Eastern Begins New Med Tech Program At Idabel
(Press Release 07-30-09)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

Just as other community colleges across the nation are implementing new programs designed to help offset the current economic and employment crunch, Eastern Oklahoma State College will be offering a new program this fall designed to fill a void in southeastern Oklahoma.

Officials at the Wilburton based college have entered into a partnership with health care facilities in the Idabel area to offer a new program in Medical Laboratory Technology.

The program will begin in August with fall classes at the Southeastern Oklahoma State University McCurtain County Campus in Idabel.

The Associate in Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Technology is designed for students who wish to become certified medical laboratory technicians. While the program has not been offered in southeast Oklahoma before, the program includes 32 credit hours of general education and science courses taken during the first year and 40 credit hours of medical laboratory coursework and clinical practice taken during the second year.

Officials say the program has been made possible through the partnership with several local area medical facilities.

“We are excited to work with our partners to help train allied health professionals,” Eastern Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Karen Harrison said.

“Without their help the program would never have been possible.”

Harrison said the partnership with Eastern includes SEOSU, McCurtain County Memorial Hospital and the Choctaw Health Clinic in Idabel.

Harrison said “there is a huge demand for the medical lab technicians in southeast Oklahoma.”

Medical lab technicians learn to be proficient in collecting and processing biological specimens for analysis and perform analytical tests on body fluids, cells and products.

For additional information contact Eastern Coordinator/Advisor, Jane Harding, at SOSU-MCC, 2805 NE Lincoln Rd, Idabel, OK, 74745; 580 376-5223 or email at jharding@eosc.edu .