Program overview

Program length: 20-32 weeks
Class size: Varies
Location: Jacksonville, Florida

Students enrolled in the Medical Laboratory Technology Program at Florida State College at Jacksonville may complete a clinical rotation at Mayo Clinic in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology.

Graduation and certification

Upon successful completion of the clinical rotation, you receive an associate degree from Florida State College. Graduates are eligible to take the national medical laboratory technician examination from the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification.

Application process

Prerequisites

To participate in the clinical rotation, you must be in the final year at Florida State College's Medical Laboratory Technology Program. The prerequisites for that program are defined by Florida State College. 

You must successfully complete required pre-professional and professional college coursework before you are eligible to begin the clinical rotation.

Prospective students are responsible for securing a clinical laboratory technician trainee license prior to their clinical rotation. The registration form can be obtained from the Florida Department of Health's Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel.

Non-U.S. citizen applicants

Admission to Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences is open to U.S. workers in the four categories below. Therefore, visa sponsorship is not available.

1. U.S. citizens
2. U.S. nationals
3. Lawful permanent residents
4. Asylees and refugees

Applicants whose primary language is not English must submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based test (TOEFL iBT). Scores from the speaking portion of the exam are given particular consideration in admission decisions. Learn more about the exam and register online at the Educational Testing Service.

The Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences code for the TOEFL iBT is 5784.

Educational transcripts from schools outside the U.S. must be translated (if they are not already in English) and evaluated for U.S. equivalence by an accredited credential evaluation service company prior to submission. Please refer to the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services for a list of qualified companies. The applicant pays for the examination and credential-evaluation services.

How to apply

Your application and all supporting documentation must be received eight weeks prior to the start date of the scheduled clinical rotation.

1. Online application. Complete the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences online application.
2. Supporting documentation. Submit a copy of your Florida Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel's trainee license and unofficial transcripts to:
   
   Perry Daodao
   Education Coordinator, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
   Vincent A. Stabile Building, Room 647N
   4500 San Pablo Road
   Jacksonville, FL 32224
   Phone: 904-953-2130
   Email: daodao.perry@mayo.edu

Tuition and financial aid

Tuition rates are determined by and paid to Florida State College at Jacksonville. Mayo Clinic does not charge any additional fees.

You are responsible for your own living accommodations and transportation.

You may hold outside employment during the training program if it does not conflict with your program responsibilities.

Curriculum

In the last year of your associate degree program in medical laboratory technology, you may participate in a six-month clinical rotation at Mayo Clinic.

During the rotation, you gain experience in these key areas of laboratory science:

• Chemistry. The chemical analysis of blood and body fluids.
• Hematology and coagulation. The study of the cellular components of blood and the mechanisms of hemostasis (blood clotting).
• Serology and immunology. The detection, measurement, and identification of antigens or antibodies produced by the immune system in response to the introduction of a foreign substance.
• Microbiology. The culture, identification, and susceptibility testing of agents of infectious disease (viruses, parasites, bacteria, and fungi) by traditional biochemical techniques and molecular methods.
• Phlebotomy. The collection and preparation of patient blood samples for laboratory testing.
• Immunohematology. The science and technology used to prepare blood products and determine suitability of blood products for transfusion.
• Urinalysis. The analysis of urine for cells, casts, protein, cholesterol, and glucose to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease, diabetes, urinary tract infections, stone formation, and other diseases.

You can also complete enrichment laboratory rotations in histocompatibility, molecular pathology, and the TEG lab.

Schedule

For the majority of the rotation, your learning schedule includes eight-hour days, five days a week, from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Any changes must be approved by the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology education manager.

Accreditation information

The Medical Laboratory Technology Program at Florida State College is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).

See accreditation information for Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.