Analytical and Diagnostic Sciences

Clinical Laboratory Science, BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
On-campus Track

About the CLS program  

Career Opportunities  

Enrollment Options   

Clinical Year Curriculum   

Admissions   

Faculty/ Staff   

Program News   

CLS Links

About the Clinical Laboratory Science Program

    What is CLS?

Clinical laboratory scientists are allied health professionals who participate in patient care by performing laboratory procedures that assist in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The analyses performed by clinical laboratory scientists include chemistry, microbiology, hematology, immunology, toxicology, blood banking, and molecular procedures. Laboratory scientists perform manual and automated procedures and utilize laboratory information computer systems to analyze and transmit patient data. Clinical laboratory scientists are also responsible for the quality control and quality assurance procedures in the laboratory. The education of a clinical laboratory scientist combines a curriculum common to most undergraduate majors in the medical field with a clinical program designed to produce individuals who possess a high level of technical proficiency.

 

    About the Program at UC?

Program overview-

The CLS program at the University of Cincinnati consists of a 12 month clinical year that prepares students for the exciting and ever-changing world of the clinical lab.  Courses are taught through a variety of means including traditional lectures, demonstrations, and collaborative learning, as well as student laboratory exercises.  Core competencies, as defined by NAACLS*, are stressed and reinforced during the clinical year of the program to prepare students for one of the national certification exams.  See the Links section below for more specific information concerning certification examination.

Facilities and organization-

The Clinical Laboratory Science Program is one of several allied health programs in the College of Allied Health Sciences. The college is located in the French East Building on the Medical Center campus at the University of Cincinnati. Located directly adjacent to the College of Medicine, Health Sciences Library, and the University Hospital, the French East Building is a newly renovated space that houses state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, and computer laboratories, including a recently implemented, building wide WI-FI network.

The CLS student laboratory	The French East building, home of the College of Allied Health Sciences, located on Eden Avenue in Cincinnati, Ohio

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Career Opportunities

Clinical laboratory scientists can obtain employment in a variety of settings. These include hospital laboratories, independent laboratories, clinics and physicians' offices, research and development laboratories, public/government health agencies, forensics laboratories, and pharmaceutical companies. Program graduates are generally able to choose from several entry-level technologist positions. Advanced certification is available in each laboratory area for those who choose to pursue a higher level of training. Graduate training in one of the laboratory disciplines will allow individuals to advance to supervisory positions and intermediate level research positions.  Regardless of the setting, clinical laboratory scientists consistently work in a challenging, fast paced, and collegial environment.  Additionally, graduates of the CLS program are well qualified for entry into medical or physician's assistant schools due to the rigorous coursework in the program which includes key anatomic, pathogenic, and physiologic concepts covered in such programs. 

Demand for Clinical Laboratory Scientists is high throughout the nation.  The US Bureau of labor statistics states that the job outlook for clinical laboratory scientists is "excellent"¹.  Additionally, the median salary for clinical laboratory scientists is $40,186 according to the 2003 Wage and Vacancy survey, published by ASCP².  National marketability is enhanced by certification from one of a number of national certification agencies.  Specialty certification is also available after enhanced education, training, and experience.  See the links section below for certification, licensing, and training links.

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Curriculum and Enrollment Options

        The program offers four options: the non-co-op, co-op, certificate and distance learning options. Students who complete the program via any of the four options are eligible to sit for one of the national certification examinations in order to become a certified clinical laboratory scientist or medical technologist. 

• Non Co-op Option: Students complete the first three years of undergraduate work before entering the clinical portion of the program for the senior year, which is four quarters in length. 

• Co-op Option: Students complete the first three years of undergraduate work before entering the clinical co-op portion of the program. Co-op students complete the clinical work in eight quarters, four quarters of coursework alternating with four quarters of cooperative employment. 

• Certificate Option: Students who have already earned a baccalaureate degree in a related science may also enter the clinical portion of the program; these students earn a certificate in Clinical Laboratory Science. The clinical curriculum is four quarters in length and is identical to the Non Co-op Option curriculum. 

• Distance Learning Option:  Students who have completed an associate degree in clinical or medical laboratory technology may enter the online option.  The curriculum is nine quarters in length and differs from the other CLS program options.  Details regarding the curriculum and admission may be found at http://www.clsonline.uc.edu/.

For further information, contact:

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Clinical Year Curriculum**

click here for course descriptions

Autumn	Winter
Intro to CLS	Parasitology
Hematology	Immunology
Clinical Chemistry	Hemostasis
	Urinalysis and Body Fluids
	Senior Seminar
	Clinical Practicum I
Spring	Summer
Microbiology I	Microbiology II
Immunohematology	Mycology
Research Elective         .	Survey of Mgmt./Educ
Molec. Diag. Tech.	Senior Seminar
CLS Capstone	Clinical Practicum II
**The curriculum is subject to revision.

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Admissions

The major in Clinical Laboratory Science is open to all students who meet the entrance requirements for the College of Allied Health Sciences.  In addition, all prerequisite courses (or approved substitutes) must be completed prior to beginning the clinical year. Individuals interested in the clinical portion of the program must complete an application packet which includes letters of reference and are scheduled for an interview prior to admission. Application packets are available in the program office and should be submitted in Autumn of the year prior to desired admission. Acceptance decisions are generally made during Winter quarter.

    Transfer Students

Students interested in transferring into the CLS program should contact charity.accurso@uc.edu and an Academic Advisor in the College of Allied Health Sciences (cahs.advising@uc.edu) Transcripts from students applying from other institutions are reviewed on an individual basis, but should include the pre-clinical prerequisites outlined here.

    Certificate Students

Transcripts from all institutions attended will be evaluated for essential courses.  Students lacking essential science courses will be required to complete them prior to admission to the program.

    International Students

        International students must submit transcripts that have been evaluated by the World Education Services (www.wes.org).  The TOEFL
        exam is also required for all international students. Score requirements for the exam can be found on the UC International Student Services
        website:  http://www.admissions.uc.edu/international/intl_language.html

    Distance Learning Students

            Details regarding the curriculum and admission may be found here.

For further information, contact:

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Faculty/ Staff

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Program News (coming soon)

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Links

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences

²American Society for Clinical Pathology

American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science

National Credentialing Agency

¹United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Monster.com

Healthcarejobs.com

University of Cincinnati, CLS Distance Learning Program

For Further Information, contact:

*The CLS program is accredited by:
The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)
8410 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Suite 670
Chicago, IL 60631
(773) 714-8880

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