Conestoga’s Medical Laboratory Science and Medical Laboratory Assistant/Technician programs were recently accredited by EQual. With this accreditation, graduates are eligible to challenge the applicable regulatory exams.
Two medical laboratory programs at Conestoga have received accreditation.
EQual Canada is a health education accreditation program that assesses whether educational programs meet national quality standards and prepare graduates with the competencies required for professional practice.
The three-year Medical Laboratory Science advanced diploma program welcomed its first cohort in September 2023. The first cohort of the one-year Medical Laboratory Assistant/Technician certificate program started in May 2024.
The programs were awarded “Accredited with Condition” status, the standard for new programs. Accreditation confirms that the programs meet nationally recognized quality standards and are preparing graduates with the knowledge and skills required by the profession.
With the accreditation, graduates of the Medical Laboratory Assistant/Technician program are now eligible to write the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) exam. Medical Laboratory Science graduates are eligible to write the national certification examination(s) conducted by the Canadian Alliance of Medical Laboratory Professionals Regulators (CAMLPR). Certification enables alumni to work across Canada or to register with provincial colleges as required to practice.
“This accreditation is an important recognition of the strength of our programs and the success of our students. It confirms that graduates are prepared with the competencies needed to enter the workforce and support quality health care in communities across Ontario,” said Curt Monk, Chair, Informatics and Life Sciences.
The Medical Laboratory Science program includes a broad array of science courses, emphasizing laboratory analysis in five key areas: clinical biochemistry, microbiology, hematology, histotechnology and transfusion sciences. Students apply their learning through the demonstration of complex techniques on blood and bodily fluid samples along with tissue specimens.
The Medical Laboratory Assistant/Technician program prepares students with the skills and abilities to perform pre-analysis components of medical lab work under the direct supervision of medical laboratory technologists in hospitals, physicians' offices and private medical laboratory settings.