Given the Max!
Moraine Park’s Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) Program has been awarded accreditation for ten years. This is the maximum accreditation time frame that can be granted. This is a HUGE honor!
Our accreditation agency, the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS), is committed to being the premier international agency for accreditation and approval of educational programs in the clinical laboratory sciences and related health professions through the involvement of expert volunteers and its commitment to public service. To earn this designation, Moraine Park must meet the standards set by NAACLS and must be able to demonstrate compliance by having policies that support students’ needs, teaching excellence, and continuous monitoring of academic data.
Obtaining an accreditation is a two-step process. The first step is called the self-study, which is a very long document that explains how we comply with the NAACLS standards. The second step is an on-site visit by a team from the accreditation agency. This team verifies our compliance with the standards and generates a report that is shared with NAACLS. If there are findings that would indicate a deficiency, the school must come up with a plan of correction. Moraine Park’s MLT program’s report was perfect and we did not have any deficiencies to correct. Therefore, we received the full 10-year accreditation!
For those of you who have had to complete this work, you know it is quite the accomplishment! For students graduating from an accredited program, it means that you are eligible to take the National Certification Exam to become a certified Medical Laboratory Technician, which is a common career requirement. In general, accreditation reflects a high level of quality education based upon strict educational requirements.
For me, this accreditation recognizes our efforts to support the laboratory profession by providing our students, future laboratorians, with the best educational experience we can!
For more information on Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu.
