Biomedical Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences Program

Department Website: oakland.edu/shs/bdts/

Director: J. Lynne Williams

Professor: J. Lynne Williams

Assistant professors: Sumit Dinda, Kristin Landis-Piwowar

Clinical professors: Brian Marples, Harland Verrill, Frank A. Vicini, Dafang Wu

Clinical associate professors: Barbara Anderson, Inga Grills, Mujtaba Husain, Larry Kestin

Clinical assistant professors: Craig Basmaji, Barbara O’Malley, Christopher Wienczewski

Clinical instructors: Michele M. Beauvais, Laura Bergsman, Lisa Burgess, Janice Campbell, Cheryl Culver-Schultz, Joshua Fink, M. Patricia Harvey, Nancy Lamers, JoAnne Logue-O’Malley, Muriel Morrison, Paul M. Nuechterlein, Laura L. Ochs, Mary L. Premo, Nancy E. Ramirez, Joy Raymond, Joseph Roszka, Joyce A. Salancy, Dawn Taylor, Terese Trost, Laura Tyburski, Peggy A. Wenk,

Adjunct Associate Professor: Raymond Karcher

Adjunct Assistant Professor: Carol Holland

Adjunct instructor: Jean Garza

The biomedical diagnostic and therapeutic sciences program is designed to prepare students for professional opportunities in a variety of settings. Graduates may find employment in hospital or commercial clinical laboratories, research laboratories or public health facilities. Positions within biomedical corporations, including research and development, quality assurance and sales or service may also be prospective sources for employment. Furthermore, because it meets basic academic requirements, the biomedical diagnostic and therapeutic sciences curriculum provides excellent preparation for entry into post-baccalaureate professional programs including physician assistant, medicine, dentistry and osteopathy.

Biomedical sciences is a very diversified field. In response to new technologies, many areas of specialization have evolved within the profession to ensure the expertise of individuals performing the required tasks. The biomedical diagnostic and therapeutic sciences program at Oakland University addresses several specializations including medical laboratory science (formerly medical technology), cytotechnology, histotechnology, nuclear medicine technology, radiation therapy and radiologic technology. As health care professionals, biomedical scientists play an integral part in patient care. Some are involved in detection and diagnosis of disease. Others provide therapy to patients. In general, cytotechnologists and histotechnologists are involved in the diagnosis of disease based on alterations in cells or tissues. Medical laboratory scientists (formally medical technologists) perform a wide range of diagnostic tests, including chemical, microscopic, bacteriological and immunological procedures used in the diagnosis and study of disease. Nuclear medicine technologists use small amounts of radioactive materials for diagnostic evaluation of the anatomic or physiologic conditions of the body and to provide therapy with radioactive sources. Radiation therapists use ionizing radiation in the treatment of cancer. Radiologic technologists utilize ionizing radiation to image internal structures of the body (x-ray).

Generally, employment in a hospital or community clinical laboratory requires certification in a specialization field. Students are eligible to sit for national certification examinations in their specialization upon completion of the appropriate internship at an accredited institution. Professional certification is obtained by successfully passing the examination.

Students may be admitted as pre-biomedical diagnostic and therapeutic science majors directly from high school or by transfer from other colleges or universities. As described below (Admission to clinical specialization internship), with the exception of medical laboratory science, students have the option of earning the biomedical diagnostic and therapeutic sciences degree by completing a hospital based clinical specialization internship program. Acceptance into the internship programs is competitive and is based on grade point average, personal interview and letters of recommendation. The application process for each of the specializations is unique. Students are advised to read carefully about their chosen specialization. In some cases it is the policy of the affiliate institution that a criminal background check at the students expense is required for acceptance into a clinical program.

All students should declare their choice of specialization by the end of sophomore year. They must complete a departmental student profile at this time. The declaration of and acceptance into a student’s chosen specialization shall define specialization standing for course prerequisites and professional course requirements. The junior and senior year curricula will vary depending upon the specialization.

Students not wishing to pursue professional certification or not accepted by a clinical internship program may complete the biomedical diagnostic and therapeutic sciences degree by following the academic program for the specialization of their choice and substituting adviser approved electives for the clinical year (internship) course work. Such students will be eligible to apply for clinical internship opportunities either before or after graduation, if desired. However, only those students accepted into the radiation therapy internship program or radiologic technology internship program will be allowed to enter the respective junior year curriculum (hospital based program).

Programs & Cores

Biomedical Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences, B.S.

Course Descriptions

The department offers selected courses from this catalog as warranted by student needs and availability of faculty: Biomedical Diagnostic Therapeutic Sciences Program .

Schedule of Classes

Specific offerings for each semester may be found in the Schedule of Classes: sail.oakland.edu.