Overview
Medical laboratory scientists are health professionals who supervise and conduct laboratory diagnostic tests on patients’ body fluids and/or tissues, assisting the physician with diagnoses and treatments. An education in this field will prepare the student for a variety of career opportunities.
The Medical Laboratory Science major prepares students to transfer in three years to an MLS program outside of University of Jamestown. Acceptance into the off-campus program is independent from University of Jamestown. Students should consult with the program director, registrar, Business Office, and Financial Aid Office early in their course of study to ensure a clear understanding of the MLS program, application procedure, and financial aid implications for the off-campus portion of the course of study. (There is one prerequisite course, Hematology with lab, that must be taken online from UND or from another institution at the student’s own expense.)
Students must apply for admittance to an affiliated MLS program during the fall semester of the junior year. Minimum GPA is 2.8. There can be no more than one "D" in any math or science course, and the student must be recommended by the University of Jamestown MLS program director. The senior year is spent exclusively in professionally-oriented courses in the twelve-month clinical program; therefore, all general education requirements must be completed before attending. Grades and credits earned at the affiliated program are transferred to the University of Jamestown. Upon satisfactory completion of the program, the bachelor's degree is granted by the University of Jamestown.
Two options are available in preparing for a career in medical laboratory science (MLS.) Students can plan programs so that they need not decide immediately which option they will choose. Each includes a year of clinical internship in an accredited medical laboratory science (medical laboratory science) program and prepares the student for the medical laboratory scientist certification exam from the Board of Registry of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists. As a member of the Western College Alliance for Medical Laboratory Science, a cooperative education program between several universities and colleges in the Midwest, University of Jamestown is affiliated with the medical laboratory science program at the University of North Dakota (UND). The final professional year begins with a summer semester at the University of North Dakota. Fall and spring semesters are then spent at one of the many possible clinical sites. There are currently more than twenty-five clinical affiliates in North Dakota, Minnesota, and other western states.
A grade of C- or above must be earned in all courses that are required in a major or a minor.
Requirements
In addition to the bachelor of science general education requirements, the following courses are required for students planning a major in clinical laboratory science:
Courses Taken at University of Jamestown
Courses Taken Online from UND
To see information about these specific courses, click
here.
Highly-Recommended Courses
The student must apply for admittance to an affiliated CLS program during the fall semester of the junior year. Minimum GPA is 2.8. There can be no more than one “D” in any math or science course, and the student must be recommended by the University of Jamestown CLS program director. The senior year is spent exclusively in professionally oriented courses in the twelve-month clinical program; therefore, all general education requirements must be completed before attending. Grades and credits earned at the affiliated program are transferred to University of Jamestown. Upon satisfactory completion of the program, the bachelor’s degree is granted by University of Jamestown.