170 WEST 12 STREET
NEW YORK, NY 10011
212-604-8383

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
St. Vincent's Educational Program in Medical Technology begins on the last Monday of May and continues for twelve consecutive months.  During the course, students receive individual instruction in each specialty section of the laboratory, attend didactic lectures and medical conferences, and are introduced to laboratory and quality management.  Upon completion, hey are eligible to take the nationally offered examination of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP).

COURSE DESCRIPTION
For each course listed, both lecture and laboratory performance will determine the student's grade.  In order to prepare graduates for current entry level responsibilities, each course emphasizes the role of quality, interpretation of laboratory results and correlation of test results with diagnosis.

Hematology
Student learns to analyze the cellular components of blood by performing blood counts and special staining techniques, using the latest technology. Students also learn to perform routine and special coagulation assays that assess bleeding and clotting.  During this section, students are assigned to the St. Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center where they observe the integrated care received by Cancer Center patients during chemotherapy and the laboratory's essential role in that care.

Clinical Chemistry
Students learn how to identify and quantitate the various chemical substances found in body fluids.  These assays are performed using the most advanced techniques and instrumentation. 

Blood Bank/Transfusion Medicine
Experience in this section acquaints students with the procedure of classifying blood and its components using modern blood bank methods and transfusion management.  Students will also spend time in the donor room, where blood is collected from volunteer donors and processed for patient use.

Diagnostic Immunology/Flow Cytometry
In this department, students learn how various mechanisms protect the body against antigenic substances and how to evaluate the immune system through special immunological tests.

Microbiology: Bacteriology-Parasitology-Mycology-Mycobacteriology -Molecular Diagnostics
Students learn to isolate and identify the bacteria, parasites and fungi that cause disease.  Serological assays, used to evaluate the body's immune response, are explained and performed in this area. An introduction to the assessment of genetic related clinical laboratory testing is included.

Urinalysis
In this section, students are taught to recognize the physical properties of urine and to analyze it for various chemical and microscopic substances related to wellness and disease. 

Phlebotomy
The student learns the procedure for collecting blood specimens by venipuncture.