Medical Laboratory Technician and pre-Clinical Laboratory Science Department
In response to new California Department of Public Health (CDPH) regulations for Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) licensure, effective immediately, all new and previous MLT applicants must have completed both BIOL400: Principles of Biology and BIOL 440: General Microbiology, or equivalent courses, to be eligible for the MLT program.
Additionally, starting in 2026, all applicants must first apply for and receive a valid MLT Trainee License from CDPH before applying to the Folsom Lake College MLT Program. Only CDPH-approved applicants will be eligible for MLT training in California under these new regulations. CDPH is currently in the process of developing the trainee license application process, and further details will be provided by CDPH -Laboratory Field Services as they become available. The addition of BIOL 440: General Microbiology, or an equivalent course, as a formal prerequisite aligns with the requirements for obtaining an MLT Trainee License from CDPH and department goals.
More information on new MLT license regulations can be found in 1030.5 and 1030.6.
PreCLS students, CDPH has officially added “Analytical Chemistry or Quantitative Analysis” as a required course for Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) licensure. Folsom Lake College offers CHEM 410: Quantitative Analysis through the Chemistry Department to satisfy this requirement.
Welcome to the Medical Laboratory Technician and pre-Clinical Laboratory Science department. This website contains detailed information related to the MLT program, such as costs, application requirements, how to apply, etc. Applicants are also asked to consult the current version of the MLT Program Handbook. The Folsom Lake College MLT program is accredited by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Laboratory Field Services (LFS), and National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
The department has also created a pre-CLS trainee certificate aimed at guiding individuals who are hoping to become a licensed Clinical Laboratory Scientist in California. As part of that process, one must first obtain a CLS trainee license from the State, which also requires some prerequisite coursework. Several of these prerequisite courses are difficult to find and often very expensive. Fortunately, many of the didactic courses currently offered through the college’s MLT program have also been approved by the State to meet said prerequisite requirements for the CLS trainee license.
More information on the pre-CLS training license requirements can be found on the California Department of Public Health Department of Laboratory Field Services (CDPH-LFS). It is ultimately the responsibility of the student to ensure they meet all pre-CLS trainee requirements, and also ensure their prospective CLS programs accept the courses offered.
To be clear, pre-CLS trainee certificate is not a CLS program, does not grant entry into a CLS program, nor does it specifically allow graduates to work in the clinical laboratory upon graduation. Pre-CLS trainee students do not receive a clinical rotation, and do not gain any advantage if also applying to the MLT Program.
The pre-CLS certificate is simply a collection of difficult-to-find prerequisite courses which allow students to move closer to their goal of becoming a CLS. For more information on the pre-CLS trainee certificate, please refer to the department’s FAQ and Overview (Degree’s and Certificates) webpages.
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)
5600 North River Rd., Suite 720 Rosemont, IL 60018-5156 (773) 714-8880