Medical Laboratory Sciences (Post-Baccalaureate Certificate)
Medical Laboratory Sciences (also known as Medical Technology or Clinical Laboratory Sciences) is the branch of laboratory medicine which deals with the study of blood and other body specimens to aid in the diagnosis of human disease, determine optimal therapy, and monitor the progress of treatment. Medical Laboratory Scientists are essential members of the healthcare team who are responsible for performing the analysis, evaluating normal and abnormal results, and correlating the results with disease states. The information they provide physicians is essential to patient care. They are involved with every aspect of clinical laboratory testing including method development, analysis, quality assurance, training of personnel, and laboratory management. Areas of the clinical laboratory include hematology, immunology, microbiology, chemistry, transfusion services, urinalysis and molecular diagnostics.
The Medical Laboratory Sciences Certificate program is open to individuals who possess a bachelor's degree in Biology, Chemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, or a related subject area and have completed the appropriate prerequisite courses. The certificate program starts in the spring semester. The one and a half year program includes two semesters at the Storrs campus, plus eight weeks of summer courses, followed by an 18 week clinical (practicum) rotation conducted at one of several clinical affiliates throughout the state. The Medical Laboratory Sciences Program is fully accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). As such, students who have successfully completed the program, may sit for the national certification examination offered by the Board of Certification of the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).