Fast-track your career as a laboratory technician
This two-year program provides you the opportunity to become an entry-level medical laboratory technician and gain employment in Australia’s expanding pathology industry, working in hospital and private pathology laboratories.
- * Duration note: Students commencing in Semester 2 will take 2.5 years, some semesters can only be taken part-time.
This two-year program provides you the opportunity to become an entry-level medical laboratory technician and gain employment in Australia’s expanding pathology industry, working in hospital and private pathology laboratories.
Medical laboratory technicians conduct clinical investigations dealing with an understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health. In this program, you’ll learn to perform medical laboratory tests on blood and other bodily fluids and tissues, which assist clinicians in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases and clinical disorders.
Being a medical laboratory technician might suit you if you:
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are good at observing, receiving, and obtaining information from all relevant sources;
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can communicate well, giving your full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made and asking questions as appropriate;
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want to keep up-to-date technically and apply new knowledge to your job.
Most medical laboratory technicians are generalists, skilled in all areas of the pathology laboratory. In this program, you’ll develop technical skills in physiology, pathophysiology, haematology, histology, biochemistry, clinical chemistry, blood banking, and medical microbiology.
You’ll undertake industry placements where you’ll be trained by experienced medical laboratory scientists and technicians to handle human specimens and use modern laboratory equipment for conducting pathology testing.
As a graduate of this program, you will receive full credit towards the Bachelor of Biomedical Science which you can complete with only one additional year of study, further expanding your career opportunities.
Post-admission requirements
Before undertaking industry placement courses, students must obtain and provide evidence of hepatitis B immunisation and a BlueCard. Refer to Program requirements.
Career opportunities
Medical laboratory technician positions in pathology services and laboratory technicians in scientific and educational technical services.
Program structure
Introductory courses (8)
COR109 Communication and Thought
LFS100 Cell Biology
MLS101 Foundations in Medical Science
SCI105 Chemistry
LFS112 Human Physiology
MLS110 Haematology
MLS121 Histology
MLS131 Medical Laboratory Placement 1
Advanced courses (8)
BIM203 Blood Banking and Transfusion Sciences
HLT221 Human Pathophysiology
LFS251 Biochemistry
LFS261 Microbiology
MLS210 Advanced Haematology
MLS231 Medical Laboratory Placement 2
LFS262 Medical Microbiology
MLS211 Medical Biochemistry
Note: Program structures are subject to change. Not all USC courses are available on every USC campus.
Total units: 192
Recommended study sequences
Program requirements and notes
Program requirements
In order to graduate you must:
- Successfully complete 192 units as outlined in the Program Structure
- Complete no more than 10 introductory level (100) coded courses.
In order to commence industry placement you must:
- Before undertaking industry placement courses, students must provide proof of vaccination against Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Pertussis and Varicella (Chickenpox).
- Have a National Criminal History check (by Queensland Police Service or other state/territory authority).
- Hold a valid USC Blue Card for working with children.
- Students must undertake mandatory online orientation courses for the organisations where they will be placed, and will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement regarding patient information.
- Students will be required to complete placement(s) in rural/regional locations. Students will be required to fund the cost for travel, accommodation, fuel etc. associated with placement. USC scholarships and bursaries are available for students to apply to supplement these costs.
For information about how to complete Post-admission requirements, visit Medical Laboratory Science (Placements) - Mandatory requirements.
Program notes
- Follow the program structure for your year and semester of commencement unless advised otherwise
- Completing this program within the specified (full-time) duration is based on studying 48 unit points per semester (normally 4 courses). Please be aware that if commencing in semester 2, the duration will be 2.5 years and some semesters can only be taken part-time.
- Most courses are valued at 12 units unless otherwise specified
- Courses within this program are assessed using a variety of assessment methods including essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations. Not all courses will necessarily include all methods.
- As part of your USC program, you may apply to Study Overseas to undertake courses with an overseas higher education provider.
- Refer to the 'Planning your study' page to manage your progression.