From left, student Christa-Mae Lawrie and instructor Yvonne Yaschuk – photos 250News

Prince George, B.C. – From blood samples to throat swabs, students in the Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) program at the College of New Caledonia offered a behind the scenes look at what they do during an open house today.

“So the students are showcasing their profession,” said program coordinator and instructor Yvonne Yaschuk. “They’re really excited about what they do and they love to let everyone else know what they’re doing.” 

She says the two and a half year program was launched in 2008 and takes a cohort of 24 students each January.

Yaschuk says they spend three semesters at the college before heading out to 39 week practicums throughout the province.

And most importantly, she says they find jobs.

“For the most part they’re working in hospital laboratories but they can work in private laboratories, some of them get positions in the food industry in quality control, they can go into research and some of them use this as a first step and will apply to medical school.”

Christa-Mae Lawrie of Prince George will start her practicum in June and hopes to eventually find work as a lab technician in a hospital.

Would she like to stay in Prince George once she graduates?

“Prince George would be nice but once I write my final exam I can work anywhere in Canada so I’m very open to traveling and seeing new places.”