Medical Laboratory Sciences, Bachelor of Science
VCU
Associate of Science: Clinical Lab Sciences
Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.
Medical laboratory scientists’ critical role on the health care delivery team is to provide physicians laboratory data, essential information for making decisions related to diagnoses and treatment. Due to emerging technologies and knowledge of the human condition, the profession of medical laboratory sciences is forever challenging and rewarding. The shortage of medical laboratory scientists in the workforce has ensured job opportunities for graduates and plentiful student scholarship offerings.
The program includes classroom, laboratory, and hands-on experiences. Students participate in multiple full-time clinical laboratory rotations at facilities in the Richmond, Charlottesville, Tidewater, and Abingdon areas, including VCU Health, Central Virginia VA Health Care system, University of Virginia Health System, Bon Secours Health Partners Laboratory, and more.
Medical laboratory scientists receive training in the following areas: clinical chemistry, the study of chemical reactions that occur in normal and diseased processes; hematology, the study of the cellular elements of the blood and blood-forming tissues and hemostatic mechanism; urine and body fluids analysis, the study of principles and practices of urinalysis, kidney function, and analyses of cerebrospinal fluid and other body fluids; microbiology, the study of microbiological aspects of infectious disease and the isolation and identification of pathogenic bacteria; immunohematology, the application of theory and principles of blood banking, cell typing, compatibility testing and antibody identification; and immunology, the study of the immune system and the serological and molecular techniques used for diagnosing infectious disease.
Upon graduation students are eligible to take the national examination for medical laboratory scientists given by the Board of Certification of the American Society for Clinical Pathology.
Medical laboratory scientists and medical technologists perform laboratory testing in various settings to diagnose, monitor and treat diseases. Most medical laboratory personnel work in hospital laboratories. Many are also employed by private physicians, medical groups, public health and environmental laboratories, research facilities, pharmaceutical and biomedical companies, universities, industrial medical laboratories, molecular diagnostic laboratories and the armed forces.
On the job, you would:
- Conduct analysis of body fluids, such as blood or urine, using microscopes, automated instruments, and manual techniques to detect abnormalities or diseases
- Analyze the results of tests or experiments to ensure conformity to specifications, and high quality test results
- Set up, maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot medical laboratory equipment
With a master's or doctoral degree, you could also manage a medical laboratory, perform clinical and translational research, or teach clinical laboratory science courses in a postsecondary environment.
- Biomedical Laboratory Officer
- Clinical Laboratory Scientist
- Medical Laboratory Scientist
- Medical Technologist
- Occupational Health and Safety Technologist
- Quality Control Analyst
- Research and Development Scientist
- Sales or Technical Representative
- Laboratory Manager/Supervisor
- Lead Scientist
- Molecular and Cellular Biologist
- Teaching and Research Faculty
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 3.0
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better
Receive a satisfactory rating on the admission interview.
- MATH 151
- 5+ additional science courses
- No
- Yes
- 2.5+ cumulative GPA to apply, 2.0+ cumulative GPA to progress
Medical Laboratory Sciences, Bachelor of Science
Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Science: Clinical Lab Sciences)
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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Explore | Year 1 |
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Experience | Year 2 |
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MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Attend RBC Orientation.
- Schedule an appointment with your Learner Mentor to discuss your degree and class plan.
- Use tutoring to get ahead.
- Explore RBC financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Review MLS admission requirements.
- Explore the Medical Laboratory Sciences department website.
- Consider applying for the summer Allied Health Career Exploration (AHCE) program.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend cultural events at RBC and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
- Attend VCU's annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
- Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Explore possible career opportunities for Medical Laboratory Science majors.
- Build a LinkedIn profile.
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Familiarize yourself with the career services offered at RBC and VCU and explore career pathways on the VCU Career Services website.
- Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
- Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Be prepared for academic challenges by meeting with your Learner Mentor and understanding RBC Student Support available.
- Use tutoring to get ahead.
- Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Submit the FAFSA on time.
- Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Medical Laboratory Sciences department, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
- Apply to VCU.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
- Continue learning a foreign language or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Plan to complete at least two internships or job experiences before your senior year of college.
- Attend Career & Internship Fairs at RBC or VCU to explore your interests.
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
- Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
Medical Laboratory Sciences, Bachelor of Science
Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Science: Clinical Lab Sciences)
Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
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ENGL 101 | Rhetoric and Research I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENGL 102 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education (Admission Prerequisite) |
ENGL 102 | Rhetoric and Research II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education (Admission Prerequisite) |
Language & Ideas | Select 1: ENGL 203, ENGL 204, ENGL 205, ENGL 206, ENGL 210, ENGL 211, ENGL 214, ENGL 215, ENGL 216, PHIL 101, PHIL 121, PHIL 201, PHIL 202, PHIL 203, PHIL 270, REL 201, COMM 101, COMM 102, COMM 201 | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education (Admission Prerequisite: Humanities) |
Human Behavior | Select 1: ANTH 103, PSY 201-202, 217, 218, 240, 250, SOC 201, 204, 208, 250, 253. | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education (Admission Prerequisite: Social Science) |
U.S. & World Cultures | Select 1: ECON 201, 202, GEO 101, GEO 103, GOVT 201, GOVT 202, GOVT 203, HIST 101, HIST 102, HIST 191, 192, HIST 201, HIST 202, HIST 240, REL 209, REL 210, REL 219, REL 220, REL 254. | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
MATH | Select one: MATH 121 or MATH 151 | MATH 141 or MATH 151 | 3 to 4 | General education (Admission Prerequisite: Mathematics) |
MATH 217 | Statistics | STAT 210 | 3 | Elective |
BIO 101 + Lab | General Biology I + Laboratory | BIOL/Z 101 | 4 | Major (Admission Prerequisite: Biology) |
BIO 205 + BIOL 206 | Human Anatomy and Physiology (both courses must be taken to be equivalent to VCU's courses) | BIOL 205 + PHIS/Z 206 | 8 | Major (Admission Prerequisite: Biology) |
CHEM 101 + Lab | General Chemistry I + Lab | CHEM/Z 101 | 4 | Major (Admission Prerequisite: Chemistry) |
CHEM 102 + Lab | General Chemistry I + Lab | CHEM/Z 102 | 4 | Major (Admission Prerequisite: Chemistry) |
CHEM 230 | Organic Chemistry I | CHEM/Z 301 | 4 | Major (Admission Prerequisite: Chemistry) |
Complete requirements for the associate degree | VCU equivalents | 15 | Elective | |
Credits completed at Richard Bland | 60 |
Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
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CLLS 301 | Hematology | 3.5 | Major |
CLLS 302 | Abnormal Hematology | 4 | Major |
CLLS 304 | Urine and Body Fluid Analysis | 2 | Major |
CLLS 306 | Immunohematology | 4.5 | Major |
CLLS 307 | Introduction to Pathogenic Microbiology | 3 | Major |
CLLS 308 | Pathogenic Bacteriology | 5 | Major |
CLLS 310 | Clinical Immunology | 4.5 | Major |
CLLS 311 | Clinical Chemistry and Instrumentation I | 5 | Major |
CLLS 312 | Clinical Chemistry and Instrumentation II | 5 | Major |
CLLS 337 | Clinical Education | 1 | Major |
CLLS 407 | Interpretive Immunohematology | 2.5 | Major |
CLLS 408 | Advanced Microbiology | 2 | Major |
CLLS 409 | Interpretive Hematology | 2 | Major |
CLLS 410 | Advanced Clinical Chemistry and Instrumentation | 2 | Major |
CLLS 411 | Principles of Education/Management | 3 | Major |
CLLS 412 | Senior Seminar | 1 | Major |
CLLS 483 | Biochemistry Practicum | 3 | Major |
CLLS 485 | Hematology Practicum | 3 | Major |
CLLS 493 | Clinical Microbiology Practicum | 3 | Major |
CLLS 494 | Miscellaneous Clinical Practicum | 3 | Major |
CLLS 496 | Blood Bank Practicum | 3 | Major |
CLLS 438 | Research Paper (optional) | 0 to 1 | Major |
REAL | The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. | 0 | Major |
Minimum number of credits completed at VCU | 65 | ||
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree | 125 | ||
The accelerated B.S. and M.S. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. and M.S. in Medical Laboratory Sciences in a minimum of three years after entry into the medical laboratory sciences baccalaureate program by completing approved graduate courses during the final year of the program. Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 115.5 undergraduate credit hours, including 60 prerequisite undergraduate credit hours (see admission requirements for the baccalaureate degree program in medical laboratory sciences in the Undergraduate Bulletin for a list of the specific courses) and 52.5 credit hours of undergraduate professional course work in medical laboratory sciences including: CLLS 301, CLLS 302, CLLS 304, CLLS 306 , CLLS 307, CLLS 308, CLLS 310, CLLS 311, CLLS 312, CLLS 337, CLLS 483, CLLS 485, CLLS 494 and CLLS 496; a GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate medical laboratory science course work; a satisfactory interview and a positive recommendation from the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences faculty. |