Medical lab scientists have been called the “unsung heroes” of health care because few patients ever get to see what happens in a diagnostic clinical laboratory. However, excellent jobs and exciting careers await students who decide to major in medical laboratory science (MLS). MLS is a branch of medicine dealing with laboratory analyses used in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of disease as well as health maintenance. If you have ever been fascinated by what you saw looking through a microscope, what you watched happen in a test tube or what you found growing in Petri dish, this major could be for you.
Why Choose aMedical Laboratory ScienceMajor at ÃÛÌÒav?
Career opportunities for MLS graduates are expanding. Think of how many medical laboratory procedures are now standard protocol: cholesterol testing, drug screening, DNA analysis, microbiological cultures and more. As the population in the U.S. ages and the capabilities of medical laboratories expand, there is no end in sight for increased demand for medical laboratory services.
An education at SU prepares you for that world outside of the classroom. Our courses help students practice under the guidance and supervision of professionals during internships in real-world environments. At SU, after two years of prerequisite courses in basic science areas such as biology and chemistry, upper-level courses are provided in chemical and biological testing related to health and human disease, as well as internships in various hospitals throughout the region. Following completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take national certification examinations that are recognized by medical laboratory employers. Many of our students also incorporate additional science courses into their studies to allow for admission into a variety of graduate schools including medicine, forensics and pharmacy.
Pre-Physician Assistant Track
Graduate physician assistant (PA) programs typically require students to already have significant previous health care experience, ranging from hundreds of clinical hours to thousands. To meet these requirements, many SU students choose the MLS major because clinical hours are built into the program so you can begin accruing these hours as undergraduates with no extra expense or effort. The MLS Pre-PA Track provides formal advising, faculty consisting of practicing PAs, and the courses and skills needed to be successful applicants to PA programs. Earn the highly competitive MLS degree while also keeping you on track for PA program acceptance and success. For more information, click the button below:
An almost limitless number of chemicals can be found in humans and animals, and during the study of clinical biochemistry, students learn how to detect, analyze and quantify many of those chemicals associated with health, disease, injury and infection. Some determinations are routine, such as measuring blood glucose to detect or monitor diabetes and separating “good” and “bad” cholesterol to determine the risk of heart disease. More specialized testing techniques are those required to measure blood alcohol or to detect small amounts of illicit drugs.
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Hematology is the study of blood, both the cells and the fluid portion, called plasma. The cells include the red blood cells which carry oxygen to the tissues, white blood cells which function in our bodily defense, and platelets which are a major player in blood clotting. Medical lab scientists study the origins of each of the blood components, the diseases in them and how to utilize laboratory methods to help monitor the health of the patient and diagnose diseases of the blood. A medical lab scientist can also evaluate the coagulation system by testing plasma and platelet components, for example, to help monitor a patient with hemophilia, or a heart-attack victim on blood thinners.
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You or someone you know probably has given blood. Blood donor centers screen donors to be sure they are healthy, collect units of blood and then test the donor blood to be sure it is as safe as possible. Single units of blood can be split into components such as platelets, plasma and cells to stretch that unit as far as it can go. After that, blood is shipped to hospitals where it is needed.
In medical laboratory science, people commonly call this “blood banking.” Blood bankers also know a great deal about genetics, since your genes determine your blood type and the way your body will react against blood that is foreign to you. Transfusion services is an interesting place to work, and you have the satisfaction of knowing that you helped save someone’s life.
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Most people take their immune system for granted, little realizing that every day there are white blood cells and antibodies busily scrutinizing every corner of the body for foreign material. Immunologists perform laboratory analyses which demonstrate antibodies to both past and present disease and which can determine if a vaccination has been effective. They can also test, classify and count immune system cells to determine the ability of a person to mount an effective immune response. As the rate and success of organ and tissue transplantation skyrockets, immunologists are also busy determining donor and recipient compatibility and the rejection status of transplants.
Clinical microbiology is the study of any microbes which can cause infection in humans. Because the focus is on human disease, this subject is often studied by the source of the specimen from the body – particular location, type of fluid or specific body tissue. Clinical microbiologists have to be able to tell the difference between normal microorganisms expected in a specimen and those causing an infectious disease. Classically, this is done by culturing the material on an artificial medium in the laboratory and solving the “mystery” of which bacteria, fungus, virus or parasite may be the culprit in an illness. Following culture, the suspect organism is further tested by various manual or automated methods to determine exactly what species it is and sometimes what antibiotics can be used to treat it.
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Analyzing urine is still one of the simplest ways to screen a person quickly for underlying medical conditions. That’s why so many physician offices still perform routine urinalysis when you are getting a checkup. Urinalysis helps study the kidney and how the body forms urine so that we can understand what things should and should not be present in a urine specimen.
When we study urinalysis in the classroom, we study how the kidney forms urine, the physical and chemical composition of urine in health and disease, and the microscopic appearance of a centrifuged urine specimen in health and disease. Since other body fluids share similarities to urine, we also study their physical, chemical and microscopic components so that we can assess health or disease states.
Laboratories cannot function solely with experts in science and technology. Health care is a highly regulated environment in which successful outcomes for the patients are critical and the safety and health of medical personnel is assured. Further, health care is also a business, and medical laboratory scientists need to understand various aspects of human resource management, sound fiscal policy, safety protocols and quality assurance. The curriculum provides information on the management and laboratory safety aspects of the business.
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Professional Program Admission
Medical laboratory science students must have an aptitude for science and a good working knowledge of chemistry, biology, physiology, math and microbiology. During the first two years of the undergraduate program, students take prerequisite courses. Admission into the undergraduate program is a two-step process that includes both admission to ÃÛÌÒav and acceptance into the upper-division professional program. Application to the upper-division professional program should occur in spring of the sophomore year. Program admission is competitive, and it is highly recommended that students wishing to pursue the degree seek academic advisement early. The last two years comprise the professional core, offering courses in the major with student laboratories accompanied by rotations through clinical facilities.
Careers for Medical Laboratory Science Majors
Medical Laboratory Science is an excellent foundation for a wide variety of careers in healthcare, science, management and information technology. Here is a sampling of the careers enjoyed by graduates of SU’s MLS Program:
Medical Laboratory Scientist
Research
Physician
Physician Assistant
Forensic Laboratory
Health Care Administrator
Public Health
Pathology Assistant
Pharmacist
Laboratory Manager
Medical Instrument and Product Sales
Laboratory Technical Support Specialist
Veterinary Laboratory
Infection Prevention
Point of Care Testing
Blood Banking/Transfusion Service
Microbiologist
Biochemist
Immunologist
Hematologist and Coagulation Specialist
Medical Laboratory Science Faculty with Real-World Experience
Our faculty work side-by-side with students to help them develop the skills they need to pursue competitive careers in the medical field.
Learn More About Our Medical Laboratory Science Major
Lambda Tau Society is the national honor society for Medical Laboratory Science students. Its purpose is to develop a spirit of cooperation and unity among students entering the profession of Medical laboratory Science.
monitor and perform accurately phases of pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical testing
demonstrate professionalism reflective of the standards of practice and code of ethics that underlie the profession
assess the adequacy of test systems and instrumentation and evaluate information technology devices for optimal performance
demonstrate appropriate interpersonal, interacting with patients, the public and other medical professionals as well as supervising others according to accepted administrative principles to assure quality and efficiency of laboratory functions
establish and use quality control systems for laboratory procedures to assure quality of output
value continuing education and professional development, identifying opportunities to further professional goals, strengthen competencies and gain knowledge of changes within the profession
evaluate laboratory performance develop and implement solutions to problems and establish critical pathways for best practice clinical decision making and efficient laboratory use
contribute to optimizing clinical laboratory services to meet medical, institutional, licensure, accreditation and regulatory requirements, employing basic management and administrative skills
provide learning experiences with sound standards of learning and instructional strategies
use information technology and devices to facilitate timely, accurate, cost-effective and secure laboratory services
understand research data in order to make sound professional decisions
