Post-Baccalaureate Medical Laboratory Science

Overview

Take the First Step Towards a Rewarding Medical Laboratory Science Career 

If you’ve been thinking about working in healthcare, UVM’s Post-Baccalaureate Medical Laboratory Science Program can help you achieve your goal and find meaningful work. Lab science is an essential component of the healthcare system that allows health care professionals to make data-driven decisions to prevent, diagnose, manage, or treat disease.

Students who complete the program (all courses are taught on campus, not online) are eligible to take the American Society for Clinical Pathology certification exam, required for work in many clinical diagnostic laboratories, and will be prepared to demonstrate:

• Competency to perform a full range of testing in contemporary medical labs
• Proficiency to problem-solve, troubleshoot, interpret results, use statistical approaches to evaluate data, and participate in developing and evaluating test systems and interpretive algorithms
• Professional conduct as a member of the healthcare team
• Effective communication skills to ensure accurate and appropriate information transfer
• Administrative knowledge of quality assurance, quality improvement, laboratory education, fiscal resource management/operations, information management, and clinical decision making
• Application of safety and governmental standards as applied to medical laboratory practice

Exam Pass Rate, Placement And Graduation Rates

A high percentage of our students successfully pass their exam and find jobs

• 89% of students pass the ASCP Board of Certification Exam. Well above the National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) benchmark of 75 percent.
• 96% of students find employment or continue their education within one year.

The above data represents the three-year program average. For more detail on program effectiveness, please see the following table listing student outcomes for the Medical Laboratory Science program

Program Highlights

Mission

The mission of the University of Vermont’s Medical Laboratory Science Program is to educate, train, and graduate professionally competent and ethical individuals committed to lifelong learning and prepared to meet current and future workplace challenges in medical laboratory science.

Educational Goals

Students who complete the program will:

• Be competent to function as entry-level medical laboratory scientists in any clinical laboratory environment
• Demonstrate problem-solving and critical-thinking skills in the clinical setting
• Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrate the highest professional and ethical standards

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the certificate program in Medical Laboratory Science, students will demonstrate:

• Competency to perform a full range of testing in a contemporary clinical laboratory encompassing pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical components of laboratory services;
• Proficiency to interpret results, use critical thinking skills to problem solve, and apply statistical approaches when evaluating data;
• Ability to identify and trouble-shoot technical problems in laboratory procedures and instrumentation;
• Professional conduct as a member of the healthcare team and effective communication skills;
• An understanding of basic concepts related to quality assurance, quality improvement, laboratory education, administrative operation, information technology, and clinical decision making;
• Ability to critically evaluate laboratory results and correlate them with human disease;
• Ability to determine the appropriate utilization of laboratory tests for screening, monitoring, therapy, and prognosis of human diseases;
• Adherence to standard operating procedures regarding safe work practices related to clinical specimens and infectious agents;
• Application of governmental regulations and standards as applied to medical laboratory practice in the clinical setting.

Certification

Graduates of the Medical Laboratory Science Clinical Laboratory Science concentration are eligible to take the American Society for Clinical Pathology certification exam. View licensure requirements by state. Granting of the degree or certificate in Medical Laboratory Science is not contingent on taking or passing the exam.

Accreditation

The Medical Laboratory Science Program, Clinical Laboratory Science Concentration at the University of Vermont has been re-accredited for the period April 30, 2022 – April 30, 2032 by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science, 5600 N. River Rd., Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018-5119; (773) 714-8880.

The American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) is the pre-eminent organization representing the clinical/medical laboratory profession.

Admissions

Eligibility

This program is designed for graduates with an earned baccalaureate degree who wish to become eligible for national certification in Medical Laboratory Science. Admission to the program is competitive, and selection will depend on space availability and academic standing among the candidates.

The number of positions in the Medical Laboratory Science Program is based on the number of clinical positions available to University of Vermont MLS students at our clinical affiliates and spaces are limited. If you are admitted, you will be guaranteed a clinical position only in the anticipated year of completion.

Admission Requirements

• You must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution by the time you start the program. International students must have their credentials verified by the World Education Evaluation Services.
• A minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required.
• The following courses (or equivalent) must be on your transcript to be considered:
  • General Chemistry
    • 8 credits
  • Biology or Anatomy and Physiology
    • 8 credits
  • Mathematics
    • 3 credits
  • Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry
    • 4 credits
  • Introductory Microbiology
    • 4 credits

Curriculum

Completing these MLS Requirements (or Categorical, see note below) makes you eligible for the certification examination needed to practice in the profession. Certification is achieved by successfully passing the Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) exam by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

To be eligible for this exam, you must satisfy these requirements:

• Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, which must include 16 credit hours of biological sciences (with one semester in microbiology)
• 16 credit hours of chemistry (with one semester of organic or biochemistry)
• One semester of mathematics
• Successful completion of an NAACLS-accredited program in Medical Laboratory Science at the University of Vermont within the last five years

We will review your transcript to determine the Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics credit hours that are acceptable.

Required Courses for MLS Certification

Completing the MLS Categorical Requirements in Blood Bank, Hematology, Chemistry, or Microbiology allows you to be eligible for the certification examination in one area to practice in the profession. Certification is achieved by successfully passing the Technologist Categorical exam offered by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

Required Courses for Each MLS Categorical Certification

Career Outlook

Medical Laboratory Science is a dynamic and exciting profession that continually changes as new scientific and medical knowledge advances.

What Does A Medical Laboratory Scientist Do?

Medical laboratory scientists develop, perform, and evaluate laboratory tests leading to health assessment, diagnosis of disease, and monitoring therapeutic treatment. They use sophisticated biomedical instruments to generate accurate and reliable test results, interpret quality assurance parameters, troubleshoot analytical instruments, and develop and modify testing methods. 

It is estimated that 70 percent of all medical decisions are based on laboratory test results produced and reported by medical laboratory scientists.

Where do Medical Laboratory Scientists Work?

Medical laboratory scientists work in a variety of settings from hospitals to biotech companies. Once you pass the American Society for Clinical Pathology certification exam, you’ll be qualified to work in:

• Hospital and private clinical laboratories
• Research institutions: develop and test new methods
• Public health: state health laboratories, community health projects, environmental testing, Peace Corps
• Specialty laboratories: forensics, fertility, veterinary
• Biotechnology: product research/development, data analysis, quality assurance
• Sales and marketing: biomedical supply, pharmaceutical companies
• Laboratory computer systems
• Compliance inspectors: state and federal government, accreditation agencies
• Infection control

What’s The Job Outlook? 

When it comes to job demand, medical laboratory scientists are currently in high demand. The Health Resource and Service Administration (HRSA), expects demand for clinical laboratory scientists/technologists to grow by 19 percent by 2030, a much faster than average growth rate than all other occupations.

This growth is connected to an increased focus on preventative healthcare, with more tests being run to catch and diagnose potential health issues early on. Another factor contributing to the demand for medical laboratory scientists is  an aging population that requires more diagnostic tests and treatments. Moreover, the pandemic highlighted the need for timely test results to curb the spread of disease.

If you’re considering a career in medical laboratory science, you can feel confident that there will be job opportunities available. Not only is demand increasing, but the profession also offers a median pay of $57,800 per year and a range of opportunities for advancement. Plus, with ongoing advances in technology and medicine, the field is always changing and evolving, making for a challenging and exciting career path.For more information visit the Coordinating Council on the Clinical Laboratory Workforce.

Practica

The Medical Laboratory Science Program will provide you with a high-quality education focused on human health and disease, and position you for intensive practical laboratory experience during the last semester of your anticipated year of completion. The semester-long practicum will take place at any one of our clinical program affiliates. Practicum assignments are made based on availability of space at the affiliate site and student preference. The laboratory practica offer state-of-the-art computer instrumentation using the latest methods and technologies. During your practicum experience, you will apply theoretical knowledge and learn the skills to perform laboratory procedures, recognize and solve problems, assume future leadership roles, carry out research, and educate others. You will work one-on-one with a staff technologist as you gain hands-on experience in diagnostic laboratory medicine.

Clinical Laboratory Science Affiliates

• Albany Medical Center, Albany NY
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
• Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
• Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, Plattsburgh, NY
• Elliot Hospital, Manchester, NH
• Glens Falls Hospital, Glens Falls, NY
• Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
• NorDx, Portland and Scarborough, ME
• Rutland Regional Medical Center, Rutland, VT
• St. Peter’s Hospital, Albany, NY
• Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT
• The University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT

FAQ