About the Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) Program
Medical lab scientists are highly skilled members of the medical team. They perform and supervise combination of complex and automated analyses on a variety of specimens to aid physicians in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of disease. They traditionally work in hospitals and clinics; however, the variety of lab skills that MLS graduates possess allows them to work in many other related fields. The clinical year is offered in partnership with medical laboratories in Yakima and the Tri-Cities. These labs are JC and CAP accredited. They have highly educated and skilled lab staff and state-of-the-art technology. The program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), 5600 N River Rd, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018-5119, (847) 939- 3597, www.naacls.org.
Admission is competitive and the application deadline is March 1 for the August start of the clinical year. Application forms can be obtained from the program advisor on the Heritage campus, via the MLS web page links, or you may e-mail the program directly at medicallab@heriage.edu.
To qualify for acceptance into the MLS Program, students must have taken a minimum of 16 semester hours of chemistry. This must include a year of general chemistry and a course in organic chemistry and biochemistry. They must have completed a minimum of 16 semester hours of biological science. The biology courses must include general biology and a course in bacteriology (microbiology). Immunology is required either as a separate course or as part of another course. A minimum of one course in university-level mathematics is required. The minimum overall GPA for acceptance is 2.5 (a science GPA of 2.7 or higher is highly recommended).
The clinical year begins in the fall semester and continues through spring and summer semesters, with 33 credits earned. To remain in good standing, students must maintain a minimum grade of 70 percent in each section. Upon completion of the Heritage program, graduates are eligible to take national certification exams and can choose from many job opportunities.
Three options are offered for students interested in a career in medical laboratory science (MLS) also known as medical technology:
- 4 + 1 = Four years of undergraduate studies and one additional year of study in clinical laboratory sciences. This option is for students who may not have chosen this major until later in their university career or for students who want to be well grounded in the sciences.
- 3 + 1 = Three years of undergraduate studies and one year of study in the medical lab. This option is for students who know early in their career that they want to be a medical lab scientist and direct their course of studies to the basic requirements.
- Professional Certificate Program. This option is for students who enter the clinical year with a bachelor’s degree, have all the prerequisite courses and desire a certificate of completion.
