Many different degree programs in the Department of Biology lead to a career in the medical field, but one stands out, Medical Technology, because of its 100 percent job placement rate. All who graduated in 2015 were offered jobs soon after receiving their Fredonia degrees.
has placed some onto the surface of a special
growth medium in a Petri dish. The bacteria will
grow and cause changes in the media that
will further help to identify the bacteria.
With a Medical Technology degree, graduates can become full-time medical technologists in a hospital laboratory. They perform a variety of tests on blood and body fluids to assist physicians in the diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and prevention of disease.
What’s behind the full placement rate? Medical technologists or clinical laboratory scientists are looking to retire, leaving positions open all over the country. The Medical Technology degree can be used in multiple professional settings including; forensic laboratories, pharmaceutical sales and laboratories, research and public health departments.
All medical technologists need to take national or state exams to gain accreditation. New York is one of 12 states that require its own licensure. The Fredonia Medical Technology program is approved as a licensure qualifying program by the New York State Department of Education. This puts Fredonia students on the fast track for employment.
Job prospects for Medical Technology are very attractive, but the program requires a lot of work, time and dedication to complete. To major at Fredonia in Medical Technology, students are required to spend three years at Fredonia and one year in a clinical internship at a hospital.
“The academic classes and course load are rigorous because of the shortened amount of time on campus, but these certainly prepare you for the challenges faced in the clinical internship year,” explains Allison Williams, a third-year Medical Technology major. Ms. Williams is the winner of a Medical Technology scholarship and will be interning at Rochester General Hospital. She has been a speaker at our Biology Open Houses and is a member of Beta Beta Beta National Honor Society in Biology.
Fredonia’s new Science Center provides students with new and advanced equipment, making their laboratory experience similar to what they will encounter in the field. It also enhances the learning experience on campus to prepare students for what’s to come in the clinical internship.
"Fredonia has allowed me to have individualized one-on-one attention through small class sizes as well as supportive professors who have contributed to helping me achieve my goals. My experiences at Fredonia have prepared and given me the confidence I need as I enter the clinical internship." says Whitney Athoe, a Medical Technology major. Ms. Athoe is the winner of a Medical Technology scholarship and will be interning at WCA Hospital next year for her senior clinical internship. She has also been a speaker at the Biology Open Houses, and is a member of Beta Beta Beta Honor Society and Golden Key International Honor Society.
In the final year, students are required to apply to a one-year, highly-competitive internship program. Fredonia has three different clinical affiliates: WCA Hospital in Jamestown, Rochester (N.Y.) General Hospital and St. Vincent Hospital in Erie, Pa.
“The internship could be considered a professional apprenticeship; these programs prepare students to pass the accredited exams.” according to Patricia Astry, director of the Medical Technology program and Chair of the Department of Biology. “Many of these programs are going to hire a large percentage of the students they are training which is a benefit for both the student and the hospital,” she adds. Students are prepared when finishing the Medical Technology program at Fredonia. Graduates taking the Board of Registry Examination have a 97 percent passing rate on their first try, compared to the national average of 76 percent. Fredonia provides its students with all the necessary resources needed to be successful.
“The Med Tech program is something special because of the large amount of clinical experience that comes along with it. Being exposed to the career and working alongside medical professionals for 51 weeks is something unique to the Medical Technology major and provides a student with great experience prior to obtaining a job,” adds Williams.
