Medical Laboratory Sciences

Medical laboratory sciences is the allied health profession that directly impacts quality patient care by providing laboratory analytical information to the healthcare team for diagnosis, monitoring and prevention of disease.  Using cutting-edge technologies and sophisticated instrumentation, medical laboratory scientists (MLS) analyze blood and other body fluids to help identify, treat and prevent hundreds of diseases and conditions — from thyroid problems to diabetes, from leukemia to hepatitis.  The testing disciplines include clinical chemistry, hematology, immunology, immunohematology, microbiology, molecular diagnostics and many other subset specialties. Although most entry-level MLS practitioners are employed in hospital laboratories, others obtain positions in areas such as: reference laboratories, veterinary laboratories, public health laboratories, as well as in facilities that perform paternity testing or evaluation of compatibility for organ transplant patients.  Their skill set, emphasis on accuracy and precision in performing testing, and knowledge of method development and validation are readily transferable.  This is one reason MLS graduates are also employed in biomedical/biotechnology industry and research laboratories.

The Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) programs include:

  • Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences (BS in MLS)
  • Master of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences (MS in MLS)

The Medical Laboratory Sciences programs (BS in MLS and MS in MLS) are accredited by The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), 5600 N. River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018-5119; (773) 714-8880; e-mail info@naacls.org; Web site: https://naacls.org. Graduates of the MLS programs are eligible to take the national certification examination for Medical Laboratory Scientist, MLS(ASCP) given by the Board of Certification (BOC) of  the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), 33 West Monroe St., Suite 1600, Chicago, IL, 60603, 1-800-267-2727.

Graduates of the MLS programs may find employment opportunities in hospital laboratories as well as private, reference, research, industrial, biotechnology, veterinary, public health, forensic, and pharmaceutical laboratories. With advanced education and experience, graduates have additional career options, including research and development, teaching, and management.