Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology Top Colleges, Syllabus, Scope and Salary

Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology is a 2-year diploma course pursued after the successful completion of the 10+2 level of education. This medical course involves advanced professional learning in:

• Prevention
• Diagnosis
• Treatment of diseases in patients through clinical laboratory tests.

In nature, the course runs parallel to typical medical courses like MBBS. Check Out DMLT Colleges

Major components of study that form part of the course’s curriculum are:

• analysis of body matter such as:

1. body fluids
2. tissue
3. blood.

• micro-organism screening.
• chemical analysis.
• cell count procedures that are used to detect certain diseases in patients.

Such professionals are typically recruited as:

• Medical Lab Technicians
• Technologists.

They are responsible for:

• collecting information.
• sampling it.
• testing.
• reporting and documenting their medical investigations
• conducting research studies supervised by medical researchers.
• maintaining report accuracy.
• conducting complex tests.
• performing routine tests under stipulated conditions.
• preparing specimens.
• operating automated sample-analyzing machines.
• arranging and setting up testing equipment.
• maintaining lab equipment.
• supervising experiments.
• maintaining tools and safe conditions.

Such postgraduates of DMLT are actively involved in the following procedures:

• Blood banking
• Clinical Chemistry (chemical analysis of body fluids)
• Hematology (blood related)
• Immunology (study of immune system)
• Microbiology (study of bacteria and other disease-carrying organisms)
• Cytotechnology (study of human tissue)
• Phlebotomy
• Urine analysis
• Coagulation
• Parasitology 
• Blood Sample Matching
• Drug Efficacy Tests
• Serology.

Successful Diploma-holders of the course perform duties such as:

• analyzing human body fluids like:

1. sputum
2. blood
3. urine
4. drug count
5. cerebrospinal fluid, etc.

• assisting concerned doctor in the treatment of diseases and playing a vital role in alleviating them.
• detecting the presence or absence of certain microorganisms in the patient's body.
• helping physicians find out the root cause of the ailment by detecting and treating disease through samples.
• handling, operating, and managing the running of complex electronic equipment.
• operating computers and different types of microscopes used in the documentation of reports.
• carrying out vital tests for deadly diseases like:

1. AIDS/HIV
2. Diabetes
3. Cancer, and others.

The average tuition fee charged for the course in India ranges between INR 30,000 and 5 Lacs for a span of 4 years.

The average annual salary offered to successful professionals of the discipline in India ranges between INR 3 and 10 lacs, increasing with the candidate’s experience and skillset.

Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology [DMLT]: Course Highlights

Listed below are some of the major highlights of the course

Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology [DMLT]: What is it About?

The course is an allied health/paramedical course that is concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases through clinical laboratory tests.

Lab Technologists are needed by doctors to help analyse results for treating diseases that they specialize in. The program covers preclinical subjects such as:

• Biochemistry
• Pathology
• Microbiology
• Blood Banking.

Students enrolled to the course are imparted training in laboratory management ethics through:

• practical sessions
• internal assessment
• viva-voce
• an internship training program, of a 6-month duration.

As part of the course, such students are taught to:

• handle clinical tests, laboratory equipment, microscopic and automated equipment, and others.
• match blood samples for blood transfusions and diabetic count.
• test and check cholesterol levels and blood pressure in the body.
• find the cause of such ailments.
• file reports that are passed on to the concerned doctor who recommends medication to the patient for the same.
• conduct such tests.
• maintain laboratory equipment like:

1. centrifuge
2. microscopes
3. test tubes

• safely dispose waste.
• practice safety, cautiousness, and attentiveness at all times, such as wearing protective clothing, among others.

•  make reports for patients’ treatment.

Interested Diploma holders may go for pursuing advanced studies in the discipline, such as post-graduation in:

• Microbiology
• Parasitology
• Chemical Chemistry
• Immunology
• Serology
• Hematology
• Coagulation, and others such.

Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology [DMLT]: Who should opt?

Ideal candidates for the course would typically possess:

• discipline and attentiveness.
• ability to conduct research.
• ability to perform tasks with speed, efficiency and accuracy.
• stress-handling ability.
• analytical judgment.
• patience to interpret technical/scientific data.
• knowledge of laboratory instrumentation.
• mechanical aptitude.
• basic computer skills.

Top Institutes offering Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology [DMLT]

Listed below are some of the top institutes offering the course Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology [DMLT] in the country with the corresponding locations and fees charged by each.

Eligibility for Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology [DMLT]

Listed below are the minimum criteria which candidates interested in pursuing the course are required to fulfil, in order to be eligible to apply for the course.

• Successful qualification of the 10+2 level of education from a recognized educational Board.
• Science subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) as the main subjects of study at the 10+2 level.
• A minimum aggregate score of 45% (40% for SC/ST/OBC candidates) at the 10+2 level.

Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology [DMLT]: Admission Process

Most institutes offering the course admit students based on performance in a relevant entrance test, often followed by a round of personal interview, wherein their general aptitude for the course is tested. Admission process generally varies across colleges.

A few institutes also provide direct admission based on the candidate’s performance at the 10+2 level.

Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology [DMLT]: Syllabus and Course Description

A year-wise breakup of the course’s syllabus is tabulated below.

Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology [DMLT]: Career Prospects

In general, Medical Technicians are professionals who work across:

• X-ray labs
• dental hygiene
• medical emergency
• surgery-related help
• pharmacy
• veterinary-related assistants.

Medical Technologists are an integral part of the healthcare profession. They perform purely practical and technical work to correctly:

• diagnose bodily disorders.
• facilitate effective functioning of biochemical equipment and laboratory.

Career prospects in this field depend on the candidate’s academic and technical skills. Initially, such professionals are generally hired as Certified Medical Laboratory Technicians in:

• laboratories
• research institutes
• clinics.

With the rapid growth in the private health sector, there is a number of job opportunities springing up in:

• private hospitals
• nursing homes
• blood banks
• pathology laboratories
• molecular diagnostics
• molecular biotechnology
• in-vitro fertilization laboratories.

Such professionals may also even open their own Clinical Laboratories affirming to State Government laws.

Some of the popular professional avenues open to such professionals are listed below along with their corresponding job description and salary offered for each post.

Candidate should be passed 10+2 with a minimum of 45% marks from a recognized board or institution.