By Dr. Erika Di Porto
Miami Dade College is the only public institution of higher education in South Florida that currently produces graduates in the Histotechnology field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of Medical Laboratory technologists and technicians is projected to grow 7 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations. An increase in the aging population is expected to lead to a greater need to diagnose medical conditions, such as cancer or type 2 diabetes, through laboratory procedures. Additional factors driving employment growth include retirement of the aging workforce, increase in demand for laboratory services, changes in the practice of medical laboratory science due to technology advances, and an increase in population growth. As a result, the rapid advancement of knowledge in the field of medical laboratory science is necessary in order to satisfy the growing industry need for highly skilled and knowledgeable Histotechnologist.
To allow for advancement within the Medical Laboratory profession Miami Dade College, School of Health Sciences is offering prospective students a Bachelor of Applied Science in (B.A.S.) in Health Science with a concentration in Medical Laboratory Science (BAS-HS-MLS) with two tracks one for Clinical Laboratory Science technologists and technicians and the other for Histotechnologist to accommodate the unique demands for advancement within the health science industry.
Histotechnologist work with pathologists and other laboratory professionals in performing and analyzing laboratory testing used for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. Histotechnologist process patient samples for the detection of tissue abnormalities in order to determine the best treatment options for the diseases causing the abnormalities. Graduates of the Medical Laboratory Science track in Histotechnology program are eligible to sit for certification by the American Association of Bioanalysts (AAB), American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), and American Medical Technologist (AMT).
Under the current state and federal rules for laboratories, only laboratory personnel with a bachelor’s degree can assess the technical competencies of other laboratory personnel, or become licensed in the State of Florida as a supervisor. This degree would provide graduates the needed educational credentials to progress in the workplace. Employment options for graduates of the BAS-HS-MLS (Histotechnology) program are lucrative and can be found in hospitals; physicians’ offices; research facilities; private and public health laboratories; industrial quality control; veterinary clinics; pharmaceutical laboratories; and sales and service of health care equipment.
Miami Dade College, School of Health Sciences is committed to answering the workforce needs of our healthcare industry partners and our community by providing highly skilled healthcare professionals trained in our state-of-the-art facilities by our distinguished faculty. Providing students with educational opportunities for advancement into a rewarding in-demand healthcare careers is what we pride ourselves on here at Miami Dade College, School of Health Sciences.
For more information, visit www.mdc.edu/health-sciences or call (305) 237-4303. Dr. Erika Di Porto is Chairperson, School of Health Sciences at Miami Dade College.
