An ABES student in scrubs reading a textbook at a classroom desk

Medical Laboratory Assistant

In-person classroom in Calgary

In partnership with Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL), this full-time program prepares graduates for work in hospitals, patient service centers, and clinical laboratories.

Program length
19 weeks (about 4 months)
Next start date
Nov 2, 2026
Credential
Certificate
Tuition
$14,499
supervised practicum
5 weeks
students per cohort (avg)
40-45
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What you'll learn

Medical Terminology and Lab Foundations

Medical terminology, laboratory safety, infection control, and quality control that underpin every task in the lab.

Phlebotomy and Blood Collection

Blood collection technique and the patient communication that goes with it.

Specimen Processing and Diagnostics

Specimen processing and accessioning, basic diagnostic laboratory procedures, and electrocardiography (ECG).

Lab Standards and Practice

Clinical and administrative practice in the ABES onsite lab, following the safety and quality routines used in Alberta diagnostic laboratories.

APL Phlebotomy Practicum5 weeks

A phlebotomy practicum with Alberta Precision Laboratories in either a community or a hospital setting.

Where this program leads in Alberta

Graduate placement rate
96.23%Source: ABES graduate employment figure.
Alberta salary range
$22–$36Source: Government of Alberta ALIS 2023 Alberta Wage & Salary Survey and Job Bank Canada. Hourly rates.

Who hires in Calgary

  • Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL) — the province’s public lab provider and dominant employer (it absorbed DynaLIFE in 2024)
  • hospital labs (Foothills, Rockyview, South Health Campus)
  • community collection centres and clinics

Where this credential takes you

In the program
This program runs in partnership with Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL). Your classroom training in the ABES onsite lab is aligned with laboratory practice, and you build a working relationship with APL from the start.
Medical Laboratory Assistant
Start in diagnostic laboratories, hospitals, and patient service centres, drawing blood and processing specimens.
Experienced MLA
Work across specimen accessioning, electrocardiography, and quality control in community and hospital laboratories.

What training here actually looks like

Graduate stories

“The practical training helps you to be so much more prepared for hands-on work the moment you step into a lab.”
Tiffany T.Medical Laboratory Assistant · Class of 2020
“They taught me a lot and made sure that when they release their students for practicum, we come in ready and prepared.”
Manuella S.Medical Laboratory Assistant · Class of 2026
“Currently, my husband is in the same course and is doing very well and loves the support and education he is receiving.”
Anita M.Medical Laboratory Assistant · Class of 2013

Excellent rating · 321 Google reviews · Read them on Google

An honest comparison

ABES vs Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

ABES College compared with Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, by program length, tuition (all-in), and upcoming start dates.
What you are comparingABES CollegeSouthern Alberta Institute of Technology
Program length19 weeks (about 4 months)1 Year or Less (band, per Government of Alberta ALIS directory)Source: Government of Alberta ALIS directory: SAIT Medical Laboratory Assistant (2026)
Tuition (all-in)$14,499not published
Upcoming start datesNov 2, 2026; Mar 1, 2027; Jul 5, 2027; Nov 1, 2027not published
Tuition & funding

One clear price. Real ways to pay it.

$14,499

Ask admissions about bursaries and payment plans

Funding and student aid options

Licensing & accreditation

  • Alberta Advanced EducationLicensed private vocational school under the Private Vocational Training Act (Alberta)
  • Years operating35 years of career training in Calgary — established 1991

Talk it through before you apply

Apply to reserve your seat, or book your 15-minute discovery call with admissions.

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Frequently asked questions

  • How long is the Medical Laboratory Assistant program?

    The certificate runs 19 weeks full-time at our Calgary campus, including a 5-week practicum. It is our shortest healthcare program, which is part of why it is a fast route into a lab career.

  • What is the partnership with Alberta Precision Laboratories?

    This program runs in partnership with Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL). The partnership shapes how you train and where your practicum takes place. An admissions advisor can walk you through how the partnership works and what it means for your application.

  • Will I train on real lab equipment?

    Yes. You train in the ABES onsite lab on laboratory equipment, and classroom practice follows the safety and quality routines used in diagnostic laboratories, so the way you work in class carries over to your placement.

  • What does the practicum involve?

    You complete a 5-week phlebotomy practicum in partnership with Alberta Precision Laboratories, in either a community or a hospital setting. Placement health requirements, including immunization records, are reviewed with you before you start, and an admissions advisor can confirm what you need.

  • Where do medical laboratory assistants work?

    Medical laboratory assistants work in diagnostic laboratories, hospitals, and patient service centres, collecting and processing specimens for testing.

  • How much is tuition, and when does the program start?

    Tuition is $14,499, and Alberta Student Aid grants and loans can help cover it. Intakes open a few times a year, and the next start date is shown at the top of this page. An admissions advisor can confirm the next available seat.

  • What do Medical Laboratory Assistants earn in Alberta?

    ALIS puts starting pay around $22–$24/hr (about $46,000 a year full-time), typical pay at ~$27.68/hr (about $54,000), and experienced pay at $30–$36/hr (about $62,000). Wages are Government of Alberta ALIS 2023 Alberta Wage & Salary Survey and Job Bank Canada figures. The hourly rate is the reliable anchor; annual amounts assume full-time work, so part-time or casual roles earn less.

  • Will I find work after I graduate?

    96.23% of ABES graduates from this program are employed. On the wider Alberta picture: HOT provincially (ALIS) / fair in Calgary (Job Bank); about 3,405 employed. Turnover is rising as boomer staff retire.

  • Who hires Medical Laboratory Assistants in Calgary?

    Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL) — the province’s public lab provider and dominant employer (it absorbed DynaLIFE in 2024); hospital labs (Foothills, Rockyview, South Health Campus); community collection centres and clinics.

  • How do I advance after I graduate?

    With experience alone: Senior / lead MLA, phlebotomy trainer or preceptor, or collection-site coordinator. Practical ceiling in the low-to-mid $30s/hr, then it plateaus. With further study: MLA → Medical Laboratory Technologist (MLT): accredited 2-yr diploma (NAIT/SAIT) + CSMLS certification + CMLTA registration → ~$44.08/hr avg (~$77,147/yr). That is roughly +$16/hr (~$30,000/yr) — the single best reason to keep studying. MLA experience strengthens an MLT application.

Planning your studies

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Next start Nov 2, 2026$14,499

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