Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, B.S., Specialization in Medical Laboratory Science (MLS)

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Contact:

Christina R. Lim
Special Instructor and Coordinator
lim@oakland.edu

Nancy Demo
Executive Secretary
demo@oakland.edu

Medical Laboratory Scientists perform diagnostic tests that provide important information to determine the presence, extent, or absence of disease as well as data to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. They work with all types of body tissues and fluids, from blood and urine to cell samples. Major areas of specialization within the laboratory include hematology, clinical chemistry, microbiology, serology, urinalysis, immunohematology (blood bank) and molecular diagnostics.

Students may apply for specialization standing in MLS after completing the CDS core curriculum, generally at the end of the sophomore year. The junior and senior years consist of the prescribed professional course requirements at Oakland University. A clinical internship is required for national certification as a medical laboratory scientist (certification required for most hospital and private laboratory employment positions). Application to clinical internship (if desired) is made during the summer semester prior to the senior year. Internships are between six and ten months in length (depending on the clinical site), and are done post-graduate. Oakland University is affiliated with the following accredited MLS clinical programs: Detroit Medical Center University Laboratories, Detroit; Ascension St. John Hospital, Detroit; and Beaumont Health, Royal Oak. Acceptance into the internship program is competitive and based on grade-point average, personal interview, and letters of recommendation.

Requirements for clinical and diagnostic sciences, B.S.

Students pursing a Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences degree are required to complete a minimum of 120 credits and fulfill the requirements described below:

Meet the university general education requirements (see General Education Requirements ). Note that several courses under requirement number three below satisfy general education requirements and Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences degree requirements. See courses marked with “*”.
Complete the Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences core curriculum.
Complete the specialization course requirements specified under the following specialization: medical laboratory science.
Complete all Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences major program course-work with a cumulative GPA of 2.80 or higher.

Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences core curriculum courses

BIO 1200 - Biology I (4) *
BIO 2100 - Human Anatomy (4)
BIO 2101 - Human Anatomy Laboratory (1)
BIO 2600 - Human Physiology (4) *
CDS 2010 - Careers in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences (1)
CDS 2050 - Contemporary Issues in Health Care Organizations and Practice (2)
CDS 2100 - Medical Terminology (1)
CDS 2260 - Introduction to Laboratory Theory and Techniques (2) (not required for Pre-Physician Assistant, RAD or NMT specialization)
HS 4500 - Ethics in Health Care (4)
STA 2220 - Introduction to Statistical Concepts and Reasoning (4) * or STA 2222 - Statistical Methods for Biology (4) or STA 2226 - Applied Probability and Statistics (4)

Admissions

To be accepted in a clinical specialization internship, students must submit a formal application for each program for which they seek consideration. Applications for the histotechnology and radiologic technology internship programs are processed in the winter semester of the sophomore year (or winter semester following completion of the Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences core curriculum). Applications for nuclear medicine internships are processed during the fall or winter semester of the junior year (depending on desired start of clinical program) and applications for the MLS internships are processed during the summer prior to the senior year. It is recommended that students have at least a 3.00 overall GPA. Students with lower grade point averages may be admitted provisionally pending satisfactory completion of appropriate fall semester, junior-year course work. Students should check the clinical program’s websites for exact application dates.

Grade point policy

Students in the professional specializations HTL, MLS, NMT, or RAD whose cumulative grade point average falls below a 2.80 are not able to graduate with the professional specialization designation. In these cases, students are eligible to graduate with a Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences Pre-clinical professions specialization.

In order to remove program probationary status, students must raise their cumulative major grade point average to 2.80 or higher.

Medical laboratory science specialization professional course requirements

Students in the medical laboratory science specialization must complete the following courses

Note

Some clinical programs may require MTH 1441 . Check the individual clinical programs for current requirements.