is hope!

[JaneSmith]

Hey Jane, another question for you: did you pick micro because you like that discipline the best, or it happened to be the position that opened up and you turned out loving it? I don't know which discipline I want to be in yet; I don't think I would really know until I am almost done my placement and experienced it for real, or close to real. But if jobs are not very bountiful, did you (or your classmates) pick and wait for a position in a specific discipline or just take what comes along? I'm guessing if one has her heart set on getting specialized in say, micro, she would face the dilemma of accepting a contract in transfusion for 12 months to pay bills or wait for a micro lab position.

Of the 5 disciplines, micro was my LEAST favourite. I never saw myself working in a micro lab. I wanted to get into histo.
The way the job market is right now, you take what you're offered. Most of my classmates are working in a core lab, and some are in blood bank. Those seem to be the two most abundant ones at the moment. I did my placement at the hospital i was hired at, and i got the inside scoop on the micro job opening up, so I applied to it. I got it, and have since learned to like it..hehe. Actually it is a lot better than I thought it would be and I can see myself staying in micro.
So to answer your question....most people grab the first job they can get. The idea is to get in somewhere, and then you have access to internal job postings, and will have much more luck eventually getting in somewhere that you want.

[cyrene]

:arrowu: Thanks, Jane. I'm glad it worked out so well for you!

[9394]

Of course Micro is changing too...actually many of the really exciting changes will be occuring here (at least in my mind). Already we are seeing Molecular being incorporated into the Microbiology (CT/GC and MRSA being the obvious). Now, add to that the within the next 2-3 years, MALDI/TOF-MS will be the prefered ID technology (5 minutes for an ID!). NAmerica will be slower on the uptake, but based on ASM/CACMID, not by too much.



MRSA is not the problem...C.diff is.

[9394]

I work in micro too. I love it. No overnights, no early/late shifts. One weekend a month. Lots of different benches to rotate through

It would be ironic if you are my fiance's colleague.:)

[nalababe]

MRSA is not the problem...C.diff is.

As I was talking about Molecular moving to routine and POC, so no....Most companies have had their MRSA assay for a two years before and if they have their C. Diff assay approved for use.

Also, in the US there has been an impact of HIA changes. WHile MRSA was not removed from funding by Medicare and Medicade, many of its effects have been. As a result, there is mandatory testing in many facilities as the hospital/insurance does not want the bill if someone comes in already infected.

For most C. Diff monitoring, routine testing is for 65+

[nalababe]

As an aside for MLTs looking for Jobs in western Canada, we have a number of applications specialist field positions availabe...

[Mazu]

Any one here with a bachelors degree who got accepted to the med lab science program this year willing to share what their GPA was? I'm applying next year and I want to know what a competitive GPA for the program is?

[Mellita84]

Any one here with a bachelors degree who got accepted to the med lab science program this year willing to share what their GPA was? I'm applying next year and I want to know what a competitive GPA for the program is?

I don't know what Michener considers to be competitive, so I'll just list my stats for you to consider.
My GPA for the required classes was 3.00, and I think what saved me were my high school grades--English, Bio, and Chem all in mid to high 80s, and OAC Calc right at 70. Admissions assured me that they would take the highest marks regardless of whether they were uni or high school (proof: all my uni maths were high 50s to low 60s range). Hope that helps. Cheers.

[Mazu]

Thanks Mellita, that's very helpful

[thechampion116]

I can also confirm. 3.0 in uni and much higher in highschool.

I got accepted into MLT but declined their offer. I just don't feel like I would have enjoyed the job in the long run as a career. I fully believe I made the right choice and fully believe that your friend should try next year. It doesn't hurt to attempt it.

MMI's are scary for the majority of people but I find them actually fun, relaxing and a lot less brutal than panel or one on one interviews. This might be because I'm generally a shy person but in the MMI's they let you be yourself. We can't discuss topics mentioned but I definitely was very particular about how I see things and how they worked into the situation and even came up with very creative answers that I probably wouldn't dare say in a panel interview.

[lilianc]

Has anyone got access to the timetables for the coming September? I was told an intranet account will be setup for me but so far was still left behind in wonder...When approximately were you guys given access to that account?

The booklist has been updated though. I'm going to start my textbook shoping soon, and am looking for deals or used books. So far roughly no discount found from amazon or indigo. If anyone has access to the student book exchange on the intranet now, or happen to know somebody who is willing to sell the first year ultrasound textbooks, please kindly let me know the contact info. Thanks in advance!!

[atomicspacemonkey]

Hi everyone, I'm a long-time lurker of this thread (although I haven't read EVERY single page...42?!?) and I'm thinking of applying to genetics technology.

I'm wondering about my chances of getting in, considering my CGPA is only 76.7% right now thanks to one awful semester last year. Currently I'm going into my 4th year in Molecular Biology & Genetics at U of Guelph and have done two summers worth of Undergraduate Research Assistantships in labs on campus, as well as part time lab work during fall 2009. I'm also doing an 8 month 4th year research project in a genetics lab.

How much does lab experience contribute to your application? I'm hoping to pull my average back up to a near/low 80 this year...so hopefully that helps too. I also hear that they like Guelph grads...but I could be mistaken, there were a few guest speakers that came to my human genetics class and I can't remember who said they liked Guelph grads. :lol:

Sorry for the rambling! I'm just becoming more and more convinced that this is what I want to do but I know it's incredibly competitive to get into genetics technology.

[JaneSmith]

I don't know too much about that program except that it IS very competitive and small. Hope that helps..lol

[toni88]

Hi guys, long time lurker on these forums. This appears to be the only forum I can find related to working in a lab. Since September is coming up I believe there's a hiring boom. If anyone could please share any job openings for MLT's (CMLTO registered) in Ontario and the rest of Canada in any discipline on these forums that would be greatly appreciated. I've searched through all job sites and individual hospital sites and I'm not coming up with anything. There's stats everywhere claiming that this is a growing profession due to the large number of retirees but thus far that doesn't seem to be the case. Anything through word of mouth... Thank you.

[JaneSmith]

Hi guys, long time lurker on these forums. This appears to be the only forum I can find related to working in a lab. Since September is coming up I believe there's a hiring boom. If anyone could please share any job openings for MLT's (CMLTO registered) in Ontario and the rest of Canada in any discipline on these forums that would be greatly appreciated. I've searched through all job sites and individual hospital sites and I'm not coming up with anything. There's stats everywhere claiming that this is a growing profession due to the large number of retirees but thus far that doesn't seem to be the case. Anything through word of mouth... Thank you.


There is no job boom. Most jobs are posted internally and even those are scarce. The jobs that do come up are mostly contract or part-time. That's not to say that things won't turn around again soon, but I don't see that happening by september. I know there are a lot of jobs out west right now, but if you're looking to stay in Ontario, and presumably the GTA, your best bet is to just send out your resume to every place possible. You can sign up to a lot of job registries through various hospital networks, and create a profile about yourself and submit your resume that way..those seem to work well. Other than that, just look on workopolis or monster as i often see jobs come up there (usually for private labs or government labs). You might also want to visit hospitals and check out the job posting board that is usually located in the HR area. I think the internal job postings are often put up there.
It's pretty tough out there right now, partially because of cutbacks and also because all the michener students graduated in feb (me) and all the uoit students just graduated, so the market around here is saturated.
When i was doing my job search i went to a job fair where there were lots of recruiters for mlts, and it seemed like the east coast and the west coast were the best bets. There are also TONS of opportunities in manitoba/sask if that is something you are interested in. The areas are all pretty rural though, but the pay is good. I have a lot of information about different places that were hiring a couple of months ago and if you are interested in places outside of ontario, I can give you more specific info if you want..just let me know and i'll dig out the contact numbers and websites i got

[mmwc02]

Hi everyone, I'm a long-time lurker of this thread (although I haven't read EVERY single page...42?!?) and I'm thinking of applying to genetics technology.

I'm wondering about my chances of getting in, considering my CGPA is only 76.7% right now thanks to one awful semester last year. Currently I'm going into my 4th year in Molecular Biology & Genetics at U of Guelph and have done two summers worth of Undergraduate Research Assistantships in labs on campus, as well as part time lab work during fall 2009. I'm also doing an 8 month 4th year research project in a genetics lab.

How much does lab experience contribute to your application? I'm hoping to pull my average back up to a near/low 80 this year...so hopefully that helps too. I also hear that they like Guelph grads...but I could be mistaken, there were a few guest speakers that came to my human genetics class and I can't remember who said they liked Guelph grads. :lol:

Sorry for the rambling! I'm just becoming more and more convinced that this is what I want to do but I know it's incredibly competitive to get into genetics technology.


I'm not sure lab experience is even considered in the program....When I was applying, they didn't ask for a CV or anything that would advertise your research experience. I might be wrong, this is just how my application was. Hope that helps

[mmwc02]

Hi guys, long time lurker on these forums. This appears to be the only forum I can find related to working in a lab. Since September is coming up I believe there's a hiring boom. If anyone could please share any job openings for MLT's (CMLTO registered) in Ontario and the rest of Canada in any discipline on these forums that would be greatly appreciated. I've searched through all job sites and individual hospital sites and I'm not coming up with anything. There's stats everywhere claiming that this is a growing profession due to the large number of retirees but thus far that doesn't seem to be the case. Anything through word of mouth... Thank you.

I think I saw an advertisement from Sick kids looking for an MLT. You should try applying there anyways, I think most hospitals keep your record on file for a couple of months (some one please correct me if I'm wrong).

As well, is there anyone who's already in the program that might know whether the timetable for the first years are up yet and wouldn't mind sharing it? *hopeful*

[kayoko]

Looking at these schedules made me a bit cross-eyed but I did my best. You won't know your grouping until later on (mid-late August). Unfortunately, you guys are in every day of the week. Most people don't have huge breaks in between class/lab. At least you guys don't have 8am starts.

Group A & B
****************
Monday
1000-1300 AMML110 Lecture
1400-1530 HEML112 Lab

Tuesday
1000-1200 CCML112 Lecture
1300-1530 CCML112 Lab

Wednesday
1000-1200 MIML113 Lecture
1400-1700 PPML110 Lecture

Thursday
0830-1130 AMML110 Lab
1230-1530 MIML113 Lab

Friday
0900-1000 HEML112 Lecture
1000-1200 MIML113 Lab
1300-1500 BAIP113 Tutorial

Group C
************
Monday
1000-1300 AMML110 Lecture
1400-1700 AMML110 Lab

Tuesday
1000-1200 CCML112 Lecture
1530-1800 CCML112 Lab

Wednesday
1000-1200 MIML113 Lecture
1400-1700 PPML110 Lecture

Thursday
1230-1530 MIML113 Lab
1530-1700 HEML112 Lab

Friday
0900-1000 HEML112 Lecture
1000-1200 MIML113 Lab
1300-1500 BAIP113 Tutorial

Group D
************
Monday
1000-1300 AMML110 Lecture
1400-1700 AMML110 Lab

Tuesday
1000-1200 CCML112 Lecture
1330-1500 BAIP113 Tutorial
1530-1800 CCML112 Lab

Wednesday
1000-1200 MIML113 Lecture
1400-1700 PPML110 Lecture

Thursday
0930-1230 MIML113 Lab
1530-1700 HEML112 Lab

Friday
0900-1000 HEML112 Lecture
1200-1400 MIML113 Lab

Group E & F
**************
Monday
1000-1300 AMML110 Lecture
1400-1630 CCML112 Lab

Tuesday
1000-1200 CCML112 Lecture
1330-1500 BAIP113 Tutorial
1530-1700 HEML112 Lab

Wednesday
1000-1200 MIML113 Lecture
1400-1700 PPML110 Lecture

Thursday
0930-1230 MIML113 Lab
1330-1700 AMML110 Lab

Friday
0900-1000 HEML112 Lecture
1200-1400 MIML113 Lab

[JaneSmith]

nice to hear from you again Kayoko!! How is everything going? Did you get a good placement??

[kayoko]

nice to hear from you again Kayoko!! How is everything going? Did you get a good placement??

Hello, hello! My goodness, can you believe it's been 2 years since you posted our schedule for us? Just paying it forward, I suppose. :D

Placement was a nightmare, but I got the place I wanted! Check your PM~

[gwennifairy]

Thanks for posting the schedule! I'm so glad I found this site; Michener should post a link to this forum on their webpage!

Just wanted to say thanks to all the dedicated posters for all the helpful info, especially to Kayoko and Janesmith! Anymore advice for a nervous first year? Which course was most intense?

[kayoko]

Thanks for posting the schedule! I'm so glad I found this site; Michener should post a link to this forum on their webpage!

Just wanted to say thanks to all the dedicated posters for all the helpful info, especially to Kayoko and Janesmith! Anymore advice for a nervous first year? Which course was most intense?

The freedom of the internet makes this a very different place than it would be if it were run officially by the school. It's also very difficult to find students/alumni dedicated to doing stuff like this. It can get rather time consuming.

My advice? Don't worry about anything and just enjoy the rest of your summer. The only thing you can do is buy your textbooks. Look for some deals if they could be had online.

Also, check your PM.

[FHH]

thank you for posting the schedule kayoko :)
and gwennifairy is right, they really should post a link to this forum on the michener website, its a great help, thank you to everyone who has posted helpful info on this forum, especially kayoko and janesmith :)

[lilianc]

I found indeed.ca a great website for job hunting as well. It usually compiles results from other job searching websites.

There is no job boom. Most jobs are posted internally and even those are scarce. The jobs that do come up are mostly contract or part-time. That's not to say that things won't turn around again soon, but I don't see that happening by september. I know there are a lot of jobs out west right now, but if you're looking to stay in Ontario, and presumably the GTA, your best bet is to just send out your resume to every place possible. You can sign up to a lot of job registries through various hospital networks, and create a profile about yourself and submit your resume that way..those seem to work well. Other than that, just look on workopolis or monster as i often see jobs come up there (usually for private labs or government labs). You might also want to visit hospitals and check out the job posting board that is usually located in the HR area. I think the internal job postings are often put up there.
It's pretty tough out there right now, partially because of cutbacks and also because all the michener students graduated in feb (me) and all the uoit students just graduated, so the market around here is saturated.
When i was doing my job search i went to a job fair where there were lots of recruiters for mlts, and it seemed like the east coast and the west coast were the best bets. There are also TONS of opportunities in manitoba/sask if that is something you are interested in. The areas are all pretty rural though, but the pay is good. I have a lot of information about different places that were hiring a couple of months ago and if you are interested in places outside of ontario, I can give you more specific info if you want..just let me know and i'll dig out the contact numbers and websites i got

[yimmie]

Does anyone know if michener students are eligible for the TTC metropass post-secondary student discount? And if so, how do we get it?

[JaneSmith]

Does anyone know if michener students are eligible for the TTC metropass post-secondary student discount? And if so, how do we get it?

Unless it's changed from last year, unfortunately they're not. It's because there's just not enough students to be eligible for that discount.

[HYip25]

hey, kayoko... do you know what happen to that other MLS forum that was up years ago... (http://medlab.freeforums.org/)
also... are you starting your clinical this year? i am doing mine at ottawa civi hospital starting sept, and a couple of my friend is heading to toronto sick kid and mount sinai...


Hello, hello! My goodness, can you believe it's been 2 years since you posted our schedule for us? Just paying it forward, I suppose. :D

Placement was a nightmare, but I got the place I wanted! Check your PM~

[toni88]

There is no job boom. Most jobs are posted internally and even those are scarce. The jobs that do come up are mostly contract or part-time. That's not to say that things won't turn around again soon, but I don't see that happening by september. I know there are a lot of jobs out west right now, but if you're looking to stay in Ontario, and presumably the GTA, your best bet is to just send out your resume to every place possible. You can sign up to a lot of job registries through various hospital networks, and create a profile about yourself and submit your resume that way..those seem to work well. Other than that, just look on workopolis or monster as i often see jobs come up there (usually for private labs or government labs). You might also want to visit hospitals and check out the job posting board that is usually located in the HR area. I think the internal job postings are often put up there.
It's pretty tough out there right now, partially because of cutbacks and also because all the michener students graduated in feb (me) and all the uoit students just graduated, so the market around here is saturated.
When i was doing my job search i went to a job fair where there were lots of recruiters for mlts, and it seemed like the east coast and the west coast were the best bets. There are also TONS of opportunities in manitoba/sask if that is something you are interested in. The areas are all pretty rural though, but the pay is good. I have a lot of information about different places that were hiring a couple of months ago and if you are interested in places outside of ontario, I can give you more specific info if you want..just let me know and i'll dig out the contact numbers and websites i got

Thank you Jane! It's really hard out there. I graduated over a year ago and I think paying for licensing and membership fees while unemployed defeats the purpose. At this point I'm willing to consider jobs outside of Ontario. I'm sending you a pm for more details.

[thechampion116]

Unless it's changed from last year, unfortunately they're not. It's because there's just not enough students to be eligible for that discount.

TTC is moving the student metropass for $99 to include not only high school students but college/uni students as well. at least that was the plan.

[JaneSmith]

TTC is moving the student metropass for $99 to include not only high school students but college/uni students as well. at least that was the plan.

I know, but for a school to be eligible for a discount plan, there has to be a certain number of students...and michener doesn't have enough.

[kayoko]

Michener does not participate in the Metropass Volume Incentive Program (VIP) (http://www3.ttc.ca/Fares_and_passes/Passes/Metropass/Metropass_VIP/index.jsp) because there isn't enough demand during August and December. MRS students who have a UofT ID can purchase discounted passes via UofT.

According to the TTC (http://www3.ttc.ca/News/2009/December/30_12_TTC_Fare_Increase.jsp):

Also, starting in September, students attending an accredited post-secondary institution will be able to purchase the Student Metropass. Students who opt not to use the Metropass starting this September will have to pay Adult fare – tokens or cash.
No idea whether Michener constitutes as an accredited post-secondary institution. Someone will need to try it and let us know.

[thechampion116]

Michener does not participate in the Metropass Volume Incentive Program (VIP) (http://www3.ttc.ca/Fares_and_passes/Passes/Metropass/Metropass_VIP/index.jsp) because there isn't enough demand during August and December. MRS students who have a UofT ID can purchase discounted passes via UofT.

According to the TTC (http://www3.ttc.ca/News/2009/December/30_12_TTC_Fare_Increase.jsp):

No idea whether Michener constitutes as an accredited post-secondary institution. Someone will need to try it and let us know.

this is what I was hinting at not the VIP program as suggested by JaneSmith.

Michener should qualify.

[HYip25]

You could try working as a tech first, some student try working as a tech and wait for an opening to come up, or you could try private lab....
there is quite a lot of job if you are willing to relocat.... also, the market is not excellent, but it should not be tooo bad at all.... maybe you should try asking your classmate where they work to see if there is any internal opening?

you could also ask your professor at school to see whether they could offer you any idea.......

one year without job? or one year without even an interview?

the other thing that you should know.... couple months ago, some hospital just a little bit outside of GTA is hiring 3-5 MLT......although all the posting are only part time or contract or temp.... you should also consider that


Hi guys, long time lurker on these forums. This appears to be the only forum I can find related to working in a lab. Since September is coming up I believe there's a hiring boom. If anyone could please share any job openings for MLT's (CMLTO registered) in Ontario and the rest of Canada in any discipline on these forums that would be greatly appreciated. I've searched through all job sites and individual hospital sites and I'm not coming up with anything. There's stats everywhere claiming that this is a growing profession due to the large number of retirees but thus far that doesn't seem to be the case. Anything through word of mouth... Thank you.

[lilianc]

can anyone please kindly share the timetable for 1st year ulltrasound lab group US1-D with me if you happen to have access to it? I still can't log into my IQweb due to some technical issues, but am so desperate to see if I have any early 8am classes. I live about 50km away from school and need to arrange my toddler daughter's childcare well in advance to avoid last minute hassle if any....

Your help is much appreciated!

[kayoko]

can anyone please kindly share the timetable for 1st year ulltrasound lab group US1-D with me if you happen to have access to it? I still can't log into my IQweb due to some technical issues, but am so desperate to see if I have any early 8am classes. I live about 50km away from school and need to arrange my toddler daughter's childcare well in advance to avoid last minute hassle if any....

Your help is much appreciated!

Monday morning, you have a lecture at 8am. Other days are 9am or later. The good news is that you end early for most days. The latest being Wednesday at 4pm.

[JaneSmith]

this is what I was hinting at not the VIP program as suggested by JaneSmith.

Michener should qualify.


oh sorry, i didn't know they were letting non-highschool students get student metropasses now. Michener is a private college though, so i don't think it is accredited.

[kayoko]

I knew there was something I forgot to post. I asked SSN to do a bit of digging on this new post-secondary student metropass thing. It's new for September 2010 so I don't think a lot of people know about it.

VIA Centennial College (http://www.ccsai.ca/student-transit):

If you are a post-secondary school student enrolled in a full-time or part-time degree or diploma granting program, you will need to show your Post-Secondary TTC Student Photo ID when using your monthly Post-Secondary Student Metropass, or Adult fare is required.

Unfortunately, you need a special post-secondary student TTC card. Michener students need to go to Sherbourne Station Photo ID Facility to acquire the card. It costs $7, though. Details on website above.

It's definitely a great deal if you plan to buy a metropass for most of the year or already buy a metropass. $7 + $99/month.

[lilianc]

Monday morning, you have a lecture at 8am. Other days are 9am or later. The good news is that you end early for most days. The latest being Wednesday at 4pm.

Thank you so much Kayoko!!

[yimmie]

I knew there was something I forgot to post. I asked SSN to do a bit of digging on this new post-secondary student metropass thing. It's new for September 2010 so I don't think a lot of people know about it.

VIA Centennial College (http://www.ccsai.ca/student-transit):


Unfortunately, you need a special post-secondary student TTC card. Michener students need to go to Sherbourne Station Photo ID Facility to acquire the card. It costs $7, though. Details on website above.

It's definitely a great deal if you plan to buy a metropass for most of the year or already buy a metropass. $7 + $99/month.

Thanks for the info, i just didn't know whether michener students were qualified and it would definitely save me a lot of money.

I have some extra info for those who are interested. The TTC customer service agent told me that we can get our post-secondary student photo id starting august 16th. And you must bring either an acceptance letter, school schedule or a SAC (student activity card).

[blueshirtss]

Hello everyone. Hope everyone is having a good summer. I had a couple of questions/concerns. I'm currently doing Biotechnology-Industrial Microbiology program at Centennial college, going into my 3rd year. I have already done couple of my co-op placements as a microbiology lab technician and a quality assurance officer. I came to the realization that, food microbiology really isn't what i want to do as a career. The salary/wage aspects certainly doesn't look promising, and doing repetitive lab stuff on Food out of all things would be a really boring job to do as a career.

My GPA currently stands at 3.4 (on a 4.5 scale). I was looking through the Michener college programs and i was very intrigued by the Genetics Technology and the Radiological program. But, as a college student, i really dont' know how i can apply for these programs. According to the website, they ask for University credits, which i don't have.

Any help would be appreciated. I want to know how i can apply to these programs and how my GPA stands, compared to the other applicants.

[JaneSmith]

Hello everyone. Hope everyone is having a good summer. I had a couple of questions/concerns. I'm currently doing Biotechnology-Industrial Microbiology program at Centennial college, going into my 3rd year. I have already done couple of my co-op placements as a microbiology lab technician and a quality assurance officer. I came to the realization that, food microbiology really isn't what i want to do as a career. The salary/wage aspects certainly doesn't look promising, and doing repetitive lab stuff on Food out of all things would be a really boring job to do as a career.

My GPA currently stands at 3.4 (on a 4.5 scale). I was looking through the Michener college programs and i was very intrigued by the Genetics Technology and the Radiological program. But, as a college student, i really dont' know how i can apply for these programs. According to the website, they ask for University credits, which i don't have.

Any help would be appreciated. I want to know how i can apply to these programs and how my GPA stands, compared to the other applicants.

Well like the website says, you need a university degree.
Since this is a med lab thread, might I suggest you look into the med lab program instead? You don't technically need a degree for that one, and it sounds like you have a lot of experience...so you could be a good candidate for that. Then you can look at the bacteria growing in pee instead of the bacteria growing on hot dogs!

[cyrene]

Then you can look at the bacteria growing in pee instead of the bacteria growing on hot dogs!

LOL!!

Hmm, just a few more weeks before school starts...good luck everyone!

[blueshirtss]

Well like the website says, you need a university degree.
Since this is a med lab thread, might I suggest you look into the med lab program instead? You don't technically need a degree for that one, and it sounds like you have a lot of experience...so you could be a good candidate for that. Then you can look at the bacteria growing in pee instead of the bacteria growing on hot dogs!

I loved that last line. LOL.
So i've read 40 pages of this thread. From what i gather, It's pretty much a given that they certainly ask for a bachelor's degree. I have experience in labs, but my concern is that, it's more of a Micro lab experience than Medical. For example, I'm very comfortable with stuff like staining, biochemical testing, idenfying bacterias, plating etc. But, i don't know how any of that relates to Med Lab program.

I'm also good with using basic micro instruments like HPLC and chromatography. But again, i don't know if any of these experiences would help me for the Med Lab program. MLT program does sound really interesting and something i would really wanna get into.

My first step would be to get into university and get a degree. I'm planning to transfer to York this year. However, i just don't know what Bachelor's i should do. I was thinking about either doing Biotechnology or Biomedical Science. Which one do you think would give me more background information prepare me more for the MLT Program? I'm just 22 and i'm still trying to decide what career would best suit me. Any help would be really appreciated.

[SHEEEEP]

I loved that last line. LOL.
So i've read 40 pages of this thread. From what i gather, It's pretty much a given that they certainly ask for a bachelor's degree. I have experience in labs, but my concern is that, it's more of a Micro lab experience than Medical. For example, I'm very comfortable with stuff like staining, biochemical testing, idenfying bacterias, plating etc. But, i don't know how any of that relates to Med Lab program.

I'm also good with using basic micro instruments like HPLC and chromatography. But again, i don't know if any of these experiences would help me for the Med Lab program. MLT program does sound really interesting and something i would really wanna get into.

My first step would be to get into university and get a degree. I'm planning to transfer to York this year. However, i just don't know what Bachelor's i should do. I was thinking about either doing Biotechnology or Biomedical Science. Which one do you think would give me more background information prepare me more for the MLT Program? I'm just 22 and i'm still trying to decide what career would best suit me. Any help would be really appreciated.

I just laughed a little when I read this haha everything you listed there is done by MLTs. Lab techs who work in microbiology literally sit there all day staining, identifying, and plating bacteria from swabs, urines, stool samples, blood, etc. HPLC and chromatography are both done in clinical chemistry labs as well (in fact, here in Alberta, HPLC is the gold standard for hemoglobin A1C testing, which is a test commonly done on diabetics... it may also be the case in other provinces as well). I think you'd be a great candidate for the MLT program and you should really consider it!

[blueshirtss]

I just laughed a little when I read this haha everything you listed there is done by MLTs. Lab techs who work in microbiology literally sit there all day staining, identifying, and plating bacteria from swabs, urines, stool samples, blood, etc. HPLC and chromatography are both done in clinical chemistry labs as well (in fact, here in Alberta, HPLC is the gold standard for hemoglobin A1C testing, which is a test commonly done on diabetics... it may also be the case in other provinces as well). I think you'd be a great candidate for the MLT program and you should really consider it!

Hey that's awesome. Well i got my mind set on the MLT program. :) One step at a time though, i do need to get a bachelor's to get acceptance from Michener. I'm just contemplating now on what program i should do in university that would give me a good background on MLT porgram. I guess a Microbiology degree would be nice...or may be a degree on either Biotechnology or Biomedicine. I'm pretty new to this "university" stuff really. I'm literally learning about new programs/careers everyday.

[JaneSmith]

Hey that's awesome. Well i got my mind set on the MLT program. :) One step at a time though, i do need to get a bachelor's to get acceptance from Michener. I'm just contemplating now on what program i should do in university that would give me a good background on MLT porgram. I guess a Microbiology degree would be nice...or may be a degree on either Biotechnology or Biomedicine. I'm pretty new to this "university" stuff really. I'm literally learning about new programs/careers everyday.

Have you looked into UOIT? You can do your degree and get your med lab diploma at the same time. That might be a nice option for you and you would get in there for sure. If you have your heart set on Michener I would suggest a general biology degree or something like that. It will give you a good foundation. Biotechnology also sounds good, although I don't know much about that program.

[JaneSmith]

For the people awaiting information on jobs out of province, i'm so sorry it's been taking me so long to respond. I've looked for all my info and I can't find it :( I got it all at the michener job fair where they have people come in from across canada to recruit. If you google thompson manitoba med lab you should be able to find information. Also, if you go to the csmls job posting site, you will be able to find information on vancouver and surrounding areas by looking in the job posting itself (there are links). Another area that seemed to be doing a lot oh hiring when i was looking is the east coast...specifically PEI and New Brunswick.
Once again, I'm sorry I offered information and then was unable to deliver. I guess I got excited when I landed my in-town job and threw all my stuff out :)
If you do have any specific questions for me still, I will do my best to research it for you or at least give you my perspective based on all the job market research i have done.

[poons2]

hi everyone!

wow it is now 2011 and the information on this thread is just as useful/helpful to answer all my questions. you guys are so great! if an internet forum is this helpful i can't help to imagine and have a smile on my face when (if i get in) im at Michener and study along side the small group of MLT students!

p.s kayoko i sent you a private message! i hope you dont think im a creeper! but its just that after reading 20 pages of this thread i found out you went to Mcmaster for your undergrad make me so happy that i can relate to you on that level!

i will be checking this thread like there is no tomorrow lol. i will be applying close to december and every word on this thread is priceless! just priceless!

thanks again guys everyone, not just kayoko! you guys are awesome!!

[poons2]

so i have a general question, do you guys think its a good idea to do the MLT program that offers a BSc, when someone already has a BSc? or do you think its a better idea to do the MLT program that is a diploma in addition to their already obtained BSc?

here are the schools that offer MLT as a diploma that im interested in:
1. michener
2. st. lawrence
3. st claire
4. BCIT

here are the schools that offer MLT as a BSc
1. UBC
2. U of A
3. UOIT

any advice would be great! thanks guys! :)

[JaneSmith]

so i have a general question, do you guys think its a good idea to do the MLT program that offers a BSc, when someone already has a BSc? or do you think its a better idea to do the MLT program that is a diploma in addition to their already obtained BSc?

here are the schools that offer MLT as a diploma that im interested in:
1. michener
2. st. lawrence
3. st claire
4. BCIT

here are the schools that offer MLT as a BSc
1. UBC
2. U of A
3. UOIT

any advice would be great! thanks guys! :)

Why would you do a degree MLT program if you already have a degree? Would you rather spend 3 years in a program dedicated to technology courses and labs, or spend 4 years in a program in which you have to take courses like computers, english, general bio, etc? If you have a degree you've already done that...so now pick a program that concentrates specifically on your desired career. You'll get more out of it, and probably be better prepared when you're done.

[poons2]

Why would you do a degree MLT program if you already have a degree? Would you rather spend 3 years in a program dedicated to technology courses and labs, or spend 4 years in a program in which you have to take courses like computers, english, general bio, etc? If you have a degree you've already done that...so now pick a program that concentrates specifically on your desired career. You'll get more out of it, and probably be better prepared when you're done.

that very true, thanks for you insight ! :)

[smox]

Hi everyone!
I'm 17 and I'm planning to apply to the med lab program this year.
Does anyone know how many high school graduates usually get in that program?

[happy221]

I'm planning to apply to the Michener med lab tech program soon, and I was wondering if anyone had any advice as to how to make myself more competitive.

I have a pretty good admissions average, I will be completing a bachelor of science in biology in may. I volunteer at a blood bank, with a 'get involved with science' program and with a retirement home, I also have years of supervisor&management work experience in part-time jobs.

The 10% acceptance rate for applicants scares me :/

For those of you that got in, is there anything you really felt set you apart from the other applicants?

[JaneSmith]

Hi everyone!
I'm 17 and I'm planning to apply to the med lab program this year.
Does anyone know how many high school graduates usually get in that program?


None

[JaneSmith]

I'm planning to apply to the Michener med lab tech program soon, and I was wondering if anyone had any advice as to how to make myself more competitive.

I have a pretty good admissions average, I will be completing a bachelor of science in biology in may. I volunteer at a blood bank, with a 'get involved with science' program and with a retirement home, I also have years of supervisor&management work experience in part-time jobs.

The 10% acceptance rate for applicants scares me :/

For those of you that got in, is there anything you really felt set you apart from the other applicants?

you should spend some time reading this entire thread. There's lots of tips and advice about getting in. It sounds like you stand a very good chance though.
Don't forget that a big portion of the entrance scores are based on the multiple mini interview (MMI)

[HYip25]

Hi everyone!
I'm 17 and I'm planning to apply to the med lab program this year.
Does anyone know how many high school graduates usually get in that program?

There is a few at St. Lawrence college...
But the drop out rate is pretty crazy as well...
About 50-70% drop out of the program.....
some already took the technician program after high school....

[smox]

None

Gah! It's that hard to get in? :/
What would make a high school student stand out?

Do you think I'd need a 99% average or something like that to be considered since I'm only a hs student?

[HYip25]

Gah! It's that hard to get in? :/
What would make a high school student stand out?

Do you think I'd need a 99% average or something like that to be considered since I'm only a hs student?

You could try other college as well?
if you got 99% average, i will suggest you to go for med school...

[smox]

You could try other college as well?
if you got 99% average, i will suggest you to go for med school...

No, I wish! :confused: I haven't finished high school yet, but I'm graduating in 2011. I'm predicting I'll end with an average of 92-96%. I really want to be a MLT... I can see myself sitting at the microscope all day without getting bored of the repetitive tasks.
I'll also be applying to UOIT, but I think I'd rather get into Michener since it seems to have a long history with good reputation.

Ah, I'm afraid I won't be smart or experienced enough with the university graduates and even doctors there. I don't mind that most of my peers will be older than me though (if I get in...). I like mature people. :)

[smox]

General advice about genetics technology. They only take a LIMITED number of people (<20) so apply, but have a backup plan. A lot of people applied to the general MLT program as a backup. Because the program is competitive, be sure you have half-decent marks, excellent references, resume, and interviewee skills. You will be competing against a whole bunch of genetics majors, biology majors, MLT's (especially those that didn't get into genetics on the first try and did general MLT instead), internationally trained individuals (i.e. foreign doctors who need a career change). It's tough competition, but if you're good, they'll want you. It's like med school, once you're in, they'll want to keep you.


Eek!

[JaneSmith]

No, I wish! :confused: I haven't finished high school yet, but I'm graduating in 2011. I'm predicting I'll end with an average of 92-96%. I really want to be a MLT... I can see myself sitting at the microscope all day without getting bored of the repetitive tasks.
I'll also be applying to UOIT, but I think I'd rather get into Michener since it seems to have a long history with good reputation.

Ah, I'm afraid I won't be smart or experienced enough with the university graduates and even doctors there. I don't mind that most of my peers will be older than me though (if I get in...). I like mature people. :)


Honestly, I think it takes the experience that comes with university to be able to handle the intense workload at michener. I don't think I could have done that program without having gone to University first. In my year there was one girl who hadn't gone to university, but she was 21 and had been working in a micro lab since graduating highschool (both her parents are mlts). She didn't graduate.
I also know that while the program is open for highschool students to apply, that's more of a smoke and mirrors thing (in order to receive funding, or so i've heard).
However, I still think you should definitely apply...cause you never know! And also, it's not very many people who already know what they want to do right out of highschool, so you have to go for it! The multiple mini interviews they do count a lot for your score, so you can take the chance to wow them there (they're looking for people with "characteristics" considered good for healthcare careers). Also your marks sound great. The only thing you are lacking is the experience that older people might have. Maybe you could write a letter with your application expressing how you know this is what you really want to do, and you will be a dedicated MLT. Personally, I would choose you over someone who is taking the program as a second career cause they're bored with their first one!
Don't be afraid of not being smart/experienced enough. People who go to michener come from all walks of life and are at all different levels of education. By the end of the program, everyone is at the same level...whether they're doctors (there was one in my year), or just regular students like me. The age range is also very wide, although at 17-18 you'd probably be the youngest! I think in my year the youngest was 20 or 21 and the oldest was over 50. It's a great atmosphere for learning, and because the program is small and you are constantly with the same people, everyone becomes close and works together regardless of age or experience.
Definitely apply to UOIT as well. The MLT program there has improved a lot, and the pass rate for UOIT students on the CSMLS exam this year was quite high. It might be a nice option for you because you can get a degree as well. This will be helpful for you in the future, as it's hard to progress as an MLT (into management, etc) without a university degree.
Good luck to you! You picked a great career path.

[kayoko]

Hi everyone!
I'm 17 and I'm planning to apply to the med lab program this year.
Does anyone know how many high school graduates usually get in that program?

There is one student in the 2010 intake that came directly from high school.

[kayoko]

No, I wish! :confused: I haven't finished high school yet, but I'm graduating in 2011. I'm predicting I'll end with an average of 92-96%. I really want to be a MLT... I can see myself sitting at the microscope all day without getting bored of the repetitive tasks.
I'll also be applying to UOIT, but I think I'd rather get into Michener since it seems to have a long history with good reputation.

Ah, I'm afraid I won't be smart or experienced enough with the university graduates and even doctors there. I don't mind that most of my peers will be older than me though (if I get in...). I like mature people. :)

Do some more career research. Being a MLT is a bit more than looking down at the mic all day unless you're in cytology. The organs, the poop, the pee, the parasites and all that fun stuff.

Michener assumes you know nothing except high school stuff so everyone starts from scratch. Just because they're doctors from another country or have a PhD doesn't mean they know everything they need to know. If they did, they wouldn't be there.

[HYip25]

Do some more career research. Being a MLT is a bit more than looking down at the mic all day unless you're in cytology. The organs, the poop, the pee, the parasites and all that fun stuff.

Michener assumes you know nothing except high school stuff so everyone starts from scratch. Just because they're doctors from another country or have a PhD doesn't mean they know everything they need to know. If they did, they wouldn't be there.

Hey, kayoko
how is your placement?
placement in ottawa is pretty fun... lolz...
but lots of review and studying....

[kayoko]

Hey, kayoko
how is your placement?
placement in ottawa is pretty fun... lolz...
but lots of review and studying....

Placement is awesome. I wish I had more than 4 weeks in each discipline. I feel like I learned 10 times more than I did in SimClin. Sometimes I feel bad for the teaching techs cause I'm always like, Why are we doing this? How is this significant? How is your rotation going?

Oh gawd, studying. I've been busy absorbing new stuff that I haven't gone back to review older stuff. I know the exam's practical based so it's difficult to judge the level of detail I need to actually study. I did very well at Michener so I know I have a good foundation. I shouldn't be too worried, but I just am. *stresses*

[smox]

Honestly, I think it takes the experience that comes with university to be able to handle the intense workload at michener. I don't think I could have done that program without having gone to University first. In my year there was one girl who hadn't gone to university, but she was 21 and had been working in a micro lab since graduating highschool (both her parents are mlts). She didn't graduate.
I also know that while the program is open for highschool students to apply, that's more of a smoke and mirrors thing (in order to receive funding, or so i've heard).
However, I still think you should definitely apply...cause you never know! And also, it's not very many people who already know what they want to do right out of highschool, so you have to go for it! The multiple mini interviews they do count a lot for your score, so you can take the chance to wow them there (they're looking for people with "characteristics" considered good for healthcare careers). Also your marks sound great. The only thing you are lacking is the experience that older people might have. Maybe you could write a letter with your application expressing how you know this is what you really want to do, and you will be a dedicated MLT. Personally, I would choose you over someone who is taking the program as a second career cause they're bored with their first one!
Don't be afraid of not being smart/experienced enough. People who go to michener come from all walks of life and are at all different levels of education. By the end of the program, everyone is at the same level...whether they're doctors (there was one in my year), or just regular students like me. The age range is also very wide, although at 17-18 you'd probably be the youngest! I think in my year the youngest was 20 or 21 and the oldest was over 50. It's a great atmosphere for learning, and because the program is small and you are constantly with the same people, everyone becomes close and works together regardless of age or experience.
Definitely apply to UOIT as well. The MLT program there has improved a lot, and the pass rate for UOIT students on the CSMLS exam this year was quite high. It might be a nice option for you because you can get a degree as well. This will be helpful for you in the future, as it's hard to progress as an MLT (into management, etc) without a university degree.
Good luck to you! You picked a great career path.

Thank you!
What kind of workload do you consider intense?
Is it only intense if you want to get high grades or is it really hard just to get a passing grade?

[smox]

There is one student in the 2010 intake that came directly from high school.

How is she (or he) doing? Is she struggling or falling behind? Does she fit right in?

[smox]

What are the students at Michener like (generally)? Competitive? Friendly? Helpful?

What is residence like? Has anyone here experienced it?

Is it easy to make friends?

[JaneSmith]

Thank you!
What kind of workload do you consider intense?
Is it only intense if you want to get high grades or is it really hard just to get a passing grade?

Expect to do a few hours of studying a night, and there are lots of midterms and exams (one for each class, one for each lab). There's also a lot of assignments and readings.
It's not really a matter of wanting to do good vs passing. You want to learn the material and learn it well. So you should either do good, or just not bother. You have to remember that this is going to be your career, and you will be a licensed professional. The pass rate for everything is 60%
Residence is pretty nice...the rooms are a nice size and you get your own bathroom and sink. All the students and teachers are super friendly. It's very easy to make friends, because you are with the same people every single day (you will have a small lab group that you are always with).

[HYip25]

Placement is awesome. I wish I had more than 4 weeks in each discipline. I feel like I learned 10 times more than I did in SimClin. Sometimes I feel bad for the teaching techs cause I'm always like, Why are we doing this? How is this significant? How is your rotation going?

Oh gawd, studying. I've been busy absorbing new stuff that I haven't gone back to review older stuff. I know the exam's practical based so it's difficult to judge the level of detail I need to actually study. I did very well at Michener so I know I have a good foundation. I shouldn't be too worried, but I just am. *stresses*

That\s awesome....
My rotation is a little bit longer... about 7 weeks each... some 6 weeks....
we don't have as many test, only one at the end of each rotation and one pre-csmls exam plus other mini task ... but during the rotation, the charge tech will ask question or tell us to review material....
half way through my histology rotation....lots of cutting and staining for the follow week...

[kayoko]

Thank you!
What kind of workload do you consider intense?
Is it only intense if you want to get high grades or is it really hard just to get a passing grade?

The material isn't difficult to learn. It's the amount of information to remember that's the challenge.

Like Jane said, grades don't really matter. Ultimately, you're doing this for patients. Are you going to be happy with just a passing grade? If you were sending in a blood sample, would you want a tech who can only identify a problem 60% of the time? Patients can die because of mistakes you made. It's not about the grades or pass/failing, it's about other people's lives (someone's mother, father, child, etc.). We are not doctors. We are not nurses. But we're just as important to the patient. Think about whether you can handle that responsibility and whether this kind of dedication is what you're looking for.

[smox]

The material isn't difficult to learn. It's the amount of information to remember that's the challenge.

Like Jane said, grades don't really matter. Ultimately, you're doing this for patients. Are you going to be happy with just a passing grade? If you were sending in a blood sample, would you want a tech who can only identify a problem 60% of the time? Patients can die because of mistakes you made. It's not about the grades or pass/failing, it's about other people's lives (someone's mother, father, child, etc.). We are not doctors. We are not nurses. But we're just as important to the patient. Think about whether you can handle that responsibility and whether this kind of dedication is what you're looking for.

No, I'd be hugely disappointed in myself if I barely passed. I'm a perfectionist... Which isn't always a good thing, but it makes me big on accuracy.
I just wanted to know more on what to expect.
I like solving problems. It bothers me when an answer to a problem doesn't come to me right away, and it makes me want to keep working on the problem to find the answer.
One reason I want to work in health care is because I have met doctors who seemed to not care much about my concerns. I'm a very compassionate person, and I know I would be dedicated to finding answers to others' problems.
It seems the chances of my getting accepted into Michener are very slim, but I feel as if I deserve this opportunity (which is strange since I suffer from low confidence). I think I would make a positive difference in others' lives if I became an MLT.

[kayoko]

No, I'd be hugely disappointed in myself if I barely passed. I'm a perfectionist... Which isn't always a good thing, but it makes me big on accuracy.
I just wanted to know more on what to expect.
I like solving problems. It bothers me when an answer to a problem doesn't come to me right away, and it makes me want to keep working on the problem to find the answer.
One reason I want to work in health care is because I have met doctors who seemed to not care much about my concerns. I'm a very compassionate person, and I know I would be dedicated to finding answers to others' problems.
It seems the chances of my getting accepted into Michener are very slim, but I feel as if I deserve this opportunity (which is strange since I suffer from low confidence). I think I would make a positive difference in others' lives if I became an MLT.

It's intense in that you should be studying every day in order to stay caught up to the best of your abilities. At the same time though, there are people who can study the night before and do spectacularly cause they memorize every bullet point on a slide. So the experience of intenseness definitely varies depending on your studying habits. Honestly though, my class averages were around 70-80s. Then again, we were the double cohort (remember us?).

You still have a chance as long as you apply. Yes, there may be one student who got accepted from high school, but how many high school students are actually applying relative to the university grads who can't find decent jobs? There are definitely more of the latter and this is reflected in those who are accepted. I feel like you really want to do this and I think you can! It may or may not be Michener, but you can still become a MLT. There are other schools out there who produce excellent MLTs. Although, I'd recommend against UOIT until they can get their passing grade up to par with the rest of the schools in Ontario.

[HYip25]

Hey, kayoko
do you remember what is the passing rate for this year csmls?

[kayoko]

Hey, kayoko
do you remember what is the passing rate for this year csmls?

If you mean passing rate for graduates, then Michener was 95%+, UOIT was about 50-60% and everyone else in Ontario was mid to high 80's (I think). Don't remember for out of province schools. I don't remember exact numbers. I could probably look it up if you want to know something specific.

As long as you don't go to UOIT, you have an excellent chance of passing the CSMLS exam.

I hope I didn't scare smox off. =/

[molexir]

My GF got acceptance today for both Med Lab Tech. and Respiratory Therapy. So RT acceptances are out as well.

Please provide your prerequisites scores for the RT program.

I'm going back to school to get some of the prereqs that I didn't get in HS the 1st time around along time ago - had no interest in science related credits whatsoever.

Anyone @ Michener in the RT program shed some light on what they think of the program current or past students.

Also would Michener be a better school for RT than saw Fanshawe or Conestoga?

TIA

[ix3katz]

im currently in the RT program @michener and..... there were a few students who dropped out to go to Fanshawe ..i guess fanshawe is easier?

michener takes about 50-60 students per year

i had a bachelor degree in sciences prior to applying, but i didn't do that well in university
i think i got a B average
i guess high school marks helped? (i had an A average in high school)
as for which courses you need, the michener website lists them out for u
anyway its not just about the marks... ur admission is based 50% on your marks, 50% on your MMI score

so far i like the program (im in 2nd year) as its very hands on (but that also means a lot of lab hours an practical exams)
in fact i have my clinical visit coming up .. :D n then in the summer i'll have my simulation labs, and then in my final year, i'll be doing my clinicals...!

anyway im doing the michener + dalhousie collaborative program (lots of online courses! yay); they don't offer this anymore ... they only offer the michener program now so lots on-site lecture hours
the staff is very friendly...generally very competent. i feel that a few instructors don't teach very well, but that happens at all schools

if you apply and get on the waiting list...don't worry.. :D theres still a high chance u'll get in. a lot of people on the waiting list gets in after 1st or 2nd round (by about..june/july). i was personally on the waiting list for RT, MLS, and cardiovascular perfusion .. and i got into both RT and MLS. anddddd ...im glad i picked RT over MLS :)

ps. forgot to mention.. most people already have a degree prior to this program, but there are also some students who came straight out of high school. there are also students with families, and some well into their 30's to 40's

[martinjustin]

Hey all.

I am from Nova Scotia and interested in doing the lab tech program. Huge problem is the only place that offers it in NSCC - and its full for Sept 2011 and only accepting applications for the 2012 waitlist. It sucks.

What other options do I have? I know most places (like New Brunswick Community College) have an enormous waitlist and prefer students from within the province, so out of province students don't have much of a chance.

Are there any places in Ontario or the rest of Canada that give equal opportunity for out of province students? (My marks aren't a problem)

[kayoko]

Are there any places in Ontario or the rest of Canada that give equal opportunity for out of province students? (My marks aren't a problem)

As far as I know, Michener doesn't give preference to local students, but you'd have to be willing to fly in for their interview process if they decide to grant you one. Here's a list from the CMA (http://www.cma.ca/medicallaboratorytechnology) of all the accredited schools across Canada. You can check out each school to see their requirements and what not.

[martinjustin]

How much can MLTs make as a new grad, and how much can they make max?

Oh and what about diagnostic cytologists? Genetics technologists?

[CavemanJ]

Hi guys, I'm a long time lurker and I've read through most of the pages in this thread. I was wondering when applying for this program, does it matter if you have no volunteer experiences? I do however have some years of experience in the research field. Will they ask for experiences during the MMI? Thank you.

[monicac_]

hi everyone. i'm hoping to get some help/info about michener's radiological technology program. i just spent some time reading thru this thread. i understand this thread is not dedicated to that so you guys might not be able to answer my questions very comprehensively. either way, i'd appreciate any input!

i'm in second year life science at UTSG and i have all the prereqs for rad tech. i applied to UT pharmacy last year and didn't make it. i guess it didn't help that i had a fever on the day of my MMI. i was just coughing and sneezing lol. anyways, my first yr gpa was 3.35 (prereqs bio was 75, math 81, and physics 75). still waiting for this semester's marks. high school gr12 average was high 80s (are hs marks important for rad tech? people talked about that for MLS). i'm applying to pharmacy again this year but i met a girl last month who's in michener and googled it, and am interested in applying to rad tech cuz in my case i haven't finished a degree and rad tech offers degree/diploma. and also residence looks great (whereas there are only 6 spots in grad house for pharmacy students...)

is there an interview component or MMI component to rad tech? if there is, i haven't been able to find it on the rad tech page on their website.

On their website, it says "The joint University of Toronto/Michener Radiological Technology Degree/Advanced Diploma program is a three-year full time program. There is one intake each year, in September, and courses are held at both UofT's downtown campus and at Michener."

so they only accept one student per year?

i would love to go to their open house next week but i have class until half way into the event and would be ridiculously late for it. i emailed them to reserve a spot for "meet me @ michener" but i have not gotten a response (i emailed a day or two ago so maybe they're still on holidays?)

and i'm confused about the english requirement for michener. my first language is not english, but i have gone to school in canada since gr6 and i have ENG4U, final grade 83%. would i just send in my official high school transcript, and not have to take some sort of english language assessment like TOEFL?

and last but not least, what are my chances of getting accepted into michener?

once again, any help is appreciated. thank you in advance and happy new year :)

[pharmacist84]

Answers to your questions are highlighted in red.

=============
hi everyone. i'm hoping to get some help/info about michener's radiological technology program. i just spent some time reading thru this thread. i understand this thread is not dedicated to that so you guys might not be able to answer my questions very comprehensively. either way, i'd appreciate any input!

i'm in second year life science at UTSG and i have all the prereqs for rad tech. i applied to UT pharmacy last year and didn't make it. i guess it didn't help that i had a fever on the day of my MMI. i was just coughing and sneezing lol. anyways, my first yr gpa was 3.35 (prereqs bio was 75, math 81, and physics 75). still waiting for this semester's marks. high school gr12 average was high 80s (are hs marks important for rad tech? people talked about that for MLS). i'm applying to pharmacy again this year but i met a girl last month who's in michener and googled it, and am interested in applying to rad tech cuz in my case i haven't finished a degree and rad tech offers degree/diploma. and also residence looks great (whereas there are only 6 spots in grad house for pharmacy students...)

is there an interview component or MMI component to rad tech? if there is, i haven't been able to find it on the rad tech page on their website.
= There is an interview, which is a huge component in Admission Index. I am not sure if it has changed to MMI or not. Last year was a traditional interview style

On their website, it says "The joint University of Toronto/Michener Radiological Technology Degree/Advanced Diploma program is a three-year full time program. There is one intake each year, in September, and courses are held at both UofT's downtown campus and at Michener."

so they only accept one student per year?
= they take 40 students per year for Rad Tech

i would love to go to their open house next week but i have class until half way into the event and would be ridiculously late for it. i emailed them to reserve a spot for "meet me @ michener" but i have not gotten a response (i emailed a day or two ago so maybe they're still on holidays?)

and i'm confused about the english requirement for michener. my first language is not english, but i have gone to school in canada since gr6 and i have ENG4U, final grade 83%. would i just send in my official high school transcript, and not have to take some sort of english language assessment like TOEFL?
= You don't need to take TOEFL if you have lived in Canada for more than 4 years

and last but not least, what are my chances of getting accepted into michener?
= they take about 1 student out of 4 students who applied, so your chance is about 25%.

once again, any help is appreciated. thank you in advance and happy new year

[oliveshadow]

Hi guys, wow, I just read all 46 pages, what a read. It was very helpful, thanks.
I'm applying to Michener's for fall. Right now I have some questions about the Cytology and MLS programs, so I'll be really grateful for any help, especially from those who are already working in the field. I've been researching the programs, and I saw lots of posts by working cytotechnologists on a US forum about how Cytology is a dying field. How do you feel about the future of cytotechnologists, esp in Canada? If anyone's actually a working cytolotechnologist, is it true that the work is mostly pap smears?
I'm worried that maybe cytology is too narrow compared to the MLS program, but it seems that both take the same licensing exam, both for certified MLTs. Is it the same license? Can a graduate from the cytology program work in the other MLT fields? (cuz I googled for cytology jobs and didn't find any.)
Thanks a lot for your help.

[HYip25]

Hi guys, wow, I just read all 46 pages, what a read. It was very helpful, thanks.
I'm applying to Michener's for fall. Right now I have some questions about the Cytology and MLS programs, so I'll be really grateful for any help, especially from those who are already working in the field. I've been researching the programs, and I saw lots of posts by working cytotechnologists on a US forum about how Cytology is a dying field. How do you feel about the future of cytotechnologists, esp in Canada? If anyone's actually a working cytolotechnologist, is it true that the work is mostly pap smears?
I'm worried that maybe cytology is too narrow compared to the MLS program, but it seems that both take the same licensing exam, both for certified MLTs. Is it the same license? Can a graduate from the cytology program work in the other MLT fields? (cuz I googled for cytology jobs and didn't find any.)
Thanks a lot for your help.

Cytology is a stream of MLT, but you are not license to work in other department such as hematology, histology, microbiology,transfusion and chemistry
In versa, a MLT need to obtain a different licence in order to work in cytology.
It is mostly screening pap smear, but there is also other smear to work on depending on where you work and your experience in the field
It is a pretty good add on for a MLT but in terms of job future, i don't have much to say since i am not in the field
But as a MLT, there maybe lots of shift and weekend, cyto-technologist from what i heard doesn't work weekend or shift

[oliveshadow]

Cytology is a stream of MLT, but you are not license to work in other department such as hematology, histology, microbiology,transfusion and chemistry
In versa, a MLT need to obtain a different licence in order to work in cytology.
It is mostly screening pap smear, but there is also other smear to work on depending on where you work and your experience in the field
It is a pretty good add on for a MLT but in terms of job future, i don't have much to say since i am not in the field
But as a MLT, there maybe lots of shift and weekend, cyto-technologist from what i heard doesn't work weekend or shift

Thanks, I'm just quite worried that cytology may be too narrow a field to go straight into, especially since I couldn't find any job postings for the position.

For those who have done the MMI, I know you're not supposed to disclose any details but if you're allowed, mind sharing how many situational sections vs how many traditional type interview sections there are in the MMI? Are the situational sections more general or are they oriented towards healthcare, like med school MMI?
Oh, and if I applied to multiple programs at Michener, do I go to a different MMI for each program (if I get the interview invitation, of course) or is there a single MMI for all the programs?
^ ^, thanks a lot guys!

[JaneSmith]

Hi guys, wow, I just read all 46 pages, what a read. It was very helpful, thanks.
I'm applying to Michener's for fall. Right now I have some questions about the Cytology and MLS programs, so I'll be really grateful for any help, especially from those who are already working in the field. I've been researching the programs, and I saw lots of posts by working cytotechnologists on a US forum about how Cytology is a dying field. How do you feel about the future of cytotechnologists, esp in Canada? If anyone's actually a working cytolotechnologist, is it true that the work is mostly pap smears?
I'm worried that maybe cytology is too narrow compared to the MLS program, but it seems that both take the same licensing exam, both for certified MLTs. Is it the same license? Can a graduate from the cytology program work in the other MLT fields? (cuz I googled for cytology jobs and didn't find any.)
Thanks a lot for your help.


Hi oliveshadow,

I'm a practicing MLT and can tell you that cytotechnology is not one of the disciplines an MLT can practice in. Likewise, a cytotechnologist is trained specifically in that field alone, and cannot work in any other type of lab. The cytotechology program at michener is quite small. I believe they only take around 25 people a year. When I was doing my rotations as a student I spent a day with a cytotechnologist, and yeah..it's a lot of pap smears! I found it quite boring, but it does take a lot of skill to find and grade cancerous cells...definitely not my cup of tea though! The job prospects for cytotechnologists are not as good as they are for MLTs due to the fact that a hospital may employ a few hundred MLTs to fill the various labs, whereas they may only need a few cytotechnologists.
The licensing exams for an MLT and a cytotechnologist are not the same exam, although I believe the licenses are governed by the same college, and the exams are written at the same time.
On the michener website somewhere, there are examples of the types of questions asked in the MMI

[oliveshadow]

Hi oliveshadow,

I'm a practicing MLT and can tell you that cytotechnology is not one of the disciplines an MLT can practice in. Likewise, a cytotechnologist is trained specifically in that field alone, and cannot work in any other type of lab. The cytotechology program at michener is quite small. I believe they only take around 25 people a year. When I was doing my rotations as a student I spent a day with a cytotechnologist, and yeah..it's a lot of pap smears! I found it quite boring, but it does take a lot of skill to find and grade cancerous cells...definitely not my cup of tea though! The job prospects for cytotechnologists are not as good as they are for MLTs due to the fact that a hospital may employ a few hundred MLTs to fill the various labs, whereas they may only need a few cytotechnologists.
The licensing exams for an MLT and a cytotechnologist are not the same exam, although I believe the licenses are governed by the same college, and the exams are written at the same time.
On the michener website somewhere, there are examples of the types of questions asked in the MMI

Hi JaneSmith, thanks for your reply!
^^ I got a bit confused about the license since it's governed by the same body and given at the same time. The cytology program at Michener is really quite small, when I called they said there are around 15 seats this year. The MLS program sounds more attractive to me than the cytology program, gives a chance to experience all the disciplines. The cytology program is shorter by 1 year which makes it attractive, all that time and financial investment.
The sample MMI question on the Michener website test for a particular skill, so I guess I'm a little curious esp. after reading some comments in this thread about the MMI involving situations that made people uncomfortable.

[indca]

hi! This is Priyanka.Actually, I m new on red flag and I m also new in canada.I came here 6 months before. I completed my B.Sc.degree in microbiology in India and I want to join michener institute for medical lab technologists. I have already applied for this and my MELA(michener english language assessment) test is on 22nd january,2011.so can you tell me which type of questions they will ask? Will they ask me about my field?I know nothing about this exam. Would anybody help me? I know my english is not that much good but whatever I write and whatever I speek;i just learned it in this 6 months.so your help is very important for me. Thank you.

[kayoko]

Hi guys, I'm a long time lurker and I've read through most of the pages in this thread. I was wondering when applying for this program, does it matter if you have no volunteer experiences? I do however have some years of experience in the research field. Will they ask for experiences during the MMI? Thank you.

Experience is irrelevant. Doing research doesn't really give you an edge in any way. Laboratory assistants may have a bit of an edge in terms of application of material but irrelevant to consideration as a candidate.

[rennick]

This thread and the info included has been really helpful. Thanks to all those that have contributed. I'm looking at applying for 2012 to the St. Clair College med lab technology program.

I formerly worked in IT for 20 years, and after being home the last couple (we relocated --- away from Windsor, hah --- for his job), I really don't want to go back to IT. I'm looking at med lab as a career change, and a friend who is a med lab technologist loves it, and thinks it would be a great idea. Is it okay to go into a career like this without some underlying passion? I wouldn't mind doing something with more intrinsic social value than my former jobs, but I'm not necessarily married to the med lab thing. I'm looking at the respiratory therapy and medical radiation therapy programs, though from the sounds of this thread, I would be better off job-wise to go for the MLT program.

Also, if I get into the program, I'll be looking at a daily 1h45m commute. I know there's a few of you on here that, it sounds like, are dealing with a long commute. How do you find it affects your ability to school? Do you have a family (spouse/kids)? I shouldn't have a problem getting a local placement for the 1yr clinical (according to the program coordinator) and a spouse who really would prefer I pick something at Fanshawe (though he is supportive). If I did, say, apply and get into Michener, would it be worth the extra 1/2 hour commute? Especially in the winter (I can stay overnight with my sister in Windsor on snowy days, if needed).

Oh, one other thing, if anyone has any thoughts. I hold a U.S. BSc with a concentration in Computer Science. I graduated cum laude (GPA 3.68). Would it be worth paying the $250 to get an international evaluation done? Assuming that it evaluates exactly the same (it's accredited, so I would expect so), would this make any difference to my application (to Michener or St. Clair)? As in, if I'm competing with someone, and we both have 85% on our prereqs, will the degree bump me up if they don't have one?

[kayoko]

This thread and the info included has been really helpful. Thanks to all those that have contributed. I'm looking at applying for 2012 to the St. Clair College med lab technology program.

I formerly worked in IT for 20 years, and after being home the last couple (we relocated --- away from Windsor, hah --- for his job), I really don't want to go back to IT. I'm looking at med lab as a career change, and a friend who is a med lab technologist loves it, and thinks it would be a great idea. Is it okay to go into a career like this without some underlying passion? I wouldn't mind doing something with more intrinsic social value than my former jobs, but I'm not necessarily married to the med lab thing. I'm looking at the respiratory therapy and medical radiation therapy programs, though from the sounds of this thread, I would be better off job-wise to go for the MLT program.

Also, if I get into the program, I'll be looking at a daily 1h45m commute. I know there's a few of you on here that, it sounds like, are dealing with a long commute. How do you find it affects your ability to school? Do you have a family (spouse/kids)? I shouldn't have a problem getting a local placement for the 1yr clinical (according to the program coordinator) and a spouse who really would prefer I pick something at Fanshawe (though he is supportive). If I did, say, apply and get into Michener, would it be worth the extra 1/2 hour commute? Especially in the winter (I can stay overnight with my sister in Windsor on snowy days, if needed).

Oh, one other thing, if anyone has any thoughts. I hold a U.S. BSc with a concentration in Computer Science. I graduated cum laude (GPA 3.68). Would it be worth paying the $250 to get an international evaluation done? Assuming that it evaluates exactly the same (it's accredited, so I would expect so), would this make any difference to my application (to Michener or St. Clair)? As in, if I'm competing with someone, and we both have 85% on our prereqs, will the degree bump me up if they don't have one?

I think you do need to have a certain level of interest for the career because the job often asks for very repetitive tasks. You don't need to be passionately in love with it, but I think it's something that you can learn to love. Since you have a friend in the field, why not ask for a tour of the lab? I think it's a great way to see how the laboratory functions.

Respiratory therapy and medical radiation therapy are also great careers, although they tend to have more patient interaction than someone who works in a laboratory. In terms of job prospects, I don't think it's fair to compare respiratory therapists and rad tech because this thread's skewed towards laboratory. I do believe that out of the three, laboratory pay scale is lower.

Long commutes are exhausting because you get up earlier and come home later, but still have to deal with homework and family. The key is to be productive during the commute. It's very tough with a family and I've known classmates who've had arguments with their spouses. It became difficult to see the children or even have meals together at times. It takes a certain amount of dedication to go through with a full time program that is very intensive.

In terms of choosing schools, think about where you want to work afterwards. Each school has placements in regions relatively close to where they're located. Michener students will unlikely be placed in Hamilton or London because St. Claire has "dibs" on those sites just as Michener has "dibs" on downtown Toronto hospitals. List of clinical placement sites can be found here (http://www.cma.ca/medicallaboratorytechnology#ML-ON). Michener has a slightly higher pass rate than St. Claire but that really doesn't mean too much in my opinion. As long as you pass that exam, everyone starts on equal footing.

Only the admissions officer can answer that question about evaluation of your US credentials. Admissions ranking is a bit of a black box so it is possible to say whether having a degree bumps you up in any way.

[smox]

I haven't been posting, but I've been keeping up with this thread.
I've applied to Michener, UOIT, St.Clair, St.Lawrence, and Cambrian for their MLS programs. I also applied to some other programs.
I've gotten an early acceptance to UOIT for MLS and McMaster for radiation science. (Kayoko, I've read somewhere recently that you applied to radiation science in the past!)
Radiation science doesn't seem like a bad idea, but I don't think my personality suits being a radiation tech, radiation therapist, or ultrasonographer.
I'm very set on being an MLT. I've also become slightly obsessed with the idea of going to Michener... I will be shattered if they don't accept me. :(
I'm afraid I will get into every program but my number one choice. Going going to Michener would be convenient too since I don't live too far from it. I'll be even closer next year since my family is planning to move to Toronto.
I'm passionate about being an MLT...
I'm not worried about getting an interview, but I'm worried about the interview itself.

Also, how do you know about the pass rates of the different schools? Do you know the pass rate of the schools I've mentioned? I know Cambrian had 100% of their MLS graduates pass the CSMLS exam last year.
And... What were you like during the interview?
Ah, I have so many questions.

How many high school looking students did you see at the interview?

[HYip25]

You could check the Pass rate of the CSMLS exam through CJMLS, Canadian Journal of Medical lab science... i am not sure about other school, but last year, st lawrence college had a passing rate of 97%, but keep in mind that we have about 60-70 student in 1st year, and there is less then 40 students who qualify to write the CSMLS... UOIT from what i heard has improved their pass rate quite a lot from couple years ago

On to another topic.... Good luck to everyone who is taking their CSMLS exam in Feb, I am taking mine in June (quite a long way ahead)....




I haven't been posting, but I've been keeping up with this thread.
I've applied to Michener, UOIT, St.Clair, St.Lawrence, and Cambrian for their MLS programs. I also applied to some other programs.
I've gotten an early acceptance to UOIT for MLS and McMaster for radiation science. (Kayoko, I've read somewhere recently that you applied to radiation science in the past!)
Radiation science doesn't seem like a bad idea, but I don't think my personality suits being a radiation tech, radiation therapist, or ultrasonographer.
I'm very set on being an MLT. I've also become slightly obsessed with the idea of going to Michener... I will be shattered if they don't accept me. :(
I'm afraid I will get into every program but my number one choice. Going going to Michener would be convenient too since I don't live too far from it. I'll be even closer next year since my family is planning to move to Toronto.
I'm passionate about being an MLT...
I'm not worried about getting an interview, but I'm worried about the interview itself.

Also, how do you know about the pass rates of the different schools? Do you know the pass rate of the schools I've mentioned? I know Cambrian had 100% of their MLS graduates pass the CSMLS exam last year.
And... What were you like during the interview?
Ah, I have so many questions.

How many high school looking students did you see at the interview?

[martinjustin]

How much can an MLT expect to make after graduation? and after a few years experience?

[nalababe]

How much can an MLT expect to make after graduation? and after a few years experience?

That will depend where you get hired and your experience:

in increasing order of salary:

Mega Lab (Life Labs, CML)
Government (OAHPP)
Hospital (UHN, Sunnybrook)
Industry*

* industry is a tougher one as typically you'd be hired as a Technical Specialist. It is likely, if you have a number of years experience, that your base salary would be less than the Hospital (and possibly even government); however, there would be other benefits: Company Car, Bonuses, Commissions, performance awards, President Club trips...and the ability to go to tradeshows. Of course, it is not for everyone: you don't get overtime as a rule and may work long hours or be away from home for weeks on end (ok if it is California, not so great if Cornerbrook)

[HYip25]

also depends on location
some province pay a bit less then other


That will depend where you get hired and your experience:

in increasing order of salary:

Mega Lab (Life Labs, CML)
Government (OAHPP)
Hospital (UHN, Sunnybrook)
Industry*

* industry is a tougher one as typically you'd be hired as a Technical Specialist. It is likely, if you have a number of years experience) that your base salary would be less than the Hospital (and possibly even government); however, there would be other benefits: Company Car, Bonuses, Commissions, performance awards, President Club trips...and the ability to go to tradeshows. Of course, it is not for everyone: you don't get overtime as a rule and may work long hours or be away from home for weeks on end (ok if it is California, not so great if Cornerbrook)

[kayoko]

I'm very set on being an MLT. I've also become slightly obsessed with the idea of going to Michener... I will be shattered if they don't accept me. :( I'm afraid I will get into every program but my number one choice. Going going to Michener would be convenient too since I don't live too far from it. I'll be even closer next year since my family is planning to move to Toronto.
I'm passionate about being an MLT...
I'm not worried about getting an interview, but I'm worried about the interview itself.

And... What were you like during the interview?
Ah, I have so many questions.

How many high school looking students did you see at the interview?

Like I said before, most schools across Ontario perform very well on their CSMLS exams so it's not like one school is superior over others. If you really want to go to Michener but don't get in this year, try again next year. That's always a possibility.

The content of the interviews are confidential, but I think people are generally overly nervous about it. Read up on MMI stuff over in medical forums. There are only so many established scenarios.

[cdmj]

I also applied for the MLT program at Michener, and came across this thread when I was trying to find answers to some of my questions. Kudos to the OP for creating such an informative thread, and I got lots of answers in this thread already. But, I'm not sure how the job market would be in the near future (say 2 -3 years) and in the long run? What is graduation rate for the MLT program at Michener? And what percentage of MLT graduates did actually find jobs in the last few years? It would be helpful if anyone can share some information on the above topics. And, if there are any practicing MLTs on board, can you please share with us some aspects that you like and dislike about this profession? I know I asked lots of questions, but I'm desperate to know as much information as I can.:razz: Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread, because I have a learned a lot already.

[oliveshadow]

Like I said before, most schools across Ontario perform very well on their CSMLS exams so it's not like one school is superior over others. If you really want to go to Michener but don't get in this year, try again next year. That's always a possibility.

The content of the interviews are confidential, but I think people are generally overly nervous about it. Read up on MMI stuff over in medical forums. There are only so many established scenarios.

Do you know if the Michener MMI is similar to Med school MMIs? As in there are a lot of healthcare related scenarios?

Thanks!

[JaneSmith]

I also applied for the MLT program at Michener, and came across this thread when I was trying to find answers to some of my questions. Kudos to the OP for creating such an informative thread, and I got lots of answers in this thread already. But, I'm not sure how the job market would be in the near future (say 2 -3 years) and in the long run? What is graduation rate for the MLT program at Michener? And what percentage of MLT graduates did actually find jobs in the last few years? It would be helpful if anyone can share some information on the above topics. And, if there are any practicing MLTs on board, can you please share with us some aspects that you like and dislike about this profession? I know I asked lots of questions, but I'm desperate to know as much information as I can.:razz: Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread, because I have a learned a lot already.

There are jobs out there...you just have to be willing to take something that may not be your first choice (for example, work overnight in core lab). My class graduated in February of 2010 and I'm pretty sure at least 95% of my class is happily employed. The job market seems to have been fairly stable for the past few years in Toronto. If you are willing/able to relocate to manitoba/east coast, you are practically guaranteed a job.
I've been practicing for almost a year now...what I like the most about my job is that the day flies by so fast that i can't even remember a time in nearly a year where I've looked at the clock during my shift, waiting for it to be over. The worst part of my job is that it is so busy that I don't have time to look at the clock at all! I do find the job quite stressful, but I also find it rewarding. You know you're helping people, and you can see the results of your work and how it affects patients every single day. There's a huge learning curve...you are constantly learning and improving your skills on the job...which can be motivating for some, but frustrating for others. All in all, I'm glad I got into this line of work.

[cdmj]

There are jobs out there...you just have to be willing to take something that may not be your first choice (for example, work overnight in core lab). My class graduated in February of 2010 and I'm pretty sure at least 95% of my class is happily employed. The job market seems to have been fairly stable for the past few years in Toronto. If you are willing/able to relocate to manitoba/east coast, you are practically guaranteed a job.
I've been practicing for almost a year now...what I like the most about my job is that the day flies by so fast that i can't even remember a time in nearly a year where I've looked at the clock during my shift, waiting for it to be over. The worst part of my job is that it is so busy that I don't have time to look at the clock at all! I do find the job quite stressful, but I also find it rewarding. You know you're helping people, and you can see the results of your work and how it affects patients every single day. There's a huge learning curve...you are constantly learning and improving your skills on the job...which can be motivating for some, but frustrating for others. All in all, I'm glad I got into this line of work.

Good to see someone who is actually working in this field providing honest opinions. I really like jobs where you have no time to ponder about other things. I find these jobs can be motivating as well. Regarding the stress, will it be more of a physical stress with long hours and keeping yourself busy all day, etc? Or would it be more of a mental discomfort of trying to finish things within the deadline, etc?

[kayoko]

Good to see someone who is actually working in this field providing honest opinions. I really like jobs where you have no time to ponder about other things. I find these jobs can be motivating as well. Regarding the stress, will it be more of a physical stress with long hours and keeping yourself busy all day, etc? Or would it be more of a mental discomfort of trying to finish things within the deadline, etc?

I would say it's a bit of both and really depends on where you're working. Shifts are usually 8 hours but sometimes there will be 12 hour shifts. At the same time though, most places have busy days where there just isn't enough time to get everything done fast enough and also slow days where people have to be creative in order to keep busy.

[kayoko]

Do you know if the Michener MMI is similar to Med school MMIs? As in there are a lot of healthcare related scenarios?
Never did Med school MMI so I can't say, but I don't think the scenarios are technical in any way, if that's what you're talking about. If you look on the Michener website, there are sample questions and links to more sample scenarios.

[kayoko]

Just wanted to let everyone know that Michener will be having an Open House on May 28th (Saturday). This is a wonderful opportunity to see the school, talk to current students and faculty. In my experience, you will be able to get more information from the Open House than a Meet Me at Michener event so I would highly encourage any interested parties to come visit Michener on May 28th. More information (http://www.michener.ca/community/MichenerOpenHouse-May282011.php).

Everyone's seen the super awesome promotional videos for Future Healthcare Heros (http://www.futurehealthcareheroes.com/), right?

[smox]

Just wanted to let everyone know that Michener will be having an Open House on May 28th (Saturday). This is a wonderful opportunity to see the school, talk to current students and faculty. In my experience, you will be able to get more information from the Open House than a Meet Me at Michener event so I would highly encourage any interested parties to come visit Michener on May 28th. More information (http://www.michener.ca/community/MichenerOpenHouse-May282011.php).

Everyone's seen the super awesome promotional videos for Future Healthcare Heros (http://www.futurehealthcareheroes.com/), right?

Thanks for the heads up! I will probably come by for the open house.
Yes, I've seen the promotional videos. I remember watching them and relating to Alyson the best. :)

[smox]

I have more questions for those who go/ have gone to Michener.

What was your high school average and your university average?
Did you go in with a Bachelor's degree?
What is the atmosphere in Michener like? Serious? Friendly?
Are there any clubs?
What is the Schatz hall like? Noisy? Quiet?
Did you live in residence? What was that like?
Do you use the fitness centre?
How do the students dress? Casual with jeans?
How did you and others dress for the interview?
What is the course load like? Are there a lot of projects? How are you graded?
How much time did you dedicate to studying/
What average did you end with?
How long did it take you to become employed?
Did you feel prepared when you got your first job?
What was your starting wage?
What are your shift hours like?
What are your fellow MLTs like?
What are your future plans? Specialization?

I think some of these questions were already answered earlier in the thread, but fresh answers would be nice!

Thanks in advance. :)

[kayoko]

I have more questions for those who go/ have gone to Michener.

What was your high school average and your university average?
Did you go in with a Bachelor's degree?
What is the atmosphere in Michener like? Serious? Friendly?
Are there any clubs?
What is the Schatz hall like? Noisy? Quiet?
Did you live in residence? What was that like?
Do you use the fitness centre?
How do the students dress? Casual with jeans?
How did you and others dress for the interview?
What is the course load like? Are there a lot of projects? How are you graded?
How much time did you dedicate to studying/
What average did you end with?
How long did it take you to become employed?
Did you feel prepared when you got your first job?
What was your starting wage?
What are your shift hours like?
What are your fellow MLTs like?
What are your future plans? Specialization?

I think some of these questions were already answered earlier in the thread, but fresh answers would be nice!

Thanks in advance. :)

Michener is a friendly small community environment, much like high school. People know your name and face. Most people who work there are happy and it shows.

Schatz Hall? It's noisy when it's busy and quiet when no one's there. That doesn't really help but it's just one big room with chairs and stuff. Good for group study and group work. Quiet study? Not so much unless you're there at random hours.

I think residence is quite comparable with other dorms. You can be social or anti-social. People stick up signs about slamming doors. The rooms are small but you get your own bathroom and furniture. It's decent.

I don't think the fitness centre is very well used, but it is used by some people on a regular basis. I would say it's pretty well taken care of because the folks in student life use it.

For the MMI, you can dress however you like. Business casual never fails. It's there to assess your communication skills, not what-not-to-wear.

Full time program means full time workload. Expect lots of time studying and working on projects. Graded by theory tests and practical assessments. Each course usually has some sort of simple assignment to help spread out the marks. First year first semester, I had a test/quiz every week from the end of September until November. Sometimes there would be multiple things each week. It's a heavy workload because there's a lot of information to learn.

I would say the course averages hovered around a B for my class. That really doesn't say much because that varies with the group of people in your class. My class was very strong academically so sometimes we'd see an A- average. Being a straight A student doesn't really make you any different than say a B student as long as you pass your licensing exam.

[cyto]

This is in response to the Cytology question. Been in field for loooong time.
We can't do MLT work- maybe Histo- only if its on CMLTO license.
More variety in hospitals- in private lab- mostly paps.
Good luck trying to find a job- very difficult.
Lots of cut backs everywhere.
Should stick to general MLT program if I were you.
Cytology at one point was making more $ than general MLTs- not sure if this is case any longer.

[Gostosa]

Hello everyone,

For those Michener applicants, we all know that many (if not all) programs have now employed MMI's.

You can visit my thread at http://forums.redflagdeals.com/micheners-multiple-mini-interviews-1008074/

Thanks!

Good luck to everyone! :)

[JaneSmith]

Good to see someone who is actually working in this field providing honest opinions. I really like jobs where you have no time to ponder about other things. I find these jobs can be motivating as well. Regarding the stress, will it be more of a physical stress with long hours and keeping yourself busy all day, etc? Or would it be more of a mental discomfort of trying to finish things within the deadline, etc?

I'd say it would depend on the lab where you work, and the hospital you work in. For me, I work in a VERY busy micro lab, in one of the busiest hospitals in Ontario. So the stress comes from the pressure of getting through all the work, and doing it right. In micro, you don't have anyone to take over for you where you left off. You have to get through all the work on your own, and in your shift. Some days I might have 150 things to do, while other days I will have 50. When I go for break/lunch, there is nobody to take over my work for me, so I know that nothing is getting done while I am away. So my experience has been that my stress comes from the sheer volume of work, and the pressure to get it all done right.
In other situations, stress might come from the multi-tasking aspect of the job. In some labs, where you are responsible for more than one bench, or STAT specimens, you might find yourself running around a lot, trying to time things properly, etc.
In still other situations, some of my classmates who have to work the overnight shift, complain of the physical stress of flipping your sleeping schedule around, and of keeping yourself occupied during the down times that come with an overnight shift.
It would seem like there's lots of stress to go around! However, overall, I would say this job doesn't have to be overly stressful. There are always people around to help you, and like anything, the more you do it the more routine it becomes! I happen to be a super anal type A personality, so I drive myself a little nuts sometimes....but if you're more laid back, I don't think you'd find being an MLT overly stressful (physically or mentally).

[JaneSmith]

Already answered by Kayoko, but I will give my resposnes as well


I have more questions for those who go/ have gone to Michener.

What was your high school average and your university average?
Highschool average bordered on 90%, University average not quite as high :)

Did you go in with a Bachelor's degree?
I went in with a degree in biology

What is the atmosphere in Michener like? Serious? Friendly?
Most students are very friendly, but serious about why they are there.

Are there any clubs?
There's various athletic clubs, and different fundraising type clubs..i never joined any myself

What is the Schatz hall like? Noisy? Quiet?
Schatz hall is just a large room with lots of couches and tables where students can go to hang out or study. It's not loud like a cafeteria, but not quiet like a library

Did you live in residence? What was that like?
I didn't live in residence, but the rooms seemed ok, and you can't get much more convenient than living IN your school. Some of my friends who did live in residence found that sometimes they would go a whole week without stepping outside when things got busy..so that might not be so good

Do you use the fitness centre?
The fitness centre is not well used. There's a squash room, some cardio machines, free weights I think, some weight machines. It's not exactly state of the art, but it's pretty good for free

How do the students dress? Casual with jeans?
Jeans...and as midterms/finals approach...scrubs and pajamas (or maybe that was just me). If you have a hoodie and a pair of jeans, you're set.

How did you and others dress for the interview?
It never hurts to dress up for the MMI...business casual is plenty dressy enough

What is the course load like? Are there a lot of projects? How are you graded?
There's usually a theory and a lab component to each class. The theory will be a midterm/final/project or essay/some small quizzes/presentation or a combo of any of these and the practical will be a midterm/final/lab reports

How much time did you dedicate to studying/
A lot. I'd come home from school and pretty much have the books open all night (although I'd have the tv on too)

What average did you end with?
A high average (but it doesn't matter...you need a minimum of 60% to pass everything

How long did it take you to become employed?
I was employed a week after I got my exam results back

Did you feel prepared when you got your first job?
Yes and no. Nothing prepares you like real life experience. And you do a lot of learning on the job. I feel like Michener gave me a good foundation though

What was your starting wage?
The typical starting wage seems to be around $28 an hour. Pension plans, benefits and the like vary from lab to lab.

What are your shift hours like?
I work monday-friday 8-4...but I'm one of the lucky ones

What are your fellow MLTs like?
They're all very nice, and a wealth of knowledge. I'm the youngest person in my lab

What are your future plans? Specialization?
It's hard to think too far ahead as a new MLT as most of us are on short contracts...so right now my goal is to try to stay in Micro and learn as much as I can in that discipline. Eventually I might like to get into Infection control, as it seems like an interesting field, and a bit different than working at a bench.

I think some of these questions were already answered earlier in the thread, but fresh answers would be nice!

Thanks in advance. :)

[nalababe]

"What are your future plans? Specialization?
It's hard to think too far ahead as a new MLT as most of us are on short contracts...so right now my goal is to try to stay in Micro and learn as much as I can in that discipline. Eventually I might like to get into Infection control, as it seems like an interesting field, and a bit different than working at a bench."

In the next year or so, Micro will be turned on its head with the adoption of Maldi-TOF systems...

[studentoflife]

great thread. i joined this site specifically for this thread lol. i've read most of it and it's been pretty informative and helpful.

i just had a question about the medical laboratory science program at michener vs st clair college. I applied to both schools and have been accepted to st clair. I have yet to receive an acceptance from Michener.

This may be a tough question to answer but is there a noticable difference between the programs at the two schools? Does Michener prepare it's students better than st clair? Perhaps it has a better reputation? Michener's tuition fees are considerably more expensive compared to st clair. $3500 vs $5500. I don't see why i should pay a lot more to go to Michener unless there is a significant advantage.

I've also applied for medical radiation technology program at fanshawe. My application is still pending. From my understanding the job market right now and in the near future for medical radiation technology is fairly bleek. On the other hand the future for medical laboratory technologists is much better. Please correct me if i'm wrong.

[kayoko]

i just had a question about the medical laboratory science program at michener vs st clair college. I applied to both schools and have been accepted to st clair. I have yet to receive an acceptance from Michener.

This may be a tough question to answer but is there a noticable difference between the programs at the two schools? Does Michener prepare it's students better than st clair? Perhaps it has a better reputation? Michener's tuition fees are considerably more expensive compared to st clair. $3500 vs $5500. I don't see why i should pay a lot more to go to Michener unless there is a significant advantage.

I believe that Michener students have more access to equipment and instrumentation, especially with their simulated labs. The instruments at the school are usually just a smaller version of what the clinical places use. It all evens out in the clinical component. My memory tells me that Michener might have a slightly higher pass rate than St. Clair, but not enough to say you should go to one over the other. The process might be a bit different between the two schools, but the end result is the same.

In my opinion, it's mostly a location thing. Most people who went to Michener lived in the GTA.

[Mickey2026]

I recently got offered admission to St. Lawrence and St. Clair for MLT. Still waiting to hear from Michener. However, for now I'm unsure which of the two it a better choice. St Lawrence offers direct entry to second year for applicants with post-secondary science credits so I just need to find out if I am eligible. If so then this will be definitely be my number one choice :)
Any tips or comments?

Glad to have found this thread!

[CavemanJ]

I recently got offered admission to St. Lawrence and St. Clair for MLT. Still waiting to hear from Michener. However, for now I'm unsure which of the two it a better choice. St Lawrence offers direct entry to second year for applicants with post-secondary science credits so I just need to find out if I am eligible. If so then this will be definitely be my number one choice :)
Any tips or comments?

Glad to have found this thread!

Hello, I had a similar inquiry regarding the 2nd entry process for MLS at St.Lawrence. This is the reponse from their administration:

"Advanced entry applicants are "filtered through admissions". For example if you would like to apply for 3rd semester you put in your application through OCAS for semester 3 2011 and admissions tell me if you have the qualifications to be considered for advanced entry. If you meet tha regular admission requirements, admissions will request that you send your complete transcript and the courses you think would line up with courses from our first year course descriptions. You can find these descriptions on the college website under full-time programs. Then I assess your transcript and the submitted outlines. HOWEVER, it has become difficult in the last few years to enter second year of the program because we are over subscribed...meaning we have many applicants for first year with a low attrition rate. Many students with a degree instead choose to enter first year of the program and drop some of their courses. You need to retain full-time status as we are a full-time program. This means you can drop 30% of your courses. You will not get credit for any subjects in year 2. "

Also, IIRC, I think any credits that are approved for transfer will not change the amount of tuition you'll pay for that year.

[HYip25]

I am 3rd yr MLS student at st. Lawrence, for the 2nd year direct entry option, so far from the 3 yrs experience i have with the college, i have not seen even one direct entry to second year.... most of the people in my class go through 1st year even though we all have some sort of undergrad background, there is a few students joining the class during second half of first year. Pass rate of csmls really depends on the student from that year.
Class size is about 60 persons in first year.
we don't have stimulation lab like Michener, we have a 9 months clinical rotation instead. ( I believe Michener is 6 months clinical + 4 months stimulation lab, but you should confirm with Michener's student instead) But if you would like to stay in toronto, michener will be a better choice

[CavemanJ]

I am 3rd yr MLS student at st. Lawrence, for the 2nd year direct entry option, so far from the 3 yrs experience i have with the college, i have not seen even one direct entry to second year.... most of the people in my class go through 1st year even though we all have some sort of undergrad background, there is a few students joining the class during second half of first year. Pass rate of csmls really depends on the student from that year.
Class size is about 60 persons in first year.
we don't have stimulation lab like Michener, we have a 9 months clinical rotation instead. ( I believe Michener is 6 months clinical + 4 months stimulation lab, but you should confirm with Michener's student instead) But if you would like to stay in toronto, michener will be a better choice

Hi, do you know the CSMLS pass rate for St. Lawrence for the most recent year? Also, what is a stimulation lab and how does it differ from a clinical rotation? Lastly, do you think that the program at st.lawrence has helped you prepare for the CSMLS test? Thank you. :)

[HYip25]

hey, kayoko
how was your csmls exam?
I heard that csmls has a pretty bad habit of releasing the result almost at the end of that 45 days wait period... not sure whether you heard something similar.
good luck on your job search..

[HYip25]

Hi, do you know the CSMLS pass rate for St. Lawrence for the most recent year? Also, what is a stimulation lab and how does it differ from a clinical rotation? Lastly, do you think that the program at st.lawrence has helped you prepare for the CSMLS test? Thank you. :)

I believe for my college, the csmls pass rate is 97 % for last year, previous year is about 83% ......

I don't have any comment on stimulation lab when it compare to an actual clinical rotation, but from what i heard, it would prepare student for the clinical rotation and give them a good general idea of the working environment/task, clinical rotation is quite different from stimulation lab because you need to deal with real working environment, work with patient/nurse/doctor/technologist, observe/ learn from other's experience....

I didn't do my csmls yet, but the program itself is very intense, drop out rate at my college has been about 30+% since first year
it does however prepare me very well for my clinical rotation, give me most of the fundamental information and knowledge, but the program need to be more up to date since the hospital sometimes uses more recent research and technology in their lab

[JaneSmith]

great thread. i joined this site specifically for this thread lol. i've read most of it and it's been pretty informative and helpful.

i just had a question about the medical laboratory science program at michener vs st clair college. I applied to both schools and have been accepted to st clair. I have yet to receive an acceptance from Michener.

This may be a tough question to answer but is there a noticable difference between the programs at the two schools? Does Michener prepare it's students better than st clair? Perhaps it has a better reputation? Michener's tuition fees are considerably more expensive compared to st clair. $3500 vs $5500. I don't see why i should pay a lot more to go to Michener unless there is a significant advantage.

I've also applied for medical radiation technology program at fanshawe. My application is still pending. From my understanding the job market right now and in the near future for medical radiation technology is fairly bleek. On the other hand the future for medical laboratory technologists is much better. Please correct me if i'm wrong.

One difference between the two programs is the fact that St. Clair has quite a few non-MLT related courses (like computers, stats, literature, etc). This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you already have a university degree, it's probably a waste of your time. I noticed that you don't even start micro courses until 3rd semester at st. clair, whereas at Michener you really hit the ground running in first year with all the main disciplines. Another thing Michener has going for it, is its history and its association with U of T and the University Health Network.
However, when it comes down to it, what really matters is passing the CSMLS exam, and all MLT programs will prepare you for that.

[akademiks]

Sorry for asking a question that's probably been asked before, but what kind of undergrad grades do you need to get in?

[kayoko]

Also, what is a stimulation lab and how does it differ from a clinical rotation? Lastly, do you think that the program at st.lawrence has helped you prepare for the CSMLS test? Thank you. :)
Simulation lab takes place at the school, but it is set up to be like a real lab. The students are exposed to different scenarios they may face in a clinical environment. It's a bit like a stepping stone to help you move from school to a real laboratory environment.


How was your csmls exam? I heard that csmls has a pretty bad habit of releasing the result almost at the end of that 45 days wait period... not sure whether you heard something similar.
The CSMLS exam was different than any other exam I wrote at Michener. I don't think I could have studied any more for it even if you gave me a month. Well, I heard that we get our results fairly quickly, probably because not a lot of people write the February exam. Most schools across Canada write the June exam so I can imagine that it takes longer for them to process the results.


Sorry for asking a question that's probably been asked before, but what kind of undergrad grades do you need to get in?
Erm, you don't. You only need high school level courses to get in. Min 75% average to be considered.

[JaneSmith]

The CSMLS exam was different than any other exam I wrote at Michener. I don't think I could have studied any more for it even if you gave me a month. Well, I heard that we get our results fairly quickly, probably because not a lot of people write the February exam. Most schools across Canada write the June exam so I can imagine that it takes longer for them to process the results.


Erm, you don't. You only need high school level courses to get in. Min 75% average to be considered.


Last February we didn't get our results back for about six weeks. I think they started trickling in at the end of the 5th week, and everyone had been notified by the end of the 6th week. I hope it's faster for you!

[Versace77]

I found this forum accidentally and I love it :)

The best networking forum for future MLT ever :))))

Recently I got accepted into MLT Program at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Polytechnic in Calgary :)
I was the lucky one I guess.

To be honest MLT program at SAIT is one of the most competitive and toughest to get into. There is about more than a thousand candidates each year and only 20 seats for each year. Beside very very high marks that you need to get into, they also interview the best of the best and eliminate the weakest candidates. I got accepted with average high school marks 96% (math, english, biology and chemistry) I heard that minimum average to get into this program is above 92% which is really highly competitive.
The interview itself is very stressful. It is panel interview and basically you have to be prepare for the worst because they ask about anything and everything. Lots of analitycal chemistry questions... You just really have to make impressed them I guess to pass this whole interview process...

The program itself takes 2 full years without vacation break. The second year is basically practicum in hospitals, labs and Calgary Laboratory Services etc etc. It is very intense and difficult ( first hand info from the firnd who is finishing this program now at SAIT).

The program at SAIT cost about $ 11 thousand and is one of the most expensive :9
Hopefully all my effort will pay off in the future.
Wish me luck :)

If you guys have any questions or need advice, feel free to contact me over here/

Peter

[SHEEEEP]

I found this forum accidentally and I love it :)

The best networking forum for future MLT ever :))))

Recently I got accepted into MLT Program at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Polytechnic in Calgary :)
I was the lucky one I guess.

To be honest MLT program at SAIT is one of the most competitive and toughest to get into. There is about more than a thousand candidates each year and only 20 seats for each year. Beside very very high marks that you need to get into, they also interview the best of the best and eliminate the weakest candidates. I got accepted with average high school marks 96% (math, english, biology and chemistry) I heard that minimum average to get into this program is above 92% which is really highly competitive.
The interview itself is very stressful. It is panel interview and basically you have to be prepare for the worst because they ask about anything and everything. Lots of analitycal chemistry questions... You just really have to make impressed them I guess to pass this whole interview process...

The program itself takes 2 full years without vacation break. The second year is basically practicum in hospitals, labs and Calgary Laboratory Services etc etc. It is very intense and difficult ( first hand info from the firnd who is finishing this program now at SAIT).

The program at SAIT cost about $ 11 thousand and is one of the most expensive :9
Hopefully all my effort will pay off in the future.
Wish me luck :)

If you guys have any questions or need advice, feel free to contact me over here/

Peter

Congrats on getting into SAIT for MLT! I'm happy to see another Albertan MLT student in here (it's been a while). I'm a MLS student at the U of A. I always found it pretty interesting how competitive it is to get into NAIT and SAIT. I didn't have to do an interview to get into my program and there's only about 150 applicants every year and there are 29 students admitted. I guess the main reason why there's less applicants is because nobody knows that such a program exists, especially in a school where there's other healthcare programs that are more "prestigious", like pharmacy and dentistry. In MLS, the first year consists of introductory theory and labs plus clinical rotations where we do our outpatient phlebotomy rotations and we get to do some job shadowing of nurses and pathologists and we also get to watch surgeries. Second year is our clinical year and like Michener, we have a dedicated "simulation lab" that we share with the NAIT students and we do training there for 1-4 weeks prior to each rotation. Our third year focuses on advanced theory and techniques, and research, which is stuff that I assume NAIT students don't learn much of in their program, so I guess this is what really sets MLS students apart from NAIT students. We do consequently get paid more after we graduate but it's not a significant amount more.

Did you get into the MLT program straight from high school? Or did you work as an MLA previously? And how did you hear about the MLT program?

[HYip25]

quick questions for anyone who have done their CSMLS, are you require to stay in the exam site after you have finished your exam and there is still time left ( just say 45~60mins)?

[Versace77]

Hi...

Are you finishing your degree this year in Edmonton or just started this year?
My program starts on September 6, 2011 and I am so happy about this.
I do have Master Degree in Microbiology and Immunology from Europe.
I just came to Canada and applied after 4 years living here. I guess I was extremely lucky to get into this program considering huge competition rate.

My program is two years diploma and after that hopefully will find a job in Calgary as MLT. I would like to apply also into MLS after degree program in Edmonton ( part time).

I hope for the best. They should open new hospital in Calgary in 2013 and hopefully will get placement there.
My second year at SAIT is basically practicum for almost 9 months.

How is employment rate for MLT students in Edmonton. Do you happen to know if UofA graduates find easily jobs after graduation?

P.

[SHEEEEP]

Hi...

Are you finishing your degree this year in Edmonton or just started this year?
My program starts on September 6, 2011 and I am so happy about this.
I do have Master Degree in Microbiology and Immunology from Europe.
I just came to Canada and applied after 4 years living here. I guess I was extremely lucky to get into this program considering huge competition rate.

My program is two years diploma and after that hopefully will find a job in Calgary as MLT. I would like to apply also into MLS after degree program in Edmonton ( part time).

I hope for the best. They should open new hospital in Calgary in 2013 and hopefully will get placement there.
My second year at SAIT is basically practicum for almost 9 months.

How is employment rate for MLT students in Edmonton. Do you happen to know if UofA graduates find easily jobs after graduation?

P.

I am finishing my degree this year. I also had an immunology background prior to going into the MLS program, but nothing close to your masters degree haha I think you'll be doing well in MLT, since a lot of the theory is based around immunology, and microbiology always seems to be one of the more difficult subject areas because of the large amount of material covered.

Job openings in Edmonton is around the same as Calgary right now (that is, not very many job openings compared to a few years ago), but students graduating from my program easily found jobs in previous years. I have a feeling that it will be a little more difficult to find jobs this year because of the small amount of job openings in Edmonton and Calgary, plus all the changes going on in AHS right now, but I guess we will have to see!

[Versace77]

I am so glas I have found Albertan on this forum:)

I do have so many quesions to you but on the other isde I dont wanna bother you too much :(

My program seems very intense and I know from my friend who finished this program that there is no time for even part-time job because of the workload at school.

I am determined and will try my best. I have to suceed no matter what and from experience I know that determination always pay off :)

My plan is to graduate, pass CSMLS exam and start looking for a job. Job in Alberta would work ideally for me, because i love where I live.

If not, I will eventually move to different province.

Tell me more about job oportunities after school in Alberta? Where they usually get hired? AHS or just private labs?

I would love to work for AHS ( steady job, pay, vacation etc etc) but we will see what is gonna happen.

It seems now like all the positions are frozen but friend of mine who works as MLT in Calgary told me recently that things in AB are getting better. Lets pray then.

I would like to apply to UofA for MLS after degree program when I will graduate SAIT. Do you know something about this one by chance?

How would you summarize your endavour with MLS? Were you enjoying it?

I hope for the best and getting excited :0

Peter.

[SHEEEEP]

I am so glas I have found Albertan on this forum:)

I do have so many quesions to you but on the other isde I dont wanna bother you too much :(

My program seems very intense and I know from my friend who finished this program that there is no time for even part-time job because of the workload at school.

I am determined and will try my best. I have to suceed no matter what and from experience I know that determination always pay off :)

My plan is to graduate, pass CSMLS exam and start looking for a job. Job in Alberta would work ideally for me, because i love where I live.

If not, I will eventually move to different province.

Tell me more about job oportunities after school in Alberta? Where they usually get hired? AHS or just private labs?

I would love to work for AHS ( steady job, pay, vacation etc etc) but we will see what is gonna happen.

It seems now like all the positions are frozen but friend of mine who works as MLT in Calgary told me recently that things in AB are getting better. Lets pray then.

I would like to apply to UofA for MLS after degree program when I will graduate SAIT. Do you know something about this one by chance?

How would you summarize your endavour with MLS? Were you enjoying it?

I hope for the best and getting excited :0

Peter.

Jobs in Alberta right now is exactly what your friend said haha there was a hiring freeze last year, but it's been lifted and jobs are slowly coming back. A lot of the labs in Edmonton seem to be short staffed and had a lot of issues with staffing last year when I was doing my rotations, so hopefully there'll be more openings soon.

Most MLS grads work for AHS, but there's 2 major employers in Edmonton - AHS and DynaLIFE Dx, which is a private lab that operates in the public sector. It's basically the same as CLS, but privately owned. All of the outpatient collection sites in Edmonton are owned and operated by DynaLIFE. You can probably find out more about them on their website (http://www.dynalifedx.com). I personally think that there's advantages and disadvantages to working for either AHS or DynaLIFE. Working for AHS would be more interesting, as it's in the hospital setting and patients there are more sick, so there would be more interesting things to see and learn in the hospital. I think the biggest downside to working for AHS is that it's so unpredictable there right now. There's been so many changes these past few years that I don't know what to expect anymore, so it may not be as stable as you think. DynaLIFE, on the other hand, has better perks. I think the biggest perk is that they pay the annual ACMLT dues, which is something like $800+ a year. They also spend a lot of money on social events, contests, giveaways, etc. for employees, which would make work more enjoyable (compared to AHS, which is currently pressed for money). I guess you could argue that working for a private lab is less stable than working for AHS, but DynaLIFE is actually a very big company and is well established in Edmonton, and it also makes a lot of money, so the chances of it failing are very slim.

As for the after-degree program, there are a few of these students right now in the program. I don't think it's very difficult to get into that program but those students typically don't do as well as the normal MLS students, probably because they don't have a good understanding of what the instructors expect from them, while normal MLS students have adapted to the standards. I'm not totally sure what courses they have to take, but I do know that they don't have to take any labs that the normal students have, so they only go to lectures (plus they also need to do the research project).

For me, MLS has generally been enjoyable. I definitely learned a lot and it's been interesting, but it's A LOT of work. It's been a great experience and I don't really regret anything, but there are definitely downsides to this program compared to NAIT/SAIT. The expectations that instructors and preceptors have for MLS students seem to be higher than that for the NAIT students and as of last year, we are also no longer able to write the CSMLS exam after our clinical rotations (that is, after the 2nd year) and can only write the exam after our last year, which puts us at a major disadvantage because we forget a lot of the material that we need to know, yet NAIT/SAIT students write the CSMLS after their clinical year (which is their last year in their program). I'm still happy with my choice though, as I've met a lot of great people through my program and it's given me a good background to potentially pursue grad school afterwards, which is something that the NAIT program would not have given me.

Sorry for the long response :razz: but I just wanted to answer your questions completely and try not to leave anything out!

[Versace77]

Thanks for quick and long response.
The situation in Emonton seem very similiar like in Calgary right now. There is big need for hiring new MLTs but apparently nobody is hiring due to financial issues.
Hopefully this will change soon.
Here in Calgary as you probably know we have two major employers: AHS and CLS. The CLS is private laboratory sector responsible for collecting handling and shipping samples around Calgary.
By the way all MLT students from SAIT are being placed at CLS for their 11 months practicum, except Microbiology and Transfusion Medicine where our practicum will be held at Alberta Children Hospital :)

My goal is to finish MLT after degree program in Edmonton. Just wanna have Bachelor Degree in Laboratory Medicine. Why? Because with Bachelor Degree in Lab Med you can easily find a job in the USA. In the USA they basically dont accept MLT degree from SAIT or NAIT but as long you are Bachelor Degree in Laboratory Science you can easily find a job in any lab or hospital around USA and your chances of finding a good job will increase a lot. The only thing that you have to do is apply and pass American Med Lab Board exam which is nothing but canadian version of CSMLS exam.

You mentioned before that there is A LOT of work at school? What do you mean by that? I know that there is lot to read and memorize. Could you please give narrow this down and tell me what subjects are like really heavy to study etc?

Do you know how long the After Degree Program takes? Just curiousity...

Thanks a lot for your response. Keep in touch.

Peter

[Versace77]

This is the email I got from my friend who works as MLT in Alberta.
Do you guys agree with him?

As there was a shortage of medical laboratory technologists in Canada in 2003, the educational institutions increased their first year intake by 200-400% to make up for this shortfall. As a result, in 2009 onwards there has been an oversupply of graduates in several provinces particularly the western provinces of BC, AB, SK and MB. For example, there are 84 graduates in 2011 from British Columbia Institute of Technology but there certainly isn't 84 vacancies in Vancouver or surrounding areas. There's also a substantial number of graduates in 2011 from NAIT. This problem is then exacerbated by the cost cutting by the provincial governments in pathology services. Some provincial governments like those in BC have negotiated a net zero salary increase for medical laboratory technologists for the next four years so graduates will still only get $26 per hour until 2015 while nurses are currently on $38-$53 per hour. I would strongly encourage considering alternatives like Nursing.

[SHEEEEP]

Thanks for quick and long response.
The situation in Emonton seem very similiar like in Calgary right now. There is big need for hiring new MLTs but apparently nobody is hiring due to financial issues.
Hopefully this will change soon.
Here in Calgary as you probably know we have two major employers: AHS and CLS. The CLS is private laboratory sector responsible for collecting handling and shipping samples around Calgary.
By the way all MLT students from SAIT are being placed at CLS for their 11 months practicum, except Microbiology and Transfusion Medicine where our practicum will be held at Alberta Children Hospital :)

My goal is to finish MLT after degree program in Edmonton. Just wanna have Bachelor Degree in Laboratory Medicine. Why? Because with Bachelor Degree in Lab Med you can easily find a job in the USA. In the USA they basically dont accept MLT degree from SAIT or NAIT but as long you are Bachelor Degree in Laboratory Science you can easily find a job in any lab or hospital around USA and your chances of finding a good job will increase a lot. The only thing that you have to do is apply and pass American Med Lab Board exam which is nothing but canadian version of CSMLS exam.

You mentioned before that there is A LOT of work at school? What do you mean by that? I know that there is lot to read and memorize. Could you please give narrow this down and tell me what subjects are like really heavy to study etc?

Do you know how long the After Degree Program takes? Just curiousity...

Thanks a lot for your response. Keep in touch.

Peter

I'm not sure if you're aware of this but CLS is not a private lab! It's a subsidiary of AHS, so is actually publicly owned. One other employer that you may have overlooked is Canadian Blood Services. Calgary has the largest lab in Western Canada for testing donated blood, so it also plays a hand in employing MLTs in Calgary. Other cities (like Edmonton) also have labs but they are not as big as the one in Calgary.

Thanks for telling me about the practicum at SAIT! I actually didn't know anything about how things were done there and I assumed that it was a lot like NAIT. I heard that SAIT doesn't have a student/simulation lab for training for their 2nd year, so students do all of their practical training at their clinical sites. In Edmonton, clinicals are done at all of the hospitals, but mainly at the U of A Hospital, Royal Alexandra Hospital, and DynaLIFE. I'm surprised that microbiology is taught at the Children's Hospital in Calgary. Are you sure it's done there? I would think that it would be taught at Foothills because that's where ProvLab is located! I also thought Transfusion would be taught at Foothills because... well I guess having children as patients complicates things, especially if you are trying to learn about pregnancies.

You're right about the opportunities to work in the US with the bachelor degree. We do have the choice to write the ASCP exam, but I heard that the pay in the US is not as good as in Canada, but I guess if there are a lot of positions available in the US, I wouldn't mind going there for a few years, but it's a big decision! Another good thing about taking the American exam is that it's well recognized around the world, so if you want to work in any other country, it's good to have.

By "A LOT of work", I mean that there's a lot of material covered, as well as a lot of exams, quizzes, presentations, papers, and work in general. I think the heaviest course is microbiology (probably same at SAIT/NAIT) and the most difficult is chemistry, but this really depends on the person because everybody has different strengths and weaknesses. I'm not sure what courses the after degree students have to take, so I don't really know how stressful it is for them, but I do know that they have to take the writing course (where we do a lit review that is worth 50% of our course mark) and the research project, plus certain subjects (not sure which ones exactly). I think the length of the after degree program depends on how many courses you take at a time. The ideal length is 2 years but they often take longer than that because they want to work part time too, so they usually take longer than 2 years to complete all of their courses. I'm probably not the best resource for you so you should probably contact the MLS department if you want more information about the after degree program (contact info is on our website).

[SHEEEEP]

This is the email I got from my friend who works as MLT in Alberta.
Do you guys agree with him?

As there was a shortage of medical laboratory technologists in Canada in 2003, the educational institutions increased their first year intake by 200-400% to make up for this shortfall. As a result, in 2009 onwards there has been an oversupply of graduates in several provinces particularly the western provinces of BC, AB, SK and MB. For example, there are 84 graduates in 2011 from British Columbia Institute of Technology but there certainly isn't 84 vacancies in Vancouver or surrounding areas. There's also a substantial number of graduates in 2011 from NAIT. This problem is then exacerbated by the cost cutting by the provincial governments in pathology services. Some provincial governments like those in BC have negotiated a net zero salary increase for medical laboratory technologists for the next four years so graduates will still only get $26 per hour until 2015 while nurses are currently on $38-$53 per hour. I would strongly encourage considering alternatives like Nursing.

I'm curious to see what the other posters on this thread have to say about this too haha because I'd like to know more about job availability in other provinces :lol:

[Versace77]

Hi...
The job situation for MLT in Alberta to be honest looks kinda scary.
I am fighting with my thoughts and not too sure if I am supossed to take MLT program on September.
I am just terrified that I wont find any job after my school :(

I was seriously thinking about LPN program at Bow Valley College in Calgary. Maybe pay is not so big as MLT but $ 25 starting wage is not bad at all.

I can always hope for the best and by the time I will graduate the situation might change. I dont know.
I am confused and completely dont know what to do. I just dont wanna be jobless with good degree after completing SAIT :(

You were right about practicum at Children Hospital. I made mistake. I called my friend who is finishing MLT this year and she told me that the majority of it is at the Diagnostic Services Center (DSC) which is right at Brentwood Station. There is a few things they do at the Childrens Hospital (transfusion medicine and histology) and then a couple of things at the Foothills hospital. I may get to go to either the Lougheed or Rockyview, and then you spend one week at one of the walk-in places for phlebotomy. . .

Should I go for MLT and not to worry about job for now?

Peter

[kayoko]

quick questions for anyone who have done their CSMLS, are you require to stay in the exam site after you have finished your exam and there is still time left ( just say 45~60mins)?

You can leave whenever you're done unless your examiner tells you otherwise. Just be mindful of those still writing.

[Mwalker9999]

Hey everyone,

I have recently been accepted into the SAIT MLT program and wanted clear a few things up for anyone who may be interested in applying. First off, there are roughly 500 applications each year and a total of 56 seats (split into two cohorts) offered. The first 3 semesters are on campus and the remaining year is at a practicum site/s in either Calgary, Medicine Hat, or Lethbridge. This year, 5 people were placed outside of Calgary, while the remaining stayed within Calgary. The interview process in actually quite easy and standard from what my fellow applicants have told me (we all were asked identical questions), there was one chemical solution based question and the rest were regarding apptitude and readiness.

The MLT web page cites a minimum of 60% to get in but the actual minimum is 75% and the preferred competetive average is +80%. I highly recommend taking advantage of the 3 first semester courses that are offered online; these being Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Terminolgy 1, and Infection Prevention. Doing these 3 course will bring your first semester workload down from 10 course to 7. The deadline to apply for these courses via correspondence is April 30th and can be done on the SAIT CONED page.

Also, you can work in the USA with a Associates degree on a TN visa, you would need 3 years of experience first though.

Hope this helps!

Matt

[Versace77]

Hey Matt

It looks like we will start same program at SAIT this fall :)

I got accepted into MLT on December 2010 and I heard that there were more than 500 applicants this year.

The more higher hoghschool marks you have the more chances to get into this program you have :)

If you wanna be in touch, let me know.

P.

[kayoko]

If anyone is curious about the pass rate for each school in addition to the number of students taking the exam, the CSMLS has released these results here (http://csmls.org/en/certification/accredited-training-programs.html).

Good to note that UOIT seems to have greatly improved their performance! 87% is lower than most schools around here, but a big improvement from previous years. Like I said before, most schools have a high success rate so it doesn't really matter where you go.

Michener, SAIT and BCIT seem to churn out the biggest classes while still maintaining an exceptionally high pass rate.

I'm looking at the genetics program and I wonder what happened over in BCIT. 50% That's not very good. What happened!? :-0

[Versace77]

Hey...

Did you pass Kayoko? How would you summarize the difficulty of the CSMLS exam?

Cheers...

[SHEEEEP]

Hi...
The job situation for MLT in Alberta to be honest looks kinda scary.
I am fighting with my thoughts and not too sure if I am supossed to take MLT program on September.
I am just terrified that I wont find any job after my school :(

I was seriously thinking about LPN program at Bow Valley College in Calgary. Maybe pay is not so big as MLT but $ 25 starting wage is not bad at all.

I can always hope for the best and by the time I will graduate the situation might change. I dont know.
I am confused and completely dont know what to do. I just dont wanna be jobless with good degree after completing SAIT :(

You were right about practicum at Children Hospital. I made mistake. I called my friend who is finishing MLT this year and she told me that the majority of it is at the Diagnostic Services Center (DSC) which is right at Brentwood Station. There is a few things they do at the Childrens Hospital (transfusion medicine and histology) and then a couple of things at the Foothills hospital. I may get to go to either the Lougheed or Rockyview, and then you spend one week at one of the walk-in places for phlebotomy. . .

Should I go for MLT and not to worry about job for now?

Peter

Nursing is definitely more stable than MLT right now haha actually I was considering nursing as well before I got into my program but I don't think I'd be happy as a nurse, but I'm happy with medical lab. If you take MLT, you'll be graduating in a couple of years and like you said, there is a new hospital in Calgary opening, so there will probably be more jobs by the time you graduate.

[cyrene]

I would think the people who really enjoy bench work wouldn't like nursing so much - physical work and have to deal with patients; and the people who have the aptitude to be a nurse wouldn't like to be in the lab so much - get bored doing repetitive work and limited patient interaction. I'm sure there are some people who would love and enjoy working in both professions though. Follow with what you like and suits your personality - nursing is already stressful; if you don't even enjoy it and just in it for the money, you will just burn out that much faster.

[Mickey2026]

After some thinking I've decided to go with St. Lawrence College for the MLS program :)

Kingston is a beautiful city and I definitely want to have the experience of living on my own so this was the right choice for me. However, I'm a little worried that I might be older than my peers! I'll be 23 in September- are there many straight out of highschool students?

Also, I was wondering if anyone could tell me the admission stats for St. Lawrence College? Thanks!

[CavemanJ]

After some thinking I've decided to go with St. Lawrence College for the MLS program :)

Kingston is a beautiful city and I definitely want to have the experience of living on my own so this was the right choice for me. However, I'm a little worried that I might be older than my peers! I'll be 23 in September- are there many straight out of highschool students?

Also, I was wondering if anyone could tell me the admission stats for St. Lawrence College? Thanks!

I think most people who are accepted already have some form of post secondary education and even obtained some kind of diploma/degree. 23 is still pretty young tbh. I know some older folks in their 40s that are in similar programs in other colleges. For admission stats, I heard they receive three times as many applicants as there are seats some years ago.

For me, I'm still waiting to hear from Michener which is closer to where I live in Toronto. I don't really mind which college to attend as the passing rate for CSMLS are all fairly high for colleges in Ontario so the materials won't be that much different. It just comes down to site of clinical placements (Toronto vs elsewhere).

[andorra]

I've been reading everyone's posts and I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been accepted into UOIT for Med Lab Tech and am a bit worried whether I should accept since they're so new. But their pass rate was 91% according to the CSMLS website so that makes me a bit less worried. I'm also applying to Michener and have yet to hear if I've gotten an interview. Now sure how it will work though because I'm from Vancouver so maybe they'll do a phone interview? That's what it says the do for international students. But not sure how you can do MMI over the phone...

Ideally I would like to get into BCIT since it's close to home but we'll see. I'm also just finishing up a BSc and am glad to hear that many degree students also apply.

I was wondering if anyone from UOIT can comment on their program, though I know this thread is for Michener but maybe there is someone out there:)

Thanks!

[HYip25]

After some thinking I've decided to go with St. Lawrence College for the MLS program :)

Kingston is a beautiful city and I definitely want to have the experience of living on my own so this was the right choice for me. However, I'm a little worried that I might be older than my peers! I'll be 23 in September- are there many straight out of highschool students?

Also, I was wondering if anyone could tell me the admission stats for St. Lawrence College? Thanks!

what kind of admission stats you would like?
You are not old at all, there is less then 5 peoples in my class who is right out of high school, majority of us have an undergrad or sth...
so most people would be around 20 sth

[Sat2k5]

After some thinking I've decided to go with St. Lawrence College for the MLS program :)

Kingston is a beautiful city and I definitely want to have the experience of living on my own so this was the right choice for me. However, I'm a little worried that I might be older than my peers! I'll be 23 in September- are there many straight out of highschool students?

Also, I was wondering if anyone could tell me the admission stats for St. Lawrence College? Thanks!

From the MLT's I've talked to (I work at a public health lab), I'd say half of them got a degree in something before going into MLT school so I'm guessing there'll be a good mix. Either way 23 is still young, most people are coming out of high school around the age of 19 so you'll blend right in. In my case I got a university degree in bio-sciences and work as a Lab assistant, but I plan to go to St. Lawrence (most likely)this fall so I'll be older by 2 years :P

I think MLT is something I'd enjoy doing after working at the lab.

[ftmraza]

Hello, i am new to this forum...can anyone give me the link for the medical forums i can't find them...also i need it because i am preparing for my Med lab tech MMI. If you can give me some more info about what scenarios to expect on MMI reply me or PM me. Thanks.

[olivebelle]

Hi! I'm new to the forum.
I have an interview at NAIT for the MLT program!
I haven't taken high school in over ten years so my memory of basic science is shady; will they ask me technical science questions? What should I be studying to prepare myself?
Has anyone here done the interview at nait? What was it like?

Thanks!!

[kayoko]

Hello, i am new to this forum...can anyone give me the link for the medical forums i can't find them...also i need it because i am preparing for my Med lab tech MMI. If you can give me some more info about what scenarios to expect on MMI reply me or PM me. Thanks.

There's a thread on MMI's here (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/micheners-multiple-mini-interviews-1008074/) that you may find to be interesting.

[kayoko]

Hi! I'm new to the forum.
I have an interview at NAIT for the MLT program!
I haven't taken high school in over ten years so my memory of basic science is shady; will they ask me technical science questions? What should I be studying to prepare myself?
Has anyone here done the interview at nait? What was it like?

Thanks!!

Well, on the NAIT website (http://www.nait.ca/33889.htm) it says there's a "Specific Career Investigation / MMI". I would say try to get a better understanding of the profession to fulfill that career investigation part. MMI's do not focus on technical science questions. They judge the communication skills, ethical decision making and all those soft skills that are important in a job environment.

There's a discussion on MMI's here (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/micheners-multiple-mini-interviews-1008074/).

[smox]

So the day has finally come!
I got an invitation to the MMI. :)

But now I feel confused... I'm not sure if this is the path I should take now. My other top choice is computer science at Waterloo... Two very different fields.
Both fields interest me.
I'm not even sure if I'll get into Michener, so I guess I'll worry after the results. :P

[dragon_drift]

So the day has finally come!
I got an invitation to the MMI. :)

But now I feel confused... I'm not sure if this is the path I should take now. My other top choice is computer science at Waterloo... Two very different fields.
Both fields interest me.
I'm not even sure if I'll get into Michener, so I guess I'll worry after the results. :P

What's the choice of dates for your MMI?

I've emailed Michener and they said I'll get my invite tomorrow? My friend already got hers as well :confused:

[smox]

What's the choice of dates for your MMI?

I've emailed Michener and they said I'll get my invite tomorrow? My friend already got hers as well :confused:

I'm not sure because the site for scheduling isn't open until tomorrow.

[dragon_drift]

I'm not sure because the site for scheduling isn't open until tomorrow.

The letter I got said the interviews will be held 26th-30th...I'm just worried that I won't get the appointment date I want since they conflict with my exam dates, sigh

what does your email say though, smox?

[smox]

You must sign up for your interview by Thursday April 14th, 2011. However, the earlier you sign up the better your chances of scheduling your preferred interview time.

Please note, even if you qualify for the interview stage in more than one program, you will only register for one MMI. To check whether you have qualified for the interview in a particular program, check the Michener applicant portal.

*Important: If you have received notification that you will be invited to attend the MMI and are only an applicant to a U of T-MRS program this portal will not available for you to view.

--
The day of your interview:
It is imperative that you check in at the time specified on your confirmation. The Admissions Committee cannot guarantee an interview to any late arriving applicants. Applicants who arrive too early may find themselves confined to a holding location, to ensure your own comfort, please try to arrive right at the time specified on your confirmation. The MMI's are carefully scheduled, arriving on time, will give you enough time to register and be ready for the interview.
So that the interview process runs smoothly and to allow for the possibility of delays beyond your control (weather, traffic, etc) we suggest that if you are arriving from outside the Toronto area, that you arrive in Toronto at least one day early. All transportation and accommodation expenses however are your responsibility.

PHOTOGRAPH:
You must bring a valid photo ID with you and present it at check-in to confirm you are an eligible candidate. You will also be required to sign a confidentiality agreement upon check-in.


SCENT FREE ENVIRONMENT:
Please note, The Michener Institute is a scent free environment. Please avoid scents that may be offensive to your fellow candidates. This includes perfumes.


REDUCING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT:
Large water canteens will be available for you to fill your own water container. Please remember to bring your own water bottle or container.


WHAT IS ALLOWED IN THE INTERVIEW:
During the MMI, you will only be allowed your water. All other items, (ex. coats, bags, mobile and electronic devices etc.) must be left in the secured areas made available to you. The MMI itself will be just over an hour.


FOOD:
Once you check in for your interview, there will not be an opportunity to get anything to eat. If you are concerned about the lapse of time before having an opportunity to eat, you may bring a snack with you however, it must be consumed before your interview starts.

PLEASE NOTE:
As interviews involve many other people, candidates MUST attend on the date and time specified. If you fail to attend at your scheduled time, it is unlikely that we will be able to reschedule your appointment.
-------
MMIs

Candidates will be interviewed using the MMI - Multiple Mini Interview process. The MMI is NOT program specific, so if you have applied to more than one program, you will only participate in the MMI once. (Your interview score will be counted towards each of the programs you applied to).
Candidates have 7 minutes to answer questions and deal with scenarios at a series of 8 stations, each of which has a different interviewer who will rate the candidate's performance. Candidates will have 2 minutes to move between stations. An orientation session will be held prior to the MMI. You will not be allowed to bring any electronic equipment (i.e. cell phones, Blackberries, iPhones, cameras, etc.) into the interview stations.


For further information on the MMI, please see
http://www.michener.ca/admissions/gen_admission_info.php


Congratulations once again on making it this far in our admissions process. We look forward to meeting you personally.
Yours sincerely,

The Admissions Team

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You'll probably be able to get the date you want if you receive the email tomorrow! :)

[dragon_drift]

...
You'll probably be able to get the date you want if you receive the email tomorrow! :)

Thanks smox! I hope so. Is MLT the only one you applied to?

[smox]

Thanks smox! I hope so. Is MLT the only one you applied to?

Oh no, I applied to a whole bunch of programs. :P

Computer science @ UW and UTSG
CS/BBA double degree @ UW
Software engineering @ UW
Medical radiation science @ Mcmaster
Molecular biology @ Guelph
MLS @ UOIT, Michener, Cambrian College, St. Clair College, and St.Lawrence College
Ultrasonography @ Cambrian College

My top three choices are CS @ UW, CS/BBA @ UW, and MLS @ Michener.

If I got accepted to all of my top three, I'm not sure which one I would pick. :s

[dragon_drift]

wow that's a lot! All I applied for was ultrasound, respiratory, MLT and radiology @ michener.

[oliveshadow]

I got my invitation too, so excited! Haha, now I'm really anxious. I've heard that being relaxed and act naturally is the way to go, my friend who aced a med school MMI told me don't over focus on what you think they want to hear.

* My exam dates conflict with the MMI dates somewhat too, and I'm about 7 hours drive from Toronto, guess I might have to take an overnight bus.

** my posting time is weird, haha, I'm in tomorrow according to redflag.

And just wondering, if anyone applied to multiple programs at michener's but didn't get invited to MMI for all of them? I know there's only one MMI even if you applied to multiple programs and for each of my program it said you're invited to the MMI, but I'm curious if someone could apply to multiple programs but only get interview for some?

[dragon_drift]

I got my invitation too, so excited! Haha, now I'm really anxious. I've heard that being relaxed and act naturally is the way to go, my friend who aced a med school MMI told me don't over focus on what you think they want to hear.

* My exam dates conflict with the MMI dates somewhat too, and I'm about 7 hours drive from Toronto, guess I might have to take an overnight bus.

** my posting time is weird, haha, I'm in tomorrow according to redflag.

oh cool, congrats! omg i'm so nervous...I didn't even receive mine yet :confused:

[oliveshadow]

oh cool, congrats! omg i'm so nervous...I didn't even receive mine yet :confused:

I'm sure you will get it soon! I think they send it out in groups.

[dragon_drift]

Just logged into http://students.michener.ca/tmiselfservice/Admissions/ApplicationStatus.aspx

It did say I got invited :lol:

But seriously...no email?? apparently I was invited yesterday...

[oliveshadow]

Just logged into http://students.michener.ca/tmiselfservice/Admissions/ApplicationStatus.aspx

It did say I got invited :lol:

But seriously...no email?? apparently I was invited yesterday...

Congrats!
I think I remember seeing the stats somewhere in this thread, but does anyone know how many ppl do they interview for each seat in the program?

[dragon_drift]

Congrats!

When are you booking your interview?

And did you read the articles regarding MMI from pubmed?

[olivebelle]

Thanks! I did the career investigation report already, and from that was selected for the MMI interview. just really worried about doing well and don't know what to expect.

[oliveshadow]

When are you booking your interview?

And did you read the articles regarding MMI from pubmed?

I'm going to try to book my interview tomorrow morning, I really wish I didn't have an exam smack in the middle of that week, sigh.

I didn't read the article, but I glanced at the abstract. MMIs are just to gauge your reactions and communication skills, I feel like the articles won't be too much help. My friend offered to help me practice, so that's good. Gonna go visit the university career centre in the next couple of days to see if they have resources I can use.

[CavemanJ]

How did you guys get these invitations so quickly? On my application, it says top ranked candidates will be contacted the week of April 11th. Although it did say I'm invited to MMIs, there's no sign-up app anywhere? I'm so confused...

[dragon_drift]

How did you guys get these invitations so quickly? On my application, it says top ranked candidates will be contacted the week of April 11th. Although it did say I'm invited to MMIs, there's no sign-up app anywhere? I'm so confused...

http://my.michener.ca/forms_tools/mmiapplicant/

[oliveshadow]

I've booked the MMI PM session on Tuesday. I wonder how many ppl they interview for each program.

[molexir]

I've booked the MMI PM session on Tuesday. I wonder how many ppl they interview for each program.

I attended the Michener Open House last fall and for example for the Respiratory Therapy program they had ~550 applicants for 42 spots.

50% eliminated for not having all the prerequisites (~275 applicants left)
50% eliminated for having all the prerequisites but low marks (~137 applicants left)
Establish the cut off based on the prerequisites from the remaining suitable applicants
Invite the top xx percent of the remaining pool based on the cut off percentage

This is from memory so my numbers may be slightly off.

I think its hard to figure it out since it really depends on numerous factors like the economy/unemployment (bad economy/high unemployment = rise in college/university applications/enrolment) & the job outlook/interest in a particular program. I'm guessing anywhere from 2x-3x the class size depending on the aforementioned factors etc.

For example to get into the MoMac (Mohawk/MacMaster) joint nursing program in '09 it was slightly above 70% to get in and if you had +75% you were in, '10 needed ~85% just to have a chance so it can vary wildly from year to year.

[Dopamean]

how are you guys preparing for the MMI?
and, do any of you know how the rubric works?

[dragon_drift]

I don't think you can really prepare for it. Just read some articles about MMI, like what's it about etc.

[oliveshadow]

Yeah, just read up on the MMI scenarios. I think a lot of pre-med forums have MMI threads, you can try the student doctor network.

[CavemanJ]

Did anyone else sign up for morning cycle 2 on Thursday April 28th?

[kayoko]

Just logged into http://students.michener.ca/tmiselfservice/Admissions/ApplicationStatus.aspx

It did say I got invited :lol:

But seriously...no email?? apparently I was invited yesterday...

Woah, they've seriously improved the application process. You guys can check your own status online! They didn't have that when I applied.

Good luck, everyone with the MMI's!

[JaneSmith]

Kayoko, was that your article in the CSMLS magazine?? If so, good job!

[kayoko]

Kayoko, was that your article in the CSMLS magazine?? If so, good job!

What article? I have no idea what you're talking about. Hmm, I got my copy of the magazine somewhere.

[POV562]

Anyone know what the dress code is for the MMI? I am assuming t-shirt and jeans is not ok.

[CavemanJ]

I'm assuming bussiness casual.

[dragon_drift]

I'm assuming bussiness casual.

do you think they'll mind if you wear nike shoes? I hate commuting with dress shoes...

[molexir]

Do what any smart comfort conscious 9-5er does - bag those dress shoes/heels etc till you arrive at the office.
Its quite funny to see men/women in their suits/dresses etc wearing atheletic shoes at rush hour/lunch time.
Mind you I do/have done the same - lol

[dragon_drift]

Do what any smart comfort conscious 9-5er does - bag those dress shoes/heels etc till you arrive at the office.
Its quite funny to see men/women in their suits/dresses etc wearing atheletic shoes at rush hour/lunch time.
Mind you I do/have done the same - lol

wow, I haven't thought about that. thanks.

[smox]

I'd feel odd if I dressed too formally. I don't have much formal wear anyway. I'm probably just going to wear a black cardigan and black pants and black shoes (borrowing from my mom) lol...

So, what times did you guys sign up for? I think I'm going on Wednesday 4:30pm.
I'm actually not too nervous, except I think I'd be all awkward when the actor comes in. :P

[studentoflife]

i also got an invitation to the michener mini interview. i won't be going though. i've decided i'm going to attend st clair for there med lab science program. the cost of going to michener for 3 years vs st clair is just too much. plus the cost of living in toronto is much greater than windsor.

good luck to you guys on your MMI's.

[POV562]

My MMI is on Apr 26 at 4:30.

I was wondering what the salary range for a MLT would be and if this article shows an accurate portrayal ($24,900 to $52,000). I was under the impression that it should be higher.

http://204.10.243.75/public/mlts/default.asp?load=careers

[HYip25]

My MMI is on Apr 26 at 4:30.

I was wondering what the salary range for a MLT would be and if this article shows an accurate portrayal ($24,900 to $52,000). I was under the impression that it should be higher.

http://204.10.243.75/public/mlts/default.asp?load=careers


The range should be 22 - 35/hr

depends on which province you work and whether you work in private lab or public lab plus your experience

[kayoko]

I was wondering what the salary range for a MLT would be and if this article shows an accurate portrayal ($24,900 to $52,000). I was under the impression that it should be higher.

http://204.10.243.75/public/mlts/default.asp?load=careers

That range isn't accurage at all. It's from the job futures site and probably includes technicians and technologists.

Entry level pay for a licensed general MLT starts around $24/h (East Coast) to $29/h (Alberta). I believe northern Canada starts at $30+/h. Ontario ranges from $25-28/h depending on where you work.

I believe the scale for genetics and diagnostic cytology is a bit higher as their scope of practice is a bit different.

[clleblanc]

Just came across this forum and wanted to give some current info about rate of pay for MLT's. I am at the most senior level and currently make over $37/hr
An entry technologist probably makes $27 to start.

If you check the public forum from the Ontario government regarding public servants who make in excess of $100 k/year you will find many nurses and various types of technologists who make this. Of course, these people are in higher positions, and have many years of experience or they are nurses who are working about 60 hours or more per week.

As for repetition, it is there but that is what makes for someone who is good in the job and can do reproducible work. Every job has repetition.

I can't say much about job availability. There are some jobs, but I have heard that some lab students haven't found a job. Keep looking. when I graduated I had to go and work in Northern Ontario in a hospital on an Indian reserve. It was a great experience and was worth it then and now, over 30 years later.

My advise for students, "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life" ie. if you love what you do, it doesn't feel like work!

[neonlily]

Just wanted to get my reply in this thread as I posted in the MMI Thread but not here!

I'm currently a 4th year Microbiology Major (Minor in Chemistry) at the University of Manitoba. (Currently procrastinating from studying for my last exam on thursday!)
I've been looking to go into the MLT program for the last 2 years. I had never actually heard of this program before then as at my high school it was pretty much determined you had to go to University. I don't regret my degree though, I learned a lot!
I applied to the MLT program here at Red River College but it is wait-listed until 2012/2013 and they do not tell you where you are the wait-list so I started applying to different colleges in Ontario. Being a Manitoba resident did not bode well for St.Clair/St.Lawrence/Cambrian as they give preference to Ontario Residents. I almost did not complete my letter of intent to Michener because I figured that was also a lost cause but I did, and was ranked for an interview in MLT and Diagnostic Cytology!

So thrilled. My High School marks were quite high (90+ average with AP courses) while my University Grades are a little all over the place (3.5 GPA) plus I have hospital volunteer experience in a lab (though just paperwork) and also the Emergency ward. Gah! I'm hoping my Manitoba residence doesn't factor in to my application because I really want to get in!

A little nervous for my MMI (I'm flying out for the April 30th, 12:30pm one) but I'm fairly confident with my interview skills so I hope that is translatable.

[smox]

Is anyone else worried that the tasks of MLTs will become more automated? (Thus less need for MLTs..)

[JCorben]

Is anyone else worried that the tasks of MLTs will become more automated? (Thus less need for MLTs..)

Nope, beggining to have the same concern as of late. :)

Wondering whether I should start an MLT program this fall and after reading things like this http://www.bchsys.org/portal/news.do?act=news&id=350, it kind of has me on edge. How much could things change in the three years before I graduate? :cry:

[CavemanJ]

Nope, beggining to have the same concern as of late. :)

Wondering whether I should start an MLT program this fall and after reading things like this http://www.bchsys.org/portal/news.do?act=news&id=350, it kind of has me on edge. How much could things change in the three years before I graduate? :cry:

That is a disturbing article but this paragraph is more assuring:


To ensure accuracy, laboratory technologists review any abnormal results and a re-test feature confirms all results, providing physicians and patients with the piece of mind of knowing the results have been verified.

Hospital officials say the new system will not result in job losses. Rather it will help BGH meet a significant human resources challenge over the next five years.

"The workforce is changing rapidly in Canada," Don Manning, director of laboratory and diagnostic imaging, said. "We're told 44% of medical laboratory technologists will become eligible for retirement in the next five years.

"We certainly considered this as we developed our business case so we can continue to perform high-volume blood testing with our available resources."

The new laboratory also will help hospital officials recruit future technologists and staff.



So technologists in the future will spent less time performing the actual diagnostic tests and more on the maintenance of these machines?

[nalababe]

That is a disturbing article but this paragraph is more assuring:

So technologists in the future will spent less time performing the actual diagnostic tests and more on the maintenance of these machines?

Keep in mind, that for Chemistry, Immunochemistry, Urinalysis, Hematology, Coagualtion, etc....these have been done on automated instruments for more than 20 years. The change now is that these systems are being linked together in automated systems/track. The technologist is there for the important part: understanding the result and troubleshooting...not to do tedious work. To effectively troubleshoot, you have to understand the instrument.

Of course, the reality is that a majority of the tests performed are not outside of normal ranges. There is no reason why these have cannot be auto validated based on the licensing body and the Hospital's criteria. But there will always be samples that need interpretation because they have been flagged.

The laboratories also don't want to waste their precious resources, so they will mix technician/assistant, technologist and technology. Why would you want your expensive technologists doing a job that isn't dependent knowledge?

Maintenance is a big part...and systems can be complicated. But the more important area of growth is in the Middleware (like Centralnk in Brantford) and the operation stations driving the Automation. MLT that is comfortable with software, statistics, analyses is very valuable.

So yes, labs are becoming automated...but the throughput and efficiencies in the lab has also increased dramatically. Just look at the evolution of Urinalysis (I'll use Clinitek/Siemens as they are the Market Leader):
Manual Strip - Labstix/Multistix (one every several minutes)
Single Strip Reader - CT 100/50/Status (one every 1 minute)
Continous Feed Reader - CT 500/Advantus (one every 7 seconds)
Automated System - CT Atlas (225 an hour...but walk away)
Automated System with Microscopy - AUWi (100 an hour...walkaway plus microscopic)

[JaneSmith]

Nalababe pretty much summed it up. Laboratories have become increasingly automated for many years now, but technologists have not become obsolete. In my short time in this career (1 year this week..woot!), I have seen technology change. I work in a micro lab, which probably is the least automated of the disciplines. We use machines for pcr, and we use the Vitek 2 for ID and sensitivities, but we still rely on techologists to work up the bacteria and decide that it is appropriate to send to these machines. We need techologists to interpret the antibiotic sensitivities (which can be very complicated), and we need technologists to actually look at what's growing on the plates and know what to do with it next! We need technologists to interpret what's growing in relation to the patients history and know what is significant and what is not. These are things that machines will never be able to do.
I think the next generation of technologists (myself included) will have to be much more comfortable with technology than the people nearing retirement ever were, and I do think our job description will change in the future...it will definitely be less hands-on "bench work" and more troubleshooting, and maintenance work...however I don't believe our jobs will ever become obsolete.

[nalababe]

[QUOTE=JaneSmith;12782119]Nalababe pretty much summed it up. Laboratories have become increasingly automated for many years now, but technologists have not become obsolete. In my short time in this career (1 year this week..woot!), I have seen technology change. I work in a micro lab, which probably is the least automated of the disciplines. We use machines for pcr, and we use the Vitek 2 for ID and sensitivities, but we still rely on techologists to work up the bacteria and decide that it is appropriate to send to these machines. We need techologists to interpret the antibiotic sensitivities (which can be very complicated), and we need technologists to actually look at what's growing on the plates and know what to do with it next! We need technologists to interpret what's growing in relation to the patients history and know what is significant and what is not. These are things that machines will never be able to do.
I think the next generation of technologists (myself included) will have to be much more comfortable with technology than the people nearing retirement ever were, and I do think our job description will change in the future...it will definitely be less hands-on "bench work" and more troubleshooting, and maintenance work...however I don't believe our jobs will ever become obsolete.[/QUOTE

Just to prepare you: within a year or so, you will be using Maldi-TOF for Micro ID...whether a Bruker system or Shimadzu....this is the new paradigm.....AST will still be done on a Vitek/Microscan etc....

[Mwalker9999]

Would anyone happen to know how much the first semester tuition is for the SAIT MLT program?

[Versace77]

First semester at SAIT will cost you excatly $ 3,202.00.

I got accepted into MLT Program at SAIT this fall as well :)

Good luck.

Peace.

[Versace77]

Matt, see atached below:

http://sait.ca/pages/cometosait/academic/additionalinfo/financialinformation/feetable.shtml#H-M

This is where I have found this information regarding Tuition Fees for MLT Program at SAIT.

[oliveshadow]

Okay, MMI is tomorrow, wish me luck everyone! I hope the station with the actor won't be too awkward.

[dragon_drift]

Okay, MMI is tomorrow, wish me luck everyone! I hope the station with the actor won't be too awkward.

Good luck! Keep us posted. I know you're not allowed to talk about what happened in the interview, but tell us how you felt.

[molexir]

Okay, MMI is tomorrow, wish me luck everyone! I hope the station with the actor won't be too awkward.

Good luck - knock 'em dead.

[Gostosa]

Oliveshadow - good luck! Your gonna do great!!!

[olivebelle]

I was just accepted into NAIT's MLT program. Soo excited!!

[smox]

Okay, MMI is tomorrow, wish me luck everyone! I hope the station with the actor won't be too awkward.

Lol, that's my main concern... Mine is tomorrow as well!

[oliveshadow]

Hi guys, I just got home (no, the MMI is not 7 hrs long, I just went for a celebratory dinner with family ^^). I think it went reasonably well, I stumbled over my words a bit, but it was good overall. The staff and interviewers were really really nice, and time passed very quickly. The station with the actor went ok for me, just relax and act like yourself! Good luck to everyone else who's doing the MMI this week!
Just a couple of quick notes, the process went really smoothly, the staff will explain everything once you are there. Secondly, people were dressed from nice casual (there's a girl with cool rain boots and a nice sweater dress) to sweater and trousers, to the full business suit. So don't worry about what to wear, just nice clothes that you're comfortable in.
The scenarios given were reasonable and pretty relevant to health care, but you didn't need knowledge about any issue in particular. I think I didn't say anything that counts as breaching the disclosure agreement~~ Good luck everyone!!

[smox]

Hi guys, I just got home (no, the MMI is not 7 hrs long, I just went for a celebratory dinner with family ^^). I think it went reasonably well, I stumbled over my words a bit, but it was good overall. The staff and interviewers were really really nice, and time passed very quickly. The station with the actor went ok for me, just relax and act like yourself! Good luck to everyone else who's doing the MMI this week!
Just a couple of quick notes, the process went really smoothly, the staff will explain everything once you are there. Secondly, people were dressed from nice casual (there's a girl with cool rain boots and a nice sweater dress) to sweater and trousers, to the full business suit. So don't worry about what to wear, just nice clothes that you're comfortable in.
The scenarios given were reasonable and pretty relevant to health care, but you didn't need knowledge about any issue in particular. I think I didn't say anything that counts as breaching the disclosure agreement~~ Good luck everyone!!

That's great to hear. :D
I have a question about the actor part. Do you have to actually interact with the actor as if the situation was real or are you just supposed to observe them and then describe what you would do in the situation to the interviewer after they're done acting?

[oliveshadow]

That's great to hear. :D
I have a question about the actor part. Do you have to actually interact with the actor as if the situation was real or are you just supposed to observe them and then describe what you would do in the situation to the interviewer after they're done acting?

You actually have to interact with the actor, there's an interviewer/observer on the side.

[JaneSmith]

Just to prepare you: within a year or so, you will be using Maldi-TOF for Micro ID...whether a Bruker system or Shimadzu....this is the new paradigm.....AST will still be done on a Vitek/Microscan etc....[/QUOTE]

I wish that were the case, but it's not coming to our lab anytime soon

[POV562]

I did the MMI last Tuesday, I had to interact with the actor for my first station so it was kind of awkward but everything went smoothly after that. Everyone there was really nice, it seems like a pleasant environment to be in. I know they are running the last batch tomorrow and wanted to know how everyone else did.

I was wondering if anyone is involved in or know anything about the sleep med tech program, it seems pretty interesting and I might try to go for that next year if I don't get into MLT.

[dragon_drift]

Just had mine today, it was quite a nice experience, but I felt like a noob. so relieved it's over with.

[Gostosa]

How was itt?? Were people dressed up?


Just had mine today, it was quite a nice experience, but I felt like a noob. so relieved it's over with.

[neonlily]

I had mine today also at 12:30. I thought people were so dressed up! People were wearing full business suits. Crazy. I was just wearing nice dress pants and a short sleeved sweater which I was comfortable in.

Hope it went well for everyone one! Overall I enjoyed the experience and found it very fun!

[dragon_drift]

How was itt?? Were people dressed up?

Only two guys fully dressed up. The other guys wore semi-formal. Most of the ladies wore formal

Not sure why people are wearing suits lol. You're not looking to get a job at a big company or something.

It was a good experience overall and the staff was nice.

[neonlily]

The people who dressed up struck me as odd. All the guys in my group were wearing suits and the girls were wearing a business skirt/jacket combo or pants with heels they couldn't walk in. They just looked stiff. Not to judge but just seems a bit overdone and unnecessary!

[Gostosa]

loool totally!


Only two guys fully dressed up. The other guys wore semi-formal. Most of the ladies wore formal

Not sure why people are wearing suits lol. You're not looking to get a job at a big company or something.

It was a good experience overall and the staff was nice.

[Gostosa]

I didn't have many dressed up ppl in the group I was in. In my opinion, as long as the people felt comfy, they can dress the way they want!



The people who dressed up struck me as odd. All the guys in my group were wearing suits and the girls were wearing a business skirt/jacket combo or pants with heels they couldn't walk in. They just looked stiff. Not to judge but just seems a bit overdone and unnecessary!

[oliveshadow]

Lol, I was one of those dressed up ppl, no heels though, can't walk in those. Personally I feel quite sharp all dressed up, so I guess whatever you're comfortable in is good.

[Gostosa]

Well said!

[JJsunshine]

MMI is done. But we have to wait for the response. Sooooo nervouse, I hate this feeling. Seems like everyone did it well, however I don't know, feel like it was not too bad but not good either. Few of stations I could not figure out so much in short time. Anyway, we will see tomorrow. Best luck Guys!

[dragon_drift]

yeah it was hard to think of lots of ideas on the fly.

[JJsunshine]

yeah it was hard to think of lots of ideas on the fly.

I guess I have to try next year. Do they start to send out acceptance since Monday or Tue?

[dragon_drift]

I guess I have to try next year. Do they start to send out acceptance since Monday or Tue?

I think Monday might be too soon considering the last batch ended on saturday.

I'm guessing around the middle of the week, we'll get results. good luck people!

[oliveshadow]

My guess is Wednesday.

[POV562]

They will be sending out offers on May 3 (Today) according to TMI Self-Service. Good luck!

[oliveshadow]

Wow, I'm feeling so incredibly anxious now. I keep wanting to check my mailbox again and again.

[JJsunshine]

anyone heard anything back yet? I don't, maybe get rejected.

[oliveshadow]

CHECK YOUR EMAIL, guys!! I've gotten my acceptance to ultrasound, so this means they are sending out acceptances already! Good luck!
(Excuse the exclamation marks, I was quite ecstatic.)

[_Enigma_]

I havent heard anything, but to be honest...Im not really expecting to. I screwed up the interview yet again. This format just doesnt agree with me. Its such a shame.

Although...to be perfectly honest this time around I found the questions even more difficult to answer with far less opportunity to work your personality/work experience ect.. into your answer to actually give them an idea of who you are. Id be curious to see if anyone else who went last year and didnt get in feels the same. Might just be me :lol:

[JJsunshine]

emmm. It is so hard to predict the MMI....
If anyone got the acceptance from MLS yet?

[neonlily]

Congrats OliveShadow!

Ahh! Good luck to everyone. I hope they send out this stuff soon. I'm waiting on pins and needles!

[enav_87]

Don't worry, you'll hear SOMETHING from them. =) Regardless of their decision, they'll send you an e-mail to let you know if you were accepted, rejected or put on a waitlist. The only thing they won't tell you is your position on the waitlist (that's what the lady said during MMI orientation).


I havent heard anything, but to be honest...Im not really expecting to. I screwed up the interview yet again. This format just doesnt agree with me. Its such a shame.

Although...to be perfectly honest this time around I found the questions even more difficult to answer with far less opportunity to work your personality/work experience ect.. into your answer to actually give them an idea of who you are. Id be curious to see if anyone else who went last year and didnt get in feels the same. Might just be me :lol:

[_Enigma_]

Yes, well.....thats what I meant ofcourse.Im not expecting to hear GOOD news.

And its a waitlist again for Genetics....:(

[JJsunshine]

sooo nobody heard anything except ultrasound sent reply?

[molexir]

I applied for Respiratory Therapy & nothing so far on that front either.

[maddyN]

I had my MMI on Saturday and didn't get anything today as well...

[Gostosa]

Anyone else heard anything yet? :confused:

[neonlily]

I haven't heard anything yet :(

[browniggs]

hey guys, i just found this thread this morning and decided to make an account right now lol

anyway, im sh*tting bricks right now, waiting for the results....i havent heard anything back; no email, regular mail, nothing on the michener application status, and nothing on ontariocolleges.ca

im hating how they are taking their sweet time :(......moments away from a breakdown.....but im glad to hear that im not the only one that hasnt heard anything yet...im hoping by the end of the day **fingers crossed

[Wh1te_Kn1ght]

Whoo hoo! Just got my acceptance into MLT program!!!! Finally, I was getting pretty worried that it didn't come yesterday. :lol:

[browniggs]

hey guys, i just called michener and talked to a person at the registrars office and they said they are still in the process of giving out their first round picks, so there is still hope :D

[neonlily]

Just found out I GOT IN to MLS!!

[CavemanJ]

Just got accepted to MLT :)

Still waiting for the other two programs but I will likely be sticking with MLT, best of luck to the rest of you!

[maddyN]

Just got accepted to MLT :)

Still waiting for the other two programs but I will likely be sticking with MLT, best of luck to the rest of you!

Congrats :) and good luck in Semptember!
Can I ask you when was your MMI?
Thanks

[CavemanJ]

Congrats :) and good luck in Semptember!
Can I ask you when was your MMI?
Thanks

I did mine on Thursday morning cycle 2. I'm sure they're still sending out all the offers, good luck!

[smox]

I didn't get in... Just on the wait list.
I must have done reallly bad on the interviews cause my average was 95%. :/
Eh, not too surprised though.
This could actually be a good thing for me cause my mom is pressuring me to go to Michener and now I want to go to UW.

Congrats to everyone who got accepted!

[sweetdreams0826]

Hey! I just found this thread. Congrats to everyone who got accepted.

I also just found out that I got waitlisted for CV Perfusion :cry:. Has anyone heard from Chiropody yet?

Thanks!

[CavemanJ]

I didn't get in... Just on the wait list.
I must have done reallly bad on the interviews cause my average was 95%. :/
Eh, not too surprised though.
This could actually be a good thing for me cause my mom is pressuring me to go to Michener and now I want to go to UW.

Congrats to everyone who got accepted!

Don't worry, from your previous posts, I gathered you're just graduating from high school? You're still young and there's lots of years ahead of you. I'd say if you don't get in this year, there's always next year and who knows, you might change your mind during your first year university. Besides, there's still a very good chance that you will be accepted before August 30 which is 4 months from now!

[neonlily]

Was anyone else waiting to hear from Diagnostic Cytology? I found out I got in there also. Now I have to decide!

Any thoughts on which one will be better for job futures?

Edit: Just to let you guys know my MMI interview was the very last one on Saturday at 12:30pm.

[POV562]

I am on the waiting list. I will be checking my email 5412315 times per day until I get an answer.

Edit: Does anyone know the exact date class starts? I would need to give my employer some time to replace me if I get accepted really late

[maddyN]

I am on the waiting list. I will be checking my email 5412315 times per day until I get an answer.

Edit: Does anyone know the exact date class starts? I would need to give my employer some time to replace me if I get accepted really late

We will be accepting people from the waiting list, as places become available, until the beginning of classes (September 6th, 2011).[/COLOR]

I found out that I am on the waitlist too :(

[smox]

Don't worry, from your previous posts, I gathered you're just graduating from high school? You're still young and there's lots of years ahead of you. I'd say if you don't get in this year, there's always next year and who knows, you might change your mind during your first year university. Besides, there's still a very good chance that you will be accepted before August 30 which is 4 months from now!

Yes, I'll be graduating from high school this year.
It's just my ego that got a bit hurt cause now I'm sure I did horrible on the interview - I lack communication/people skills. I'm embarrassed at how unprofessional and awkward I probably seemed during the interview. :confused:

[neonlily]

I am on the waiting list. I will be checking my email 5412315 times per day until I get an answer.

Edit: Does anyone know the exact date class starts? I would need to give my employer some time to replace me if I get accepted really late

I think it's first week of September? It doesn't say in my acceptance package anywhere but I know on the website it says "September 2011" so I would assume around the 4th - 7th?

[neonlily]

Yes, I'll be graduating from high school this year.
It's just my ego that got a bit hurt cause now I'm sure I did horrible on the interview - I lack communication/people skills. I'm embarrassed at how unprofessional and awkward I probably seemed during the interview. :confused:

Smox, don't worry about it. Learning to communicate with people is something you'll be able to get better at in the next few years. I've been a salesperson for 6 years and frequently do presentations at University so I'm very comfortable with public speaking, you'll get better with time! The best way I learned to public speak is through my sales experience.

Interview tip wise the only thing I can say is be relaxed. I joked around in almost all of my interviews and was smiling. I flubbed up with a few words and couldn't find the right ones here and there but I was able to smile and laugh which I think helped.

[cdmj]

Congrats to all those who got in. I just found out that I'm also being wait listed. Does anyone here know about how many people are being wait listed per program?

[JJsunshine]

I found out I am on waitlist too. Sooo disappointed. Don't know if I can get in this year
Cograt! everyone got in! How many people are on the wait list though, anyone knows?

[hattie12345]

I know this is an MLT thread but has anyone who applied to Respiratory Therapy heard back yet? I had one of the very first interview dates and I haven't heard back yet. Getting super anxious!!!

[_Enigma_]

Not only do they not reveal your position on the waitlist, they do not say how many people they put ON the waitlist.

I honestly dont know WHY they dont. The reasons they give at the MMI for not doing so aren't all that great to me, and is one of my problems with their overall process. It is very fustrating.

Anyhoo. So begins the wait..

[Gostosa]

I don't believe respiratory therapy offers went out as a previous person mentioned that they didn't hear from them (earlier in thread)

[molexir]

I know this is an MLT thread but has anyone who applied to Respiratory Therapy heard back yet? I had one of the very first interview dates and I haven't heard back yet. Getting super anxious!!!

I also applied to Respiratory Therapy & nothing yet - I interviewed on Fri April 29.
I'm a lil anxious but ok, if I haven't heard anything by Fri then I'll start freaking out!
I wonder which RFD'ers applied for other programs aside from the popular MLT program.
Wonder if we need a Michener update thread instead of using this one - kinda off topic, program wise.

[molexir]

Went ahead and created a dedicated thread for Michener (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/michener-programs-accepted-wait-listed-rejected-1034989/) acceptances etc.

[JJsunshine]

Hey guys. Just analyze the situation a little bit:
in 2010. 64 accepted by MLS out of 650 for all the programs in Michener.
About 1000-1200 went to MMI. I guess they would put ~65 people in wait list
which means just incase all accepted ones dropped. Therefore they would put
about 650 people into wait list which means half of people went to MMI are on
wait list. Just assume someones applied multiple programs and reject the offer
I guess would be most 10 people on the wait list for MLS would get accepted.
Let wait another 2 weeks.

Give people who are still in the school some positive message. I graduate from
chemistry 5 yrs ago. After that I did 2 jobs. The latest one I can make ~60000
a year depends on your overtime and bla bla. I just really like working in the
hospital because most of my families do. My cousin's wife is Ultrasound T, and she
has to work a lot of overtime and of course makes decent money. She said recently
Ultrasound T is very easy to find a job, there r lots of opeaning in her hospital.
I did not applied because I don't have pre-require.
If anyone still study science and do not
get accepted by Michener, don't worry about your future, you will have a good
career and Michener is not the only way. Otherwise, you really really really want
to be MLT.........

[Versace77]

My question is...

Is it easy to find a job as MLT in Canada now? I am just searching this information on internet and cannot find any sufficient information regarding future job opportunities for MLTs in Canada.

Does anyone know what are the predictions for this occupation?

Why is the reason that so many people applying for MLT Program?

Keep posted...

Peace

[JJsunshine]

My question is...

Is it easy to find a job as MLT in Canada now? I am just searching this information on internet and cannot find any sufficient information regarding future job opportunities for MLTs in Canada.

Does anyone know what are the predictions for this occupation?

Why is the reason that so many people applying for MLT Program?

Keep posted...

Peace

Hi, just give you some feedback. I have family and friend who are MLT. My aunt, of course she started working loooong time ago, which is the easy time to find a solid job. My friend, who graduate 3 yrs ago,but she is till doing contract job in the hospital. It depends on location and which hospital now. People would do contract or part time for a while recently due to the tight money for healthcare. If you expect a permanent position right after school, hope you would not be disappointed. I don't mind part-time and even contract, because I want to build up family now. I want to have a child and have time to take care of the family things. My current job is good paid but soooooo busy and busy and busy, I don't how can I afford a baby in this position. That's the main reason I would like to work in the medical lab and doing part time.

[POV562]

I don't mean to be rude or mean, but did anyone get rejected by the program?

From what I can remember, the lady at the MMI said Michener will send you an acceptance letter, reject you or put you on the waitlist. If what I remember is true, it could mean the waitlist is smaller.

[_Enigma_]

Well considering they dont give you a cut off point, or any other info on how they go through the waitlists, they could make the waitlists as long as they want. Which is why its so fustrating. Im sorry, but someone who is #5 on the waitlist would feel very differently about their chances than someone who is 25..or 55..or 75..or god knows how many they have...

[Cexi49]

Hey Guys...I just got accepted into Respiratory Therapy and MLT...IM SOSOSOSOSO HAPPY

[mommy3]

Hey Guys...I just got accepted into Respiratory Therapy and MLT...IM SOSOSOSOSO HAPPY

congradulations! Which program do you think you'll be going for?

[JJsunshine]

Any more acceptance? waitlist? Rejection? I guess the 1st round ends this week.

[BLAYNECLARKE]

I got accepted to the respiratory therapy program at Michener yesterday. I am wondering if I should go to Michener or Fanshawe...?

[Gostosa]

I got accepted to the respiratory therapy program at Michener yesterday. I am wondering if I should go to Michener or Fanshawe...?

I think you should compare the two schools and then set up PROs & CONs list of both programs, some of my suggestions is to consider these factors in your decision:

1- Finances - very important to a lot of people
- Fanshawe tuition fees webpage fees http://www.fanshawec.ca/EN/fees/818/tuition.asp
- Michener tuition fees webpage http://www.michener.ca/admissions/tuition.php

2- School proximity
- Do you prefer to be close to friends & family?
- The 2 schools are fairly distant, I would assume one is closer than another? If you need to move, you need to add on all living expenses (rent, food, etc) which goes back to finances

3- Internship/clinical hands on experience, and also what are the courses your going to take?
- Fanshawe - http://www.fanshawec.ca/EN/rst2/program/current/courses.asp#RESP-5014
- Michener - http://www.michener.ca/ft/respiratorytherapy.php#howlong

4- Length of program - They're the same, both 3 years

Other things to consider: class size in terms of faculty to student ratio, accessibility of resources such as library, etc.

Hope this helps with your decision!

[neonlily]

Does anyone know where I can find links on a Recognition of Prior Learning assesment on the Michener website? I took Antaomy and Physiology in University and do not want to take it again (once was enough!)

[Cexi49]

I know this is the MLS forum, but I just want to know how many people got into Cardiovascular Perfusion? and Also, why are people who already have bachelor degree applying to Respiratory Therapy when this program takes students straight from High School? I want to know yout thinking behind this and is it true that Mitchener-Dalhousie collaborative program has been cancelled? which means that it is only Mitchener now and instead of obtaining and BSc in Health Sciences (Respiratory Therapy) from Dalhousie you will end up having just an Advanced Diploma....just curious...

Thanks guys...

[zeronexus]

I work in a medical lab right now as a phlebotomist/technician not a technologist and I know that there are job openings for technologists left right and centre but the catch is that they are usually evening and nights positions with rotating days off. If you are hoping to land into a monday-friday 9-5 gig with weekends off right away it probably won't happen but you will not be lacking for work. You will most likely get a job at the hospital where you do your clinical practicum but it might be as casual staff (no set shifts or guaranteed hours). The best part about being a casual is that you can accept shifts based around your schedule (I started and finished a undergrad degree while working as a casual). As for the shift work I personally prefer to work off shifts because there is less office politics and shift differentials allow you to work less days but get paid the same amount as a day staffer.

If any of the people in MLS need any help I will be attending Michener this fall in the cardiovascular perfusion program and have 5 years of experience in a lab feel free to ask me any questions :)

[oliveshadow]

Right now I'm debating between rez, renting and commuting from home. It will be a 1 to 1.5 hr commute each way to Michener, but I will get to save a lot of money since rent is high downtown and I already have a lot of student debt from my BSc.

Anyone going to the Open House on May 28th?

[zeronexus]

no I live in BC so no open house for me

[kayoko]

Congratulations to everyone who's gotten accepted into Michener! I can't believe it's that time of year again and that this thread is still active after so many years. Hahaha.

If you're on the waiting list, don't fret. From previous years, it seems that they put a lot of people on the waiting list, but the list also moves a lot because people often apply to multiple programs. One thing to note is that if you're on the waiting list, check your email at least once a day because they will give you a deadline by which you must respond to the offer. It would be awful if they accepted you but you missed it because you didn't check your email.


Does anyone know where I can find links on a Recognition of Prior Learning assesment on the Michener website? I took Antaomy and Physiology in University and do not want to take it again (once was enough!)
I don't think there's an online form. There should be forms in the Student Success Network office on the 5th floor. Unless you have an extensive microanatomy/histology background, you'll probably have more luck with getting an exemption for the physiology course (PPML) rather than the anatomy course (AMML).

[kayoko]

My question is...

Is it easy to find a job as MLT in Canada now? I am just searching this information on internet and cannot find any sufficient information regarding future job opportunities for MLTs in Canada.

Does anyone know what are the predictions for this occupation?

Why is the reason that so many people applying for MLT Program?

Keep posted...

Peace

Depends on where you're willing to go for a job. There are lots of jobs in rural communities who are willing to pay big bucks for people to stay. It's tougher in urban centers due to competition from multiple schools graduating students. There will always be a need for MLTs because every hospital has a lab that needs to be staffed (often 24/7). Personally, I'm expecting a boom of jobs in 5 years due to retirement or hospital expansion. Whether the jobs created will be full time permanent positions is a different story, though.

I think one thing to keep in mind is that you're in the wrong profession if you want to make the big bucks (>$100k). It just doesn't happen from what I've seen.

A lot of people apply to a program without knowing what they're getting themselves into or just as a backup for something else they want to do. I believe someone mentioned earlier that a lot of applications are automatically disqualified because the candidate doesn't have the minimum requirements.

[neonlily]

I don't think there's an online form. There should be forms in the Student Success Network office on the 5th floor. Unless you have an extensive microanatomy/histology background, you'll probably have more luck with getting an exemption for the physiology course (PPML) rather than the anatomy course (AMML).

Thank you! I have undergraduate degree in Microbiology with a Minor in Cell Bio so I'll talk to them and see what they say. If not, I assume it will just be an easy class!

[HYip25]

Depends on where you're willing to go for a job. There are lots of jobs in rural communities who are willing to pay big bucks for people to stay. It's tougher in urban centers due to competition from multiple schools graduating students. There will always be a need for MLTs because every hospital has a lab that needs to be staffed (often 24/7). Personally, I'm expecting a boom of jobs in 5 years due to retirement or hospital expansion. Whether the jobs created will be full time permanent positions is a different story, though.

I think one thing to keep in mind is that you're in the wrong profession if you want to make the big bucks (>$100k). It just doesn't happen from what I've seen.

A lot of people apply to a program without knowing what they're getting themselves into or just as a backup for something else they want to do. I believe someone mentioned earlier that a lot of applications are automatically disqualified because the candidate doesn't have the minimum requirements.


Also keep in mind that MLT is quite a lot of stress, unlike nurse who is more respectful due to their patient interaction, MLT salary and publicity is no where close to what we deserve as the 3rd largest medical professional. you will never make close to 100K as a regular technologist.... but there is development, research, sale and technical support which may make 100k possible ( but everything come with a downside, those job most likely require frequent travelling and working long hour if require) ....

[9394]

Depends on where you're willing to go for a job. There are lots of jobs in rural communities who are willing to pay big bucks for people to stay. It's tougher in urban centers due to competition from multiple schools graduating students. There will always be a need for MLTs because every hospital has a lab that needs to be staffed (often 24/7). Personally, I'm expecting a boom of jobs in 5 years due to retirement or hospital expansion. Whether the jobs created will be full time permanent positions is a different story, though.

I think one thing to keep in mind is that you're in the wrong profession if you want to make the big bucks (>$100k). It just doesn't happen from what I've seen.

A lot of people apply to a program without knowing what they're getting themselves into or just as a backup for something else they want to do. I believe someone mentioned earlier that a lot of applications are automatically disqualified because the candidate doesn't have the minimum requirements.

I think a bench tech maxes out between $70-75k (in the GTA). It is still a good salary for work that you cannot take home. Besides, in healthcare, it's better NOT to make the "sunshine" list. :razz:

[Versace77]

To be honest 70k is good money though...

Just got accepted into MLT program and my only concern is that I might not find a job after school so easily...

Is demand for MLT really so high?

Any advice?

[kayoko]

Also keep in mind that MLT is quite a lot of stress, unlike nurse who is more respectful due to their patient interaction, MLT salary and publicity is no where close to what we deserve as the 3rd largest medical professional. you will never make close to 100K as a regular technologist.... but there is development, research, sale and technical support which may make 100k possible ( but everything come with a downside, those job most likely require frequent travelling and working long hour if require) ....

Yes, I meant that as a bench tech or even senior techs, they don't make 100k. I agree that it's possible to make 100k if you work outside of the traditional lab environment. I believe the folks that repair the machines start around 80-90k.

I just felt that it was important to emphasize that if people want to make big money, there are better professions with which to do so.

[HYip25]

Yes, I meant that as a bench tech or even senior techs, they don't make 100k. I agree that it's possible to make 100k if you work outside of the traditional lab environment. I believe the folks that repair the machines start around 80-90k.

I just felt that it was important to emphasize that if people want to make big money, there are better professions with which to do so.

I also felt that ppl should know MLT does make 70K as a bench tech, but it take about 5 yrs of experience to make to that pay scale, then the next level is Senior Tech, which the Max is about 80K, highest in term of traditional lab is the Charge Technologist, which is close to 100K but most likely about 90K...

After MLT reach their Max at their pay scale, the only raise they will get is either apply for the upper opening or raise according to the contract of the union....
You are right, kayoko, MLT is not for anyone... it is a good stepping stone for some, or simply a job for most of us, but it is important to realize that (i believe someone post this comment before, so i am stealing the quote from him) make it a passion and you will never go to work again....

if you are not really interested in lab medicine, i suggest you should put your time in nursing or other profession, because some people would find MLT still interesting after being in the field for many years while some will find that it is extremely boring and repetitive.... spending 3 years just to learn that you make a mistake enrolling into a field you don't think you want to do it for the rest of your life is not a good thing.... a few of my classmate is feeling that right now, and we are doing our csmls in less then a month......

[imp]

I agree with Hyip

if you want to be a MLT you better have passion for the job and not solely the money...the money is only so-so for such a high stress career.

EDIT: by the way I just finshed second year at a med lab science program of st. lawrence college...will be going to my placement next year.

[nalababe]

Yes, I meant that as a bench tech or even senior techs, they don't make 100k. I agree that it's possible to make 100k if you work outside of the traditional lab environment. I believe the folks that repair the machines start around 80-90k.

I just felt that it was important to emphasize that if people want to make big money, there are better professions with which to do so.

If you are talking about the people from the companies that repair the machines: then no, they don't start at 80-90k, starting would be much lower. Remember that many of these people are starting after an electronics diploma or maybe, in some instances, engineering. For those with some experience, other than hiring from competition, the most common place to hire from is Copiers! For some companies, a new grad would actually start contract or in house positions. As for salary, starting would be closer to 40-50 with no real world experience....though would would get a company car etc. That all being said, there may be a potential for overtime (even for salaried) but that is an unknown.

Within an institution, the pay is also not there to start.

A seasoned FSR, with overtime, yes, they can make 80-90k.

[jigsaw26]

Well, I just got accepted into this program as well....

To people wondering about job prospects in the field. Well, I have only one thing to say. Considering the state that our economy is in right now, I do not think that finding a job in ANY field is easy right now.

MLT offers a stable, decent paying career and allows you to get on with your life...

Heck, I have a lawyer friend who has been unemployed for a full year now!!! Things are tough out there so be prepared to sweat it out when you go look for a job...


I do have a question for people currently attending the program: Is it weird for guys to be in this program? I hear that this profession is heavily female dominated (85%). What is the approximate proportion of guys to girls in your classes?

[mommy3]

JIGSAW26 I'm just wondering...did you get accepted to the MLT program after being on a waiting list?

[CavemanJ]

Well, I just got accepted into this program as well....

To people wondering about job prospects in the field. Well, I have only one thing to say. Considering the state that our economy is in right now, I do not think that finding a job in ANY field is easy right now.

MLT offers a stable, decent paying career and allows you to get on with your life...

Heck, I have a lawyer friend who has been unemployed for a full year now!!! Things are tough out there so be prepared to sweat it out when you go look for a job...


I do have a question for people currently attending the program: Is it weird for guys to be in this program? I hear that this profession is heavily female dominated (85%). What is the approximate proportion of guys to girls in your classes?

I'm a guy as well and planning to take MLS. IIRC, previous students said there were only 9 guys in a class of 60. It's not weird, it appears to be the norm these days in not just MLS, but post-secondary education as a whole. I look forward to seeing you in September :D

[jigsaw26]

JIGSAW26 I'm just wondering...did you get accepted to the MLT program after being on a waiting list?

No, I was not put on a wait list. I got the email offer a few weeks ago, but I got the package in the mail yesterday.

[jigsaw26]

I'm a guy as well and planning to take MLS. IIRC, previous students said there were only 9 guys in a class of 60. It's not weird, it appears to be the norm these days in not just MLS, but post-secondary education as a whole. I look forward to seeing you in September :D

Well said...now that I think about it, there were very few guys in my undergraduate program at UofT as well.

Hmm....1 guy to every 5 girls...I feel special! ;)

[Dopamean]

i'm looking for a room near michener. Does anybody? m-23-nonsmoker.

[Cexi49]

i'm looking for a room near michener. Does anybody? m-23-nonsmoker.


I'm looking for a roommate as well..

[neonlily]

I'm looking for a roommate as well..

Me too. 21-f-nonsmoker

RFD roomie match happening right now?

[Dizzyduck2]

anyone on the waitlist got their second round offers yet ? for MLS ?

[Dopamean]

any luck with September rentals? -- there are some apartments near Michener (at 222 and 200 elm street) but they are not entertaining September rentals until July.

[coollio7]

second round offers have been given out?

[Wh1te_Kn1ght]

Does anyone know what the course schedule is like first year? How many hours a week? Just curious :)

[Dopamean]

27hrs/ week. Somebody from the past put down a schedule in this thread. Plus lab schedules vary, so you really get to know your schedule when it starts.

[dv6000]

Good Morning all. I had been following this thread since my initial application. I never posted, but just read and read. Lol.. Anyway I just wanted to share that after I was put on the wait list abt 2 weeks ago? Today I received an email that I had been granted admission for MLS...Im so excited..I was really upset when they put me on the waitlist..But anyway..finally I got in without any issues. Just for you guys out there still waiting, keep your fingers and toes crossed. There is still hope!

[Dopamean]

Congrats dv6000!!

[POV562]

Good Morning all. I had been following this thread since my initial application. I never posted, but just read and read. Lol.. Anyway I just wanted to share that after I was put on the wait list abt 2 weeks ago? Today I received an email that I had been granted admission for MLS...Im so excited..I was really upset when they put me on the waitlist..But anyway..finally I got in without any issues. Just for you guys out there still waiting, keep your fingers and toes crossed. There is still hope!

Congrats!

Do you have a deadline to reply to the offer?

[dv6000]

Yes I have a deadline. The deadline is June 4th.

[dv6000]

Thanks, Thanks for the wishes

[dv6000]

i'm looking for a room near michener. Does anybody? m-23-nonsmoker.

Looking for something as well. Non smoker from Brampton

[Dopamean]

I found two possible places mostly at the $500-600/month price range but I have to get back to them in July as they still have not made up their minds yet about renewing there leases. dv6000

[Flaunty]

I have a question for those of you who went to MMI. Are all the scenarios Health/Medical related?

[Dopamean]

No they some were more practical every day stuff but tested your critical thinking skills.

[JaneSmith]

Looking for something as well. Non smoker from Brampton

Off topic, but just wondering why everyone is mentioning whether they're smokers or not...it's not like you can smoke in your room, in the building, on the street outside the building, within 100 feet of the building, etc, etc., anymore...so who cares??

[BLAYNECLARKE]

Im from Brampton planning on commuting - If I can make it to yorkdale with a fair amount of ease then all I gotta do is take the subway to St. Patricks. Does anyone know of students who commute to Michener/Ryerson/U of T from Brampton?

Im starting respiratory therapy. I hope the schedule isnt too harsh.

It's just way too expensive to live downtown Toronto.

[dv6000]

Off topic, but just wondering why everyone is mentioning whether they're smokers or not...it's not like you can smoke in your room, in the building, on the street outside the building, within 100 feet of the building, etc, etc., anymore...so who cares??

Well I care..i cant stand the smell of smoke...Whether you smoke in the building or not, you still smell of smoke. Its a personal and pereferencial thing that needs to be respected. I have nothing against smokers. I deal with it at work and in the community as a whole. I would prefer to have room mates who do not. Is that an issue? Or has the world changed into a world where people could no longer state their preferences? Well I havent been advised if the world has...so for now respect it..thats all!

[dv6000]

I found two possible places mostly at the $500-600/month price range but I have to get back to them in July as they still have not made up their minds yet about renewing there leases. dv6000

Really ei? Keep me posted!

[la_mayo]

For those of you that have gotten your VPC:

What is the process for people from Toronto? Do I contact the police first or do I need to obtain a "police check form" from the nurse first?

[jigsaw26]

Im from Brampton planning on commuting - If I can make it to yorkdale with a fair amount of ease then all I gotta do is take the subway to St. Patricks. Does anyone know of students who commute to Michener/Ryerson/U of T from Brampton?

Im starting respiratory therapy. I hope the schedule isnt too harsh.

It's just way too expensive to live downtown Toronto.



Hi, I have been commuting to Uoft from Brampton for the past 4 years. Your best bet is to take the GO train/bus from Bramlea or Brampton GO station stop followed by subway/walk from Union station.

[CavemanJ]

For those of you that have gotten your VPC:

What is the process for people from Toronto? Do I contact the police first or do I need to obtain a "police check form" from the nurse first?

Obtain a police check form from the nurse first.

[SHEEEEP]

Hey kayoko, JaneSmith, and other graduated MLT's... I know some people already asked you about the CSMLS, but do you have any tips that you could give me for studying for it? I'm writing it in 2 weeks and I'm pretty nervous about it. I'm not sure if you read this in some of my previous posts, but due to some changes in regulations, my class was unable to write the CSMLS exam after our clinical year last year, so it's been over a year since I have done any clinical lab work. I've obviously forgot a lot of the material covered during the clinical year, and I'm certainly feeling the injustice that's been put on us, as most of the other schools in Canada have their students write the CSMLS after their clinicals. I feel like I'm practically starting from scratch right now and it's quite frustrating. So, any tips?

[HYip25]

Hey kayoko, JaneSmith, and other graduated MLT's... I know some people already asked you about the CSMLS, but do you have any tips that you could give me for studying for it? I'm writing it in 2 weeks and I'm pretty nervous about it. I'm not sure if you read this in some of my previous posts, but due to some changes in regulations, my class was unable to write the CSMLS exam after our clinical year last year, so it's been over a year since I have done any clinical lab work. I've obviously forgot a lot of the material covered during the clinical year, and I'm certainly feeling the injustice that's been put on us, as most of the other schools in Canada have their students write the CSMLS after their clinicals. I feel like I'm practically starting from scratch right now and it's quite frustrating. So, any tips?

I will be writing it this June, Have you try taking some refresher course for the csmls?

there is only 2 weeks left, so i would normally suggest you read through all your notes if time is allow....

but there is this quick review card from Valerie Dietz Polansky, it is for medical lab student to prepare for ASCP ( the American version of csmls) but contain most of the important information for CSMLS as well ( don't have histology)

Know your QC, QA,Safety, Reference Range, Instrument and all the basic theory.........

I didn't read your previous post, but what happen?

[JaneSmith]

Well I care..i cant stand the smell of smoke...Whether you smoke in the building or not, you still smell of smoke. Its a personal and pereferencial thing that needs to be respected. I have nothing against smokers. I deal with it at work and in the community as a whole. I would prefer to have room mates who do not. Is that an issue? Or has the world changed into a world where people could no longer state their preferences? Well I havent been advised if the world has...so for now respect it..thats all!


Calm down there dv6000. Nobody is suggesting you can't have a personal preference. I was GENUINELY curious as to why the "non smoker" statement was necessary, given the fact that all places indoors and out are non-smoking areas these days. I wouldn't even consider it as a factor in choosing a roommate anymore. Don't get your panties all in a knot just because someone asked a question in order to get a better understanding of something.

[JaneSmith]

Hey kayoko, JaneSmith, and other graduated MLT's... I know some people already asked you about the CSMLS, but do you have any tips that you could give me for studying for it? I'm writing it in 2 weeks and I'm pretty nervous about it. I'm not sure if you read this in some of my previous posts, but due to some changes in regulations, my class was unable to write the CSMLS exam after our clinical year last year, so it's been over a year since I have done any clinical lab work. I've obviously forgot a lot of the material covered during the clinical year, and I'm certainly feeling the injustice that's been put on us, as most of the other schools in Canada have their students write the CSMLS after their clinicals. I feel like I'm practically starting from scratch right now and it's quite frustrating. So, any tips?

At this point in the game, I would suggest shelling out the $200 dollars and taking the NAIT online test. It's about 200 questions that cover all topics. You submit your answers and you get back your mark, plus an answer and explanation for each question. If I remember correctly, they also give you a breakdown of your performance in each discipline. These questions are very much like the ones you can expect to see on the csmls and will get you in the right mindframe for writing the exam.
Also, go over any notes you took during clinical. They will be more helpful than classroom theory notes. Read over the safety manual if you have it. Good luck!

[pupazzo]

Calm down there dv6000. Nobody is suggesting you can't have a personal preference. I was GENUINELY curious as to why the "non smoker" statement was necessary, given the fact that all places indoors and out are non-smoking areas these days. I wouldn't even consider it as a factor in choosing a roommate anymore. Don't get your panties all in a knot just because someone asked a question in order to get a better understanding of something.

Screening out smokers is one of the best way to eliminate dumb and irresponsible people. The fact that they smoke shows you they have lower iq and will likely destroy your property.

[SHEEEEP]

I will be writing it this June, Have you try taking some refresher course for the csmls?

there is only 2 weeks left, so i would normally suggest you read through all your notes if time is allow....

but there is this quick review card from Valerie Dietz Polansky, it is for medical lab student to prepare for ASCP ( the American version of csmls) but contain most of the important information for CSMLS as well ( don't have histology)

Know your QC, QA,Safety, Reference Range, Instrument and all the basic theory.........

I didn't read your previous post, but what happen?

Thanks for the info. I'll be writing the ASCP exam as well in June, so that will help. I didn't even know that there were books available for purchase for reviewing this stuff!

As for what happened, apparently the CSMLS made research a requirement prior to writing the exam. This was a problem for our program because, although we would have basic understanding of research by the time we were done clinicals, our program wanted us to actually have hands-on experience in research (i.e. our research project, done in the last year of the program after clinicals) in order to fully understand what research is about. Of course, the first thing we thought was, "why don't the NAIT students have to do research?". After asking our faculty about this, we found out that they do a much less in-depth look at research... like read a few papers and write a paper... that kind of thing, so pretty much the minimum amount of work required to satisfy the research requirement, while we actually do research from scratch. So after much complaining and begging, we weren't able to write our exams last year and we had to wait until we were done our research this year to write the CSMLS exam. Prior to my year, students in my program were allowed to write the CSMLS exam after their clinical year, but my year was the first year affected by the change in CSMLS guidelines, so we're clearly the most upset about this.

[SHEEEEP]

At this point in the game, I would suggest shelling out the $200 dollars and taking the NAIT online test. It's about 200 questions that cover all topics. You submit your answers and you get back your mark, plus an answer and explanation for each question. If I remember correctly, they also give you a breakdown of your performance in each discipline. These questions are very much like the ones you can expect to see on the csmls and will get you in the right mindframe for writing the exam.
Also, go over any notes you took during clinical. They will be more helpful than classroom theory notes. Read over the safety manual if you have it. Good luck!

I had no idea that the NAIT online test even existed! Interesting, since we share the same clinical instructors. Do you know if that one's any different from the online practice test provided by CSMLS? I will definitely read over the safety manual - I've heard that there's a lot of questions on safety in there and yup, I've forgotten the majority of it! Thanks!

[HYip25]

I had no idea that the NAIT online test even existed! Interesting, since we share the same clinical instructors. Do you know if that one's any different from the online practice test provided by CSMLS? I will definitely read over the safety manual - I've heard that there's a lot of questions on safety in there and yup, I've forgotten the majority of it! Thanks!

Better yet...
since you are doing the ASCP, might want to fish out 60 bucks ( i think) at LabCE for their review question... full break down of your performance plus enough question to cover both ascp and csmls

[SHEEEEP]

Better yet...
since you are doing the ASCP, might want to fish out 60 bucks ( i think) at LabCE for their review question... full break down of your performance plus enough question to cover both ascp and csmls

Even better! Thanks so much. I'm pretty nervous about the ASCP exam too and was looking for some practice, especially with doing calculations with their units. Wow 3000 questions... that'll be more than enough practice :razz:

[CavemanJ]

Any past MLS students from Michener willing to sell/donate their books? PM me :cheesygri

[la_mayo]

Any past MLS students from Michener willing to sell/donate their books? PM me :cheesygri

Me too! But for Radiation Therapy... lol

[HYip25]

Any past MLS students from Michener willing to sell/donate their books? PM me :cheesygri

I have some old books for St. Lawrence and Michener.... Hematology, chem and some review card.. Pm for more detail

Good luck Everyone on the CSMLS exam on Tuesday

[simz216]

Hello!

I'm just finding this thread now. Is there anyone going into the Genetics Technology program in September?

[MsAbyss]

Hello!

I'm just finding this thread now. Is there anyone going into the Genetics Technology program in September?

Yeap, I'm going into that one.

[POV562]

Question for those who did the program: what is the typical schedule like? Is it possible to get a off-day during the week and how many days/hours can I work realistically while enrolled in the program?

Thanks :D

[neonlily]

Question for those who did the program: what is the typical schedule like? Is it possible to get a off-day during the week and how many days/hours can I work realistically while enrolled in the program?

Thanks :D

If you log into your TMI self-service account they have the schedules posted from A-F for MedLab. I couldn't find if it says what one we are in but you can at least check out the schedules. There are a few where you only have one class at 12pm on one day. The rest you seem to end your day between 3:30 and 5.

[Dopamean]

hi guys! i got wait listed for schatz hall but i found a place to rent although the land lord only takes groups who rent the house by levels. each level has 3 rooms, 1 washroom and a kitchen. the basement cost is 1700, 1st floor 1900 and second floor is 2100. so for three people it's around 567-700 per person -i'm expecting that not all the rooms are the same size. this is without internet but the utilities and tax are included. its walking distance to 222 St. Patrick.
pm for more details.

[throllen]

Hi guys,

I stumbled upon this forum while I was googleing information about Michener's Med Lab program. I am a recent university graduate majoring in biochemistry degree. My average is not too hot (66%), but my pre-req is around (75%). One question tho, back in high school, I did not get a very high English 12 mark (65%), but with a little luck and hard work, I managed to obtain first year English credits (average C+) and henceforth completed my English requirement for my Degree. Now here is the problem, I know the MLS program wants 70% in in all the courses and that includes English. But what if you don't have 70%? Would you be asked to write the English assessment test? I know that after 2 years of full time post-secondary education, you are omitted from the assessment. If you don't have a 70%, but you completed 2 years of full time, how do they process the application then?

[KevC]

Wow ... what a great thread. I'm gonna read up on this.

I'm actually working on a project (I'm temping for a tech company) at a hospital, and a pretty lady mentioned that there may be a demand for MLTs and it's a great gig.

I haven't started reading this thread yet, but from what I understand this program at Michener will prepare me well for this position?

Admissions is my primary concern. I did alright in high school (mid 80s), but my GPA for undergrad was terrible (I have a B.Sc in Physics, loved it - but wasn't very good at it).

Anyone have any advice for me? Or am I out of luck....

[neonlily]

Wow ... what a great thread. I'm gonna read up on this.

I'm actually working on a project (I'm temping for a tech company) at a hospital, and a pretty lady mentioned that there may be a demand for MLTs and it's a great gig.

I haven't started reading this thread yet, but from what I understand this program at Michener will prepare me well for this position?

Admissions is my primary concern. I did alright in high school (mid 80s), but my GPA for undergrad was terrible (I have a B.Sc in Physics, loved it - but wasn't very good at it).

Anyone have any advice for me? Or am I out of luck....

Mid-80's in high school should be fine for MLT. Your GPA is 50%, your MMI interview is the other 50% of admission. As long as you meet the requirements and are well prepared for the interview I'd say you have a good chance! My final year of high school average was 90% and my B.Sc was a 3.5 on a 4.5 scale (B+). I got in to both MLT and Diagnostic Cytology.

[POV562]

The required textbooks for 2011 to 2012 is out at http://www.michener.ca/resources/textbooks.php#program_5

Can a past or current MLS student comment on which ones not necessary to purchase? and where to get them at a reasonable price?

[CavemanJ]

You can find most of your questions answered in this thread by searching for "textbook" using the search thread function, although some of these info might be 2-3 years old but I do'nt see any drastic changes. In short, I would but the "core" textbooks first like hematology, the clinical heme atlas, and microbiology. Maybe the phsio/ana textbook too but I decided to hold it off for now since I've got a similar one. I wouldn't buy the clinical chem and "looking out, looking in" textbooks yet until school offically starts.

[KevC]

Mid-80's in high school should be fine for MLT. Your GPA is 50%, your MMI interview is the other 50% of admission. As long as you meet the requirements and are well prepared for the interview I'd say you have a good chance! My final year of high school average was 90% and my B.Sc was a 3.5 on a 4.5 scale (B+). I got in to both MLT and Diagnostic Cytology.

Thanks! My GPA is pathetic, 2.something/4 which is a C- to C. So if my highschool marks are decent (80s) it doesn't even matter what my uni marks are?

I'll be sure to prepare well for the interview. I'll spend the rest of the time looking into it for Sept 2012 intake!

[neonlily]

Thanks! My GPA is pathetic, 2.something/4 which is a C- to C. So if my highschool marks are decent (80s) it doesn't even matter what my uni marks are?

I'll be sure to prepare well for the interview. I'll spend the rest of the time looking into it for Sept 2012 intake!

MLT doesn't require B.Sc for admission so you should be ok. I think they might factor in your top two university marks so hopefully you have some As or A+s in there to boost!

[sasafrass]

Hello, my name is Tony and I am interested in becoming a MLT. I am applying to all accredited schools in Ontario, and I would like a mentor for the whole process. If you would like to be my mentor, please private message me, and I will give you my email address. Thank you in advance :)

[la_mayo]

Does anybody know the version of "Looking Out Looking In" by Adler we're supposed to get? There are so many different versions, I don't know what the difference is...

[mmwc02]

I'm looking to sell my look out, looking in textbook if anyone's interested. It's the 3rd ed. PM me if you're interested :)

[mmwc02]

The required textbooks for 2011 to 2012 is out at http://www.michener.ca/resources/textbooks.php#program_5

Can a past or current MLS student comment on which ones not necessary to purchase? and where to get them at a reasonable price?

I'm going into second year in September, and I can honestly say that I didn't really use much of any of the textbooks at all. You might need the histotechnology textbook come second semester (the prof that was teaching skipped a section and made it "independent study"), but otherwise, you probably won't need it for first semester (at least I found I didn't). Oh and you'll definately need the clinical hematology atlas for sure.

I purchased all the texts because I figured I might need it for reference for the licensing exams, and it might be nice just to have them when I'm on the job. But hey, if you can pass everything with the notes provided (and I'm sure that's quite possible), more power to you.

As such, I can't speak for second year because I haven't gone through it yet lol :razz:

[CavemanJ]

I'm going into second year in September, and I can honestly say that I didn't really use much of any of the textbooks at all. You might need the histotechnology textbook come second semester (the prof that was teaching skipped a section and made it "independent study"), but otherwise, you probably won't need it for first semester (at least I found I didn't). Oh and you'll definately need the clinical hematology atlas for sure.

I purchased all the texts because I figured I might need it for reference for the licensing exams, and it might be nice just to have them when I'm on the job. But hey, if you can pass everything with the notes provided (and I'm sure that's quite possible), more power to you.

As such, I can't speak for second year because I haven't gone through it yet lol :razz:

How's the workload and difficulty in first year? Do you find yourself enjoying the materials? Profs? What's the average marks for courses? Will you be at the orientation? :)

[mmwc02]

How's the workload and difficulty in first year? Do you find yourself enjoying the materials? Profs? What's the average marks for courses? Will you be at the orientation? :)

The workload's pretty average for first year; if you've been through a BSc. already its not too dissimilar to that. And if you've done your BSc. you'll find a lot of the material in first semester to be review. You'll also get a little frustrated with the profs lol but that'll change in second semester. They're pretty awesome as they actually care about how you're doing, and they're really knowledgeable in their own disciplines. You'll likely meet them during orientation. Average marks are quite high actually. For our class, it was upwards from the high 70s to high 80s; people tend to be pretty competitive and I find the material isn't as daunting as in uni (1st semester that is). It does get more challenging in second semester (I found, some people found it easier because there were more little assignments that helped boost marks) because of the material; they start teaching you "new" stuff that an MLT ought to know (at least new for me lol). Just be prepared for a lot of lab time, prep and writeups (they're not long at all, don't worry ;P).

Unfortunately I won't be at the orientation :( I wanted to help out lol but I had gone away for vacation the last couple of weeks of august, and missed the info session :/ But do have fun!! Don't miss the mentalist bit because he's awesomee :D

Oh and if you have any questions, feel free to ask a second year (our lockers are along the same hall lol) :D We don't bite and rumor is we're friendly too <:)

[martinjustin]

I have a couple questions about prereqs

They say they take the best of your 2 marks if you've taken the same course in high school and university. However, how different are the courses allowed to be. For example, I want to use my university statistics mark to count instead of my Math 12 mark, but I know those classes are pretty different in subject matter.

Also, under prereqs it says "2 university level courses", does that mean I can choose my highest 2 university courses and use them to calculate the average, independent of what subject they are?

[mmwc02]

I have a couple questions about prereqs

They say they take the best of your 2 marks if you've taken the same course in high school and university. However, how different are the courses allowed to be. For example, I want to use my university statistics mark to count instead of my Math 12 mark, but I know those classes are pretty different in subject matter.

Also, under prereqs it says "2 university level courses", does that mean I can choose my highest 2 university courses and use them to calculate the average, independent of what subject they are?

I thought "university level courses" (With the U designation) were highschool courses that were looked at by universities, not colleges? Not actual university courses. That's what I got from reading the prereqs.
As for stats substituting for math; it might work, but don't take my word for it. You cover a lot of differing topics between grade 12 math and stats (namely calculas and algebra) try contacting admissions to be sure.

There was someone straight out of highschool in my class, so I don't think they weigh your universities marks as much as your highschool marks. They'll glance at your university marks, for sure, but I think your highschool marks might hold more weight.

[neonlily]

Edit: Nevermind! I found it on Blackboard. See you guys tomorrow!

[martinjustin]

I thought "university level courses" (With the U designation) were highschool courses that were looked at by universities, not colleges? Not actual university courses. That's what I got from reading the prereqs.
As for stats substituting for math; it might work, but don't take my word for it. You cover a lot of differing topics between grade 12 math and stats (namely calculas and algebra) try contacting admissions to be sure.

There was someone straight out of highschool in my class, so I don't think they weigh your universities marks as much as your highschool marks. They'll glance at your university marks, for sure, but I think your highschool marks might hold more weight.


I was thinking the same thing about the "U" courses until I read this line:

"Applicants may elect to submit official transcripts of university courses taken at an accredited university to meet any of the [...] admission requirements."

That's what made me think I could choose any 2 university courses.

[mmwc02]

I was thinking the same thing about the "U" courses until I read this line:

"Applicants may elect to submit official transcripts of university courses taken at an accredited university to meet any of the [...] admission requirements."

That's what made me think I could choose any 2 university courses.

Hmm I think I missed that, I'm not quite sure then. Again, email the admissions people to be certain. All I know is that my highschool marks were leaps and bounds better than some of my universities ones lol

And for those of you who were looking for places to get cheaper texts (I'm sorry this is coming so late) and if you're not in a hurry to get them, I found abebooks.com to be really good. I got the rest of my books either from tusbe.com if I was lucky or just paid the price amazon had for them if there was a discount (And there was for the book I was looking for. If not I would've went to the bookstore).

[Java321]

hey there, it sounds like you know a lot about different programs in this field, any interest in writing a review about your experience at EduProfiles?

[blueshirtss]

Hello guys,

I'm currently attending UOIT for Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and thinking about transferring to the Medical Laboratory Science program at UOIT (or other institutions). I have a Microbiology diploma from Centennial college + 2 years of micro lab experience.

Does anyone know what kind of marks Michener/St.Clair College/St.Lawrence College would be asking for in terms of my high school/college/university marks? I realize that it's nearly impossible to get accepted from high school..so i was curious how they'd view my college/university education. My high school average was horrible (72% in 6 grade 12 courses), but college GPA was about 3.5. Do i stand a chance to get into the program?

Thank you :)

[Mykester]

I realize that it's nearly impossible to get accepted from high school..

Lol really? I got accepted into it (but didn't take the offer) with a high 70 in high school, as did another classmate.

[CavemanJ]

Lol really? I got accepted into it (but didn't take the offer) with a high 70 in high school, as did another classmate.

You probably got accepted into other institutions, not Michener. Average entrance average at Michener is high 80s.

[neonlily]

Hello guys,

I'm currently attending UOIT for Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and thinking about transferring to the Medical Laboratory Science program at UOIT (or other institutions). I have a Microbiology diploma from Centennial college + 2 years of micro lab experience.

Does anyone know what kind of marks Michener/St.Clair College/St.Lawrence College would be asking for in terms of my high school/college/university marks? I realize that it's nearly impossible to get accepted from high school..so i was curious how they'd view my college/university education. My high school average was horrible (72% in 6 grade 12 courses), but college GPA was about 3.5. Do i stand a chance to get into the program?

Thank you :)

I'm sure they would view your University favourably but you can call and talk to admissions to be sure. They are quite friendly!

[neonlily]

Hey potential future Med Lab Techs!

Michener is holding their "Meet me @ Michener" night tomorrow and if you're curious about any of the programs Michener offers you should come down! I will be giving tours for the Med Lab program so maybe I will see you then :)

[baniaz91]

Can someone please tell me what the average required gpa. The website says a 70..however thats what it says for pharmacy as well.. but people with 4.0s dont even get in. Whats the actual gpa they need to let you in. Thanks a lot!

[JaneSmith]

Can someone please tell me what the average required gpa. The website says a 70..however thats what it says for pharmacy as well.. but people with 4.0s dont even get in. Whats the actual gpa they need to let you in. Thanks a lot!

That's the minimum to be cosidered, but it depends on the average of the other candidates who apply.
Grades only make up a certain % of the criteria they look at when determining whether to offer you a position.

[neonlily]

Can someone please tell me what the average required gpa. The website says a 70..however thats what it says for pharmacy as well.. but people with 4.0s dont even get in. Whats the actual gpa they need to let you in. Thanks a lot!

I've heard it's 50% Grades, 50% interview. a few people in my class this year said their High school average was around 83-85% but it really does depend on the class. I'd say you'd need at least in the 80s to be competitive.

[neonlily]

Just wanted to drop off the entire Meet Me @ Michener schedule in anyone is interested in coming down! You get to experience the labs and see everything we do as a Med Lab Technologist.

Meet Me @ Michener! Each month Michener holds specialized tours for small groups of students, designed to introduce you to Michener and answer your questions in a more intimate setting. Unlike the Open House, Meet Me @ Michener Days focus on one program in greater detail - which program is up to you.

The 2011/2012 Meet Me @ Michener schedule is:

October 6th, 2011
November 17th, 2011
January 16th, 2012, Medical Radiation Sciences Open House, hosted by U of T.
January 19th, 2012, (No tours for MRS programs)
February 9th, 2012
March 15th, 2012
Tours start at 6:00pm sharp, and reservations are required. Please RSVP to Student Enrolment and indicate which tour you're interested in:

Chiropody
Diagnostic Cytology
Genetics
Medical Laboratory Science
Nuclear Medicine
Radiation Therapy
Radiological Technology
Respiratory Therapy
Ultrasound
RSVP to Student Enrolment at:

(416) 596-3177
1-800-387-9066
info@michener.ca

[Mazu]

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to decide between applying to Med Lab Tech and Radiological Tech. For those applying this year or already in Michener, can you tell me why you decided on that program.

[neonlily]

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to decide between applying to Med Lab Tech and Radiological Tech. For those applying this year or already in Michener, can you tell me why you decided on that program.

I would say come to a meet me @ michener event so you can see which you like better. You can get a feel for what you would actually be doing. Both are rather different and have different requirements. MLT requires you do working independently and you typically do not interact with patients. If you are a Rad tech you'll be working and touching people everyday.

[cyrene]

MLT requires you do working independently and you typically do not interact with patients. If you are a Rad tech you'll be working and touching people everyday.

Other points that I think would make someone potentially choose RT or MLT over the other:
- as a MLT student, you will have to draw blood
- MLT would deal with the sight (and smell) of blood, urine, stool, sputum
- bilingualism is a requirement for rad tech jobs much more often than MLT jobs
- rad tech might have to lift patients

[martinjustin]

I have 2 questions:

How many programs can you apply to at Michener at once?

and

Do you need to do a seperate MMI for each program, or is there just 1 general MMI?

[neonlily]

I have 2 questions:

How many programs can you apply to at Michener at once?

and

Do you need to do a seperate MMI for each program, or is there just 1 general MMI?

You can apply to up to 3 on one application. If you want to apply for more you have to submit another application with another transcript etc.

You will have 1 MMI valid for all the programs you applied to.

[martinjustin]

I am debating on whether or not to included Genetics Technology in my 3. I want to because its similar to MLT (which is my main focus), so it gives me another chance to get into that type of career. But how competitive is it? I am considering that if it too competitive, my time is better off spent apply to Ultrasound and Respiratory. I don't have any lab experience or a MSc. However, those two things may only count for 7%-10%.

[neonlily]

I am debating on whether or not to included Genetics Technology in my 3. I want to because its similar to MLT (which is my main focus), so it gives me another chance to get into that type of career. But how competitive is it? I am considering that if it too competitive, my time is better off spent apply to Ultrasound and Respiratory. I don't have any lab experience or a MSc. However, those two things may only count for 7%-10%.

Genetics Tech is the most competitive program at Michener, I believe after Cardiac Perfusion (which only accepts a class every 2 years). I would sooner throw Diagnostic Cytology on your list though it is almost solely microscope work. Ultrasound is very in demand right now but accepts a small class. Rumor is they accepted 24 students and had over 600 applicants. M.Sc isn't important and they don't really look at lab experience. As long as you have the pre reqs with good grades, you have a chance.

[martinjustin]

Genetics Tech is the most competitive program at Michener, I believe after Cardiac Perfusion (which only accepts a class every 2 years). I would sooner throw Diagnostic Cytology on your list though it is almost solely microscope work. Ultrasound is very in demand right now but accepts a small class. Rumor is they accepted 24 students and had over 600 applicants. M.Sc isn't important and they don't really look at lab experience. As long as you have the pre reqs with good grades, you have a chance.

Thanks for your help. This year it seems they have changed the entrance requirements for Genetics Tech (and also Diagnostic Cytology), where they will look at M.Sc. and lab experience, that's why I mentioned it.

So, what it the difference in demand and wages between a MLT and a Diagnostic Cytologist?

[neonlily]

Thanks for your help. This year it seems they have changed the entrance requirements for Genetics Tech (and also Diagnostic Cytology), where they will look at M.Sc. and lab experience, that's why I mentioned it.

So, what it the difference in demand and wages between a MLT and a Diagnostic Cytologist?

Oh really, interesting. I got into Diagnostic Cytology with just a B.Sc but I declined for MLT. I believe the starting salaries are similar with Diagnostic Cytology being slightly higher.

[clocktimes]

I'm so interested in the Lab Tech programs. Is anyone else coming from a Humanities background? I'm an English major in my last years, but I have a great interest in microbiology/biology/pathology as well.

Does Michener put a big emphasis on work experience/volunteering experience in the interview/supplementary application? I don't really have work experience except for some retail awhile ago. My high school marks are good, 80-90s in the prereq courses.

Would you guys say Michener is easier or harder to get into than BCIT? Maybe this is subjective. I'm in Vancouver right now.

So many questions :D

[neonlily]

I'm so interested in the Lab Tech programs. Is anyone else coming from a Humanities background? I'm an English major in my last years, but I have a great interest in microbiology/biology/pathology as well.

Does Michener put a big emphasis on work experience/volunteering experience in the interview/supplementary application? I don't really have work experience except for some retail awhile ago. My high school marks are good, 80-90s in the prereq courses.

Would you guys say Michener is easier or harder to get into than BCIT? Maybe this is subjective. I'm in Vancouver right now.

So many questions :D

If you read the last few pages of the thread, I've talked about the interview a few times. They don't factor in volunteer experience or work experience, it just might help you answer the questions better during the MMI. The MMI is not "health" related, it's behaviour based to test your communication skills, ethical decisions and reasoning.

I don't really know about BCIT but I believe there was something applying there around page 20-30 of this thread and said you had to write an essay? There is no essay at Michener, just the MMI.

[clocktimes]

Thanks for the info. I was a little confused by the supplementary application they mention...I assumed once you make the first cut, they want you to provide references/work history/etc.

[neonlily]

Thanks for the info. I was a little confused by the supplementary application they mention...I assumed once you make the first cut, they want you to provide references/work history/etc.

The supplementary (at least what it was last year) is an extra $30 to Michener and you just click that you've read their website and watched the videos for the professions you applied to. No work history or references. That may change of course.

[Suren72]

I'm applying for the Medical Radiation Sciences at Michener. I'm currently in my 3rd year at UofT. My cGPA isn't that high, 2.83 to be exact. The cut off for the program is said to be 2.7. I know they also have mini interviews as part of the acceptance process. I'm trying to get as much help as I can. Does anyone know what the cut-off average for the program was?

[chinesedevil]

how are job prospectives for the nuclear medicine program?

[Flaunty]

Chinesedevil, unfortunately, both nuc med and rad therapy are not doing well at the moment. Many graduates in these fields can't find employment and either study something entirely different or end up unemployed for extended periods or part time/casual employment. Hospitals and clinics simply aren't hiring for many positions and couple that to the number of graduates that these programs produce every year and you get the picture. I have a friend who is a radiation therapist and he told me the market is saturated and will be for the near future. So I would advise you look into another field or you may regret it :(

[chinesedevil]

Thx for info flaunty, is MLT still doing okay?

[CavemanJ]

Thx for info flaunty, is MLT still doing okay?

From what I can recall having looked at the 2006 Graduate Satisfaction Survey report, I believe they are still doing okay in terms of employment. Most people are employed within 6 months of graduation. I will try and get a more recent report if possible.

[martinjustin]

Does anyone know if there are opportunities to study MLT abroad?

[fergrocks]

is this post still alive? I am applying for MLS and RT september 2012 and my average right now is 76-78 I think. what are my chances of getting in? Any feedback from people doing the course?

[neonlily]

is this post still alive? I am applying for MLS and RT september 2012 and my average right now is 76-78 I think. what are my chances of getting in? Any feedback from people doing the course?

It really depends on who all applies. If you pass the prereqs the will move you on to be ranked for an interview and the top XXX number are invited. Is that a university average or high school? Though MLS is a direct out of high school entry they tend not to take many high school students because they find it's very overwhelming. Almost all of our direct entry students have left the program. :(

[fergrocks]

It really depends on who all applies. If you pass the prereqs the will move you on to be ranked for an interview and the top XXX number are invited. Is that a university average or high school? Though MLS is a direct out of high school entry they tend not to take many high school students because they find it's very overwhelming. Almost all of our direct entry students have left the program. :(

it's high school:( I am upgrading trying to bring it up to a 80 atleast

[chinesedevil]

It really depends on who all applies. If you pass the prereqs the will move you on to be ranked for an interview and the top XXX number are invited. Is that a university average or high school? Though MLS is a direct out of high school entry they tend not to take many high school students because they find it's very overwhelming. Almost all of our direct entry students have left the program. :(

Do they put more weight on uni grades over HS grades?

[neonlily]

Do they put more weight on uni grades over HS grades?

I'm not 100% sure but MLS is a direct out of high school program. They look mostly at your HS grades but will factor in 2 of your university grades if you have them. I think it's an "overall" average.

[chinesedevil]

I'm not 100% sure but MLS is a direct out of high school program. They look mostly at your HS grades but will factor in 2 of your university grades if you have them. I think it's an "overall" average.

Hmm, the highest 2 uni grades? I have pretty much completed my program and have a lot of uni grade but not sure which ones they will take into consideration.

[neonlily]

It's the highest 2 uni grades. Directly from Michener Website:

New Curriculum*

Ontario Secondary School Diploma
Four grade 12 University (U) level courses:
Grade 12 English (U)
Grade 12 Mathematics (U)
Grade 12 Chemistry (U)
Grade 12 Biology (U) OR Physics (U)
(Biology is strongly recommended)
Two University (U) or University/Mixed (U/M) level courses.
Overall average of 75% in all the six courses used to meet the admission requirements.
No grade lower than 70% in the six courses.
**Please note that if a prerequisite has been completed at high school and at the university level the higher of the two grades will always be used to calculate the overall GPA.

[Himali_14]

It really depends on who all applies. If you pass the prereqs the will move you on to be ranked for an interview and the top XXX number are invited. Is that a university average or high school? Though MLS is a direct out of high school entry they tend not to take many high school students because they find it's very overwhelming. Almost all of our direct entry students have left the program. :(


Hey Neonlily,

I was wondering how lineant they are with their deadlines, I will have a BSc at the end of April. I am currently doing a thesis research project with one of my professors and have 2 years of research assistant related experience. Unfortunately, Its been 7 days past the deadline, and I really want to get into this program. Is there anyone I can contact?

Himali
himali_14@hotmail.com

[neonlily]

Hey Neonlily,

I was wondering how lineant they are with their deadlines, I will have a BSc at the end of April. I am currently doing a thesis research project with one of my professors and have 2 years of research assistant related experience. Unfortunately, Its been 7 days past the deadline, and I really want to get into this program. Is there anyone I can contact?

Himali
himali_14@hotmail.com

Deadline is a deadline. They have 12X the amount of applicants they need for the program so I'm pretty sure they won't do anything. You can always try but looks like you'll be applying next year.

[chinesedevil]

Deadline is a deadline. They have 12X the amount of applicants they need for the program so I'm pretty sure they won't do anything. You can always try but looks like you'll be applying next year.

Holy... 12x? Damn... guess my chances are quite slim at getting in..:|

[neonlily]

Holy... 12x? Damn... guess my chances are quite slim at getting in..:|

For the 60 spots they have in the program they get anywhere from 500-750 applications (depending on the year.) You have to remember though, that a lot of these people don't have the pre-reqs for the program and are weeded down there. Then the rest that make it past the pre-reqs are ranked for the interview and they invite 2-3x the amount they will accept ~120-150 students. There are a lot of people with very borderline marks for the pre-reqs and have 70% averages so as long as you're up there, you should be good for an interview :)

[nyx716]

Is anyone else applying to MLT this year? I also applied to the Ultrasound program at Cambrian College (couldn't apply this year to Michener's Ultrasound program because I don't have Anatomy). Not sure which one I would take if I got accepted to both. They are so different from each other...

[fergrocks]

Is anyone else applying to MLT this year? I also applied to the Ultrasound program at Cambrian College (couldn't apply this year to Michener's Ultrasound program because I don't have Anatomy). Not sure which one I would take if I got accepted to both. They are so different from each other...

I applied to MLT and RT... just waiting and waiting n waiting lol

[martinjustin]

I applied to MLT , RT , and Ultrasound, but I will probably only do MLT. Just picked the other 2 since it was no extra cost. I also applied to MLT at Cambrian and St. Lawrence but my chances there are probably slim to none because I'm out of province.

[nyx716]

I applied to MLT and RT... just waiting and waiting n waiting lol

Yeah, the wait is killing me too! I'm just trying to focus on studying for midterms right now, but I just want to be able to relax and know that next year I'm going to be somewhere.


I applied to MLT , RT , and Ultrasound, but I will probably only do MLT. Just picked the other 2 since it was no extra cost. I also applied to MLT at Cambrian and St. Lawrence but my chances there are probably slim to none because I'm out of province.

Yeah, I believe Cambrian does give preference to Ontario students :(. Just curious, why are you interested in MLT more than the others? I'm trying to decide which one I want more (between MLT and Ultrasound) and so far it has been hard. I'm most interested in the field of Women's Health, and I think I would like to have patient interaction, which Ultrasound would be good for. However there seems to be less stress as an MLT since sometimes working with doctors, nurses, and patients can also be a hassle. Sometimes working independently can be fun as well, but there is a lot of repetition involved in the job. I guess I won't know for sure unless I do more job shadowing!

[martinjustin]

Yeah, I believe Cambrian does give preference to Ontario students :(. Just curious, why are you interested in MLT more than the others? I'm trying to decide which one I want more (between MLT and Ultrasound) and so far it has been hard. I'm most interested in the field of Women's Health, and I think I would like to have patient interaction, which Ultrasound would be good for. However there seems to be less stress as an MLT since sometimes working with doctors, nurses, and patients can also be a hassle. Sometimes working independently can be fun as well, but there is a lot of repetition involved in the job. I guess I won't know for sure unless I do more job shadowing!

I e-mailed Cambrian and they did say they had accepted out of province students last year (although it was probably just 1 or 2) so it may be possible.

And you pretty much answered the question yourself in regards to why I chose MLT. I prefer to work independently with as little customer/patient interaction as possible. I work at a repetitive job now and it can get annoying but I think I would prefer it than having to deal with people all day. Hope your job shadowing goes well and hopefully I will see you at the interviews in April!

[neonlily]

I e-mailed Cambrian and they did say they had accepted out of province students last year (although it was probably just 1 or 2) so it may be possible.

And you pretty much answered the question yourself in regards to why I chose MLT. I prefer to work independently with as little customer/patient interaction as possible. I work at a repetitive job now and it can get annoying but I think I would prefer it than having to deal with people all day. Hope your job shadowing goes well and hopefully I will see you at the interviews in April!

Just to let you know, there is some patient interaction if you are doing blood draws with MLT. You are trained in phlebotomy and it is possible you could be placed on a phlebotomy team for your clinical placement. (Not to say it's a lot of interaction but it's possible!)

[fergrocks]

[QUOTE=nyx716;14250652]Yeah, the wait is killing me too! I'm just trying to focus on studying for midterms right now, but I just want to be able to relax and know that next year I'm going to be somewhere.

yep, it's so annoying. I don't think my marks are good enough. can't they just take me in lol grr what's ur avg?

[chinesedevil]

Dam I shoulda applied for more schools :confused: Seems like everyone is applying to more than one.

[dragon_drift]

What's the difference between Michener's MLT and UOIT's Medical Laboratory Science?

https://connect.uoit.ca/uoit/program.do?from=degree&programID=53

:confused:

[chinesedevil]

What's the difference between Michener's MLT and UOIT's Medical Laboratory Science?

https://connect.uoit.ca/uoit/program.do?from=degree&programID=53

:confused:

From Quick glance, Michener is a Diploma program, UOIT is a degree (H.B.Sc)

[dragon_drift]

From Quick glance, Michener is a Diploma program, UOIT is a degree (H.B.Sc)

i guess diploma<degree, eh?

What did you apply for so far? Should've applied for more than one! I believe they only accept ~40 students/year.

[chinesedevil]

i guess diploma<degree, eh?

What did you apply for so far? Should've applied for more than one! I believe they only accept ~40 students/year.

Only applied to 1 school, 1 program at Michener. Too late to apply for more than one now. :(:confused:

[dragon_drift]

Only applied to 1 school, 1 program at Michener. Too late to apply for more than one now. :(:confused:

Isn't it $100 or $90 to apply for 3 programs?:|

No worries, just ace the multiple mini interviews and you'll be fine.

[chinesedevil]

Isn't it $100 or $90 to apply for 3 programs?:|

No worries, just ace the multiple mini interviews and you'll be fine.

oh hell its same price to apply to more than one? :facepalm: fml didn't know LOL

[dragon_drift]

oh hell its same price to apply to more than one? :facepalm: fml didn't know LOL

GO APPLY FOR 2 MORE NOW!!

I've applied for an extra program after the deadline last year. Shouldn't be a problem if you talk to them.