Medical Laboratory Science

Medical Laboratory Science

What is a Medical Laboratory Scientist?

Medical laboratory scientists (MLS) are healthcare investigators, who use laboratory analyses to assist healthcare providers in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and disorders. MLS professionals use biomedical instruments, information technology and manual techniques to perform tests on body fluid and blood samples. Laboratory testing disciplines include clinical chemistry, hematology, immunology, immunohematology, microbiology and molecular biology. Medical laboratory professionals generate accurate lab results that aid in detecting cancer, diabetes, infections and toxins.

This program is accredited by:

NAACLS
5600 N. River Rd, Suite 720
Rosemont IL 60018-5119
phone: 773.714.8880; fax: 773.714.8886
info@naacls.org

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Outcomes

What Will I Learn?

Medical Laboratory Science students will learn:

• Clinical Bacteriology: The identification of pathogenic microorganisms and susceptibility to antimicrobial agents.
• Clinical Chemistry: The analysis of body fluids for chemical analytes such as glucose and cholesterol.
• Clinical Hematology: The study of blood cells including abnormalities, with emphasis on procedures of laboratory examination.
• Clinical Immunohematology: The theory and techniques of donor selection, processing blood for transfusion and resolving incompatibilities due to unexpected antibodies.
• Principals of Clinical Administration and Education: Introduction of basic principles of laboratory administration and education.

This program has three semesters of clinical practicum for a total of 46 semester hours. The clinical practicum is comprised of two semesters on campus (Practicum Phase I) and twenty weeks at an approved clinical affiliate site (Practicum Phase II).

• Practicum Phase I on campus includes learning didactic theory and developing through hands-on experiences basic laboratory skills.
• Practicum Phase II at a clinical affiliate site provides students with opportunities to apply didactic theory and to use practical laboratory techniques in the daily testing, interpreting and reporting of patient specimen results under the supervision of clinical laboratory experts.

MLS Student Professional Development

The MLS department faculty are continually working to provide our students with the qualifications that they need to be competent certified laboratory professionals. Our department faculty work closely with our students through professional development activities such as the USM MLS Club, the ASCLS-MS Student Forum and the ASCLS-MS Annual State Meeting. The goal of the activities is to train the students with positive habits that will serve them throughout their professional career.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

Completion of The University of Southern Mississippi Medical Laboratory Science degree program does not guarantee employment in the medical/clinical laboratory profession. Prior to enrollment, students are responsible for confirming all education, certification, and licensing requirements in the medical/clinical laboratory profession as the requirements may vary state to state.  For accurate requirements for licensure, please check with the appropriate state licensing board where you wish to work for more information.  ASCP provides information about licensure on their Licensure Page. 

Not all states require licensure.  As of November 2023, the following states require licensure-California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, and West Virginia.  However, the number of states requiring licensure may change. Some employers may also require certification even in states that do not require licensure.  Currently, Mississippi does not require licensure. 

The USM Medical Laboratory Science degree program is designed to meet the ASCP (American Society for Clinical Pathology) certification requirements and may not meet licensing requirements for all states.

For questions, please contact Dr. Sabrina Bryant - sabrina.bryantFREEMississippi

For contact information for licensing boards, please see- ascls.org/advocacy-issues/licensure

For information about applying for certification, see the ASCP Board of Certification page

Availability

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