Medical Laboratory Sciences

The undergraduate professional major, Medical Laboratory Sciences (sometimes also called Medical Technology or Clinical Laboratory Sciences) is the branch of laboratory medicine that 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. As a Medical Laboratory Scientist, you're part of an exciting and growing field where you serve as an integral part of the health care team and provide results that impact up to 80% of important medical decisions.

The Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) major is offered to UConn students in their junior and senior years. You will apply in the spring semester of your sophomore year as part of a competitive application process. The program is limited to a maximum of 24 students each year (combined undergraduate and certificate program admissions).

Over the course of four semesters and a summer session, you will complete both didactic and clinical laboratory training. Your didactic coursework will cover seven major areas of study:

  • Clinical Chemistry
  • Clinical Immunology
  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Diagnostic Molecular Technologies
  • Hematology
  • Transfusion Services
  • Urinalysis

In the final portion of the program, you will complete a clinical rotation in Connecticut where you will work one-on-one with a practicing technologist in a licensed clinical laboratory. Upon graduation, you will be eligible to sit for the certification exam in Medical Laboratory Sciences offered by the Board of Certification of the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

Email bruce.blanchard@uconn.edu for more information.

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Program Outcomes (2021 – 2023)

Program outcomes are based on combined data for the undergraduate and certificate programs.

Graduation/Attrition Rates

For students who began the last year of the program:

    98%

    3-year average graduation rate

    95%

     Class of 2023 graduation rate

    100%

    Class of 2022 graduation rate

    100%

    Class of 2021 graduation rate

    Pass rate on National Certification Examination

    For program graduates who took the exam within one year following graduation:

    • 3-year average = 98% pass
    • Class of 2023 = 100% pass
    • Class of 2022 = 100% pass
    • Class of 2021 = 93% pass

      Placement Success Rates

      Graduates who found employment (in MLS or a closely related field) and/or continued their education within six months of graduation:

      • 3-year average = 100% placement
      • Class of 2023 = 100% placement
      • Class of 2022 = 100% placement
      • Class of 2021 = 100% placement

       

        This program is fully accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), awarded in April 2019 for a period of 10 years.

        NAACLS logo

        National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
        5600 N. River Rd, Suite 720
        Rosemont, IL 60018-5119
        Phone: (773) 714-8880
        Fax: (773) 714-8886

        Email: info@naacls.org