Students  Tori Giesbrecht and Melissa Stewart examine some microbes in petri dishes- photo 250news

Prince George, B.C.- It is a celebration of sorts at  CNC where  students in the Medical Lab Technician program  were  showing their skills to  guests  during an open house today.

The program is one of only two in British Columbia, but it is having a positive impact on northern and rural communities.

The Medical Lab Technician program started at the College of New Caledonia in Prince George in January of 2008.  As in the case of the Northern Medical  Program, the philosophy  is to train  students in the North if you want  them to stay in the North.  

At the time, there was funding for just 18 students.  It didn’t take long for that program to be expanded to provide 24 seats.

These are the people the health system needs so those  lab tests can be  performed. They examine tissue, bodily fluids, micro-organisms and organs for signs of disease or damage.

Student Melissa Stewart travelled to Prince George from Campbell River in order to take the 2 year program “I want to be a  medical lab tech, but the only other program  like this is  at BCIT and I didn’t want to live in Vancouver.”  Her story is similar to other students  like  Tori Giesbrecht  who came to CNC from  Ft. Nelson, or Bailey Henschke whose home is in Nakusp. 

(at right, Bailey Henschke  looks through the microscope  at a  blood sample, photo 250News)

“I have always wanted to be a  medical lab tech” says Henschke, who will be doing her  year  long practicum in Trail. “I am hoping I will be able to find work in Nakusp or in the Kootenays when I  graduate.”