What is medical laboratory science?
Healthcare relies on the results of clinical laboratory tests. Laboratory testing is critical in finding, diagnosing and treating disease. Medical laboratory science uses complex devices, often connected to computers, to analyze blood, body fluids and tissue samples.
Working in the laboratory, a medical laboratory scientist runs various tests and makes sure the results are accurate. These lab professionals:
- monitor the quality of laboratory results
- recognize testing errors
- find and correct problems that may occur during the testing process
Medical laboratory scientists help research and develop new methods for testing and evaluate new instruments. As a scientist, you may assist with teaching other health care professionals and training laboratory staff.
Some scientists advanced in their careers to become supervisors or managers. Laboratory managers oversee budgeting, staffing, productivity, quality management, problem resolution, planning and more.
Employment opportunities abound for medical laboratory scientists. Once certified, you may choose to work in:
- microbiology
- clinical chemistry
- hematology
- blood banking
- molecular diagnostics
You may even choose to work in all areas as a generalist.
Jobs are available not only in hospital laboratories but also in physicians’ offices, public health facilities, industry, sales, marketing and research. As a medical laboratory scientist, you may continue your education and advance to positions in health care administration or pursue graduate studies to become a physician, veterinarian, physician assistant, pathologist assistant or another related medical professional.
But it all starts here with our medical laboratory science program.
Our mission
The mission of our program is to prepare individuals at the pre-professional level for the practice of medical laboratory science. The curriculum encompasses not only didactic and clinical activities and experiences, but also the development of professional and leadership skills. Out program instills the values of integrity, teamwork, and respect for all people and promotes the concepts of life-long learning and fiscal responsibility. The program culminates with the student attaining career-entry competence as a Medical Laboratory Scientist.
To accomplish this mission, our program strives to:
- Provide educational experiences relevant and appropriate to medical laboratory science
- Provide a quality-driven curriculum that is based on current needs and includes the latest testing methodologies and technological advances
- Prepare graduates for certification and/or licensure in medical laboratory science
- Encourage individual personal and professional growth and development to enable them to function in career-entry level positions and allow future professional development
- Broaden community awareness of the profession of medical laboratory science
- Help meet the demand for competent practitioners in a variety of laboratory settings and venues
Our curriculum
Our medical laboratory science program is a 12-month program for college students. The education component takes place at our off-site education facility in York and clinical components are held at our WellSpan Hospital Laboratories with most clinicals occurring at York Hospital. Our program is often undertaken in place of a student's senior year of college, but if you have a bachelor of science degree and meet the program requirements, you’ll be considered as well.
The curriculum is structured to provide you with the principles of medical laboratory science through didactic presentations, laboratory exercises and practical experience in a clinical laboratory setting. The courses included in our curriculum are divided into two semesters:
First semester (July-December)
Clinical Seminar
Our clinical seminar includes an introduction to medical laboratory practice, clinical microscopy (urinalysis), medical terminology, blood collection techniques, basic leadership skills development, educational methodology and enhancement site assignments.
Lecture and lab: five to six credits.
Clinical Chemistry
In this course, you’ll learn about:
- enzymology
- endocrinology
- biochemistry of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins
- metabolism of nitrogenous end products
- physiology and metabolism of fluids and electrolytes
- toxicology as related to the body and diseases
Technical procedures include spectrophotometry, electrophoresis, chromatography, automation and quality control. The correlation of disease states and laboratory data are also part of this course.
Lecture and lab: seven credits
Clinical Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics
This segment will allow you to identify and examine the clinical pathology of bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. It covers techniques to isolate, stain, culture and determine antimicrobial susceptibility.
The course content also stresses infection prevention and control. Instrumentation and quality control are also covered. Molecular methods and their introduction into the clinical laboratory, as well as basic molecular techniques, are also reviewed in this course.
Lecture and lab: seven credits
Second semester (January-June)
Clinical Hematology and Coagulation
This segment allows you to focus on the composition and function of blood, diseases related to blood disorders, the role of platelets and coagulation. Both manual and automated techniques of diagnostic tests for abnormalities are included in this course.
Lecture and lab: four to five credits
Clinical Immunohematology
You’ll have the opportunity to examine blood antigens, antibodies, cross-matching, hemolytic diseases and related diagnostic tests. An in-depth study of blood donor services, transfusions, component preparation, medico-legal aspects and more are included.
Lecture and lab: four to five credits
Clinical Immunology
In this course, you’ll learn about the immune response, immunoglobulins, autoimmunity, complement cascade, related tests, and diseases. It also includes a survey and demonstration of serological diagnostic tests.
Lecture and lab: three credits
Lectures, group discussions, projects, student laboratory activities and rotation assignments in service laboratories offer you learning opportunities during both semesters.
Evaluation
Throughout our program, you’ll be evaluated on academic achievement, your development of practical skills and professional behaviors exhibited throughout the year. Instructional objectives will be provided to you and evaluations will measure your attainment of these objectives.
If you’re completing our program in lieu of your senior year of college, a progress report will be submitted to your college or university after the first semester.
Throughout the year, you’ll be required to maintain a 70 percent average in all courses. We give verbal and written notification of academic probation if your grades fall below 70 percent.
Failure to improve your academic standing after notification may result in your dismissal from the program. Our faculty is willing to provide individual tutoring, within reason, for any student who requests additional help.
You may appeal for a change of grade with your instructor by requesting a grade review. If arbitration is necessary, the program director will intervene.
Change of grade appeals may be continued through your college or university as well. Both academic and non-academic concerns may be addressed through the grievance process as described in the student handbook.
For more information about WellSpan’s Medical Laboratory Science Program, contact our program at 717-851-2473 or via email: MLSprogram@wellspan.org
College and university affiliations
Our program is affiliated with several colleges and universities. These schools ensure you meet the requirements for our pre-professional program at WellSpan York Hospital. You do not need to be a student at one of these schools to apply to our program.
- Bloomsburg University
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania
- Kings College
- Lebanon Valley College
- Lycoming College
- Millersville University
- The Pennsylvania State University
- Shippensburg University
- York College of Pennsylvania
Certification
Upon graduation from of our program, you’ll receive a certificate of completion. Your college or university will award a bachelor’s degree. You’ll be eligible for certification as a medical laboratory scientist by passing a national certification examination.
Information on the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification Exam is supplied during the year. You’ll have the option to become certified. Certification is required in many job circumstances and desirable in pursuing post-graduate education.
The certification agency for laboratory professionals is the ASCP-Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC). In recent years, 100 percent of our graduates have passed the certification exam on their first attempt. Typical scores of our students have been well above the national average.
Program outcome information
The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), our accrediting organization, requires all accredited medical laboratory science programs to disclose information pertaining to graduation rates, job placements and licensure information. In order to comply with these requirements, our program is pleased to provide the following statistics:
| MLS clinical year |
Graduation rate (# of students) |
Attrition rate |
Graduate placement rate |
Employed by WellSpan |
Certification exam pass rate (first attempt) |
|
2018-2019
|
100% (10) |
0% |
100% |
4 |
100% |
| 2019-2020 |
100% (10) |
0% |
100% |
3 |
100% |
| 2020-2021 |
100% (9) |
0% |
100% |
7 |
100% |
| 2021-2022 |
100% (9) |
0% |
100% |
9 |
100% |
| 2022-2023 |
100% (10) |
0% |
100% |
8 |
100% |
| NAACLS benchmark |
70% |
- |
70% |
- |
75% within one year of graduation |
| Outcome measure |
Description |
Source of data |
| Graduation rate |
For students who enter the final half of the program and complete the program |
School attendance and graduation records |
| Attrition rate |
For students who enter the final half of the program but fail to complete the program |
School attendance records |
| Graduate placement rates |
For graduates who seek employment in the field or continue their education within one year of graduation |
Personal updates from students to program director or via alumni survey |
| Certification exam pass rate |
For graduates who take a certification exam within one year of graduation |
Program Performance Reports from ASCP-BOC |
Employment
After graduating from our program, medical laboratory scientists have various career opportunities, including with our organization. Graduates are given preference for employment at WellSpan laboratories if positions are available.
Other employers may contact our program as well with employment opportunities, and we assist with job placement whenever possible. Graduates of our program have found employment in various laboratory settings:
- 81 percent hospital labs
- 6 percent reference labs
- 5 percent pharmaceutical and industrial labs
- 1 percent physician office labs
- 7 percent other
Accreditation
Our medical laboratory science program is accredited by the NAACLS, a professional agency that establishes educational standards for baccalaureate-level programs in medical laboratory sciences.
NAACLS
5600 N. River Road, Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018
737-714-8880
