BS in Medical Laboratory Science - Curriculum Requirements
Technical Competencies - Medical Laboratory Science
The MLS Program curriculum requires students to participate in diverse, complex and specific experiences critical to the acquisition and practice of essential laboratory professional skills and functions; all culminating in eligibility for certification and licensure as a medical laboratory scientist. Unique combinations of cognitive, psychomotor, affective, physical, and social abilities are required to perform these functions satisfactorily. These standards and functions are necessary to safeguard the health and safety of patients, self, fellow colleagues. The Technical Standards are knowledge, skill, and attitude/behavioral requirements necessary for successful matriculation through the MLS program. These skills also necessary to establish and demonstrate competence in a discipline as complex as diagnostic laboratory medicine. The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (http://www.naacls.org) be made available to prospective students and to the public. The Technical Standards and Essential Functions for the Medical Laboratory Science program are:
Observation
The ability to observe is required for demonstrations, visual presentations in lectures, laboratories, field trips, clinical experiences and/or internships. Students must be able to observe, participate in, and conduct experiments within the laboratory, instructional setting, and/or healthcare facility as required by the Medical Laboratory Science Program.
Students must be able to:
- Identify and distinguish objects macroscopically and microscopically
- Distinguish specific details, including structure, texture and color
Communication
- Students must be able to communicate effectively and tactfully in both oral and written English, either independently or through the use of an intermediary. If a student uses an intermediary, the intermediary is permitted to function only as an information conduit and may not serve in an integrative or evaluative role.
- Students must be able to communicate theoretical, experimental or clinical findings as required by the program with faculty, peers, patients/clients, or other professionals. Students must be able to present information to the class using visual media aids. During presentations, students must be able to respond to questions in a manner that reflects the norms of professional discourse.
- Students must possess communication skills at a level sufficient to accomplish, in a timely manner, all administrative requirements and to meet the performance expectations of the faculty in all areas of the curriculum.
- Must be able to comprehend and respond to both formal and colloquial English, by person-to person, telephone, and written electronic communication. They must assess appropriately nonverbal and verbal communication with patients, healthcare professionals, and faculty.
Sensory and Motor Function
Students must possess motor and sensory capacity to perform activities required for the Medical Laboratory Science Program. They must be able to execute movements to complete classroom activities or provide instruction for a proxy to complete the task. These tasks may include, but are not limited to standard use of the equipment, instruments, apparatus, or tools required by the appropriate area of study, practice, internship, or research.
Students must be able to:
- Move freely from one location to another in physical settings, including classrooms, laboratories, medical laboratories and healthcare facilities
- Maintain self properly in a classroom situation for extended periods of time
- Operate equipment in the laboratory or healthcare facility
- Lift and move objects of at least 20 pounds
- Demonstrate adequate coordination to perform delicate and controlled manipulations of specimens, instruments, and tools
- Demonstrate the ability to grasp and release small objects safely, such as microscope slides or test tubes
- Perform fine motor movements, such as twisting and turning dials on a microscope
- Manipulate other laboratory materials using pipettes and forceps in order to complete tasks successfully
- Demonstrate the physical and emotional stamina to function in a professional manner in the hospital, classroom and laboratory settings
- Tolerate physically and mentally difficult tasks and long work hours
Intellectual
Students must have the intellectual ability to exercise sound judgment and to complete all task and responsibilities in a timely and professional manner.
Students must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, hypothesize, and synthesize ideas into final deliverables. It is also essential that students are able to absorb and process information from faculty, peers, patients/clients, supervisors, and/or from the scientific literature, as components of problem solving and critical thinking.
Students must be able to acquire information from experiences and demonstrations conveyed through coursework, lecture, group seminar, small group activities, field trips, laboratories, clinical experiences, internships, and other. These may include, but are not limited to laboratory dissection and demonstrations, microbial cultures, microscopic images of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states.
Students must be able to collect and understand information from a variety of sources such as, computer information systems (including email, databases, literature searches and data retrieval), written documents (including graphs/figures, tables, journal articles), films, slides, videos, and other electronic media.
Students must have the ability to:
- apply knowledge, skills, and values previously learned to new situations
- apply theory to practice and test performance to ensure quality outcomes
- comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures
- identify and distinguish objects macroscopically and microscopically
- read charts, graphs, and instrument scales
- distinguish specific details, including structure, texture and color
- demonstrate sufficient depth perception and spatial awareness and temperature discrimination to perform laboratory tasks efficiently and safely
When appropriate, students must have the ability to follow universal precautions against contamination and cross-contamination with infectious agents, toxins, chemicals, and/or other physical or biological hazards.
Students must be able to work in a manner that is safe for themselves and others, and respond appropriately to emergencies and urgent situations.
Behavioral and Social Attributes
Students must have the emotional and mental health that demonstrates maturity, respect, and tolerance required for collaborative teamwork and other professional and socio-cultural interactions.
Students must be able to develop mature, sensitive, non-judgmental, non-prejudiced and effective relationships with faculty, supervisors, peers, patients/clients, and other professionals in the academic community.
Students must be able to demonstrate emotional stability to function effectively under stress and to adapt to changing environments.
Students must be able to:
- project an image of professionalism, including appearance, dress, and self-confidence
- examine and adjust personal behavior when it interferes with productive individual or peer relationships
- maintain composure under stressful circumstances or during heavy workload
- prioritize requests and work concurrently on at least two different tasks
- maintain alertness and concentration during a normal work shift
- abide by professional standards of practice
- engage in patient care delivery in all settings and deliver care to all patient populations including but not limited to children, adolescents, adults, individuals with disabilities, medically compromised patients and vulnerable children or adults
- accept responsibility for learning, exercising good judgment, and promptly complete all responsibilities efficiently and accurately
- take corrective action based on instructor or preceptor feedback and guidance
- maintain and exhibit professional behavior at all times. That includes honesty, integrity, responsibility, accountability, compassion and respect for others.
- understand and comply with ethical standards for the conduct of research.
BS In Medical Laboratory Science Degree Audit
Total number of credits: 126
Notes:
- To earn a bachelor’s degree, all graduates must successfully complete a minimum of 120 credit hours, major dependent.
- Minimum of 30 credits must be taken at Centenary University.
- All graduates must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 or above in their major(s) and cumulatively.
- Credits can only be shared between the core and the major or core and minor requirements. Shared credits within the core requirements are not allowed
- * Must earn C- or better in all MLS courses.
- †BIO 3310/3110 Cellular and Molecular Biology and Lab can be taken in place of BIO 3301/BIO 3101 Genetics to meet the requirements for this degree.
BS in Medical Laboratory Science Recommended Four Year Sequence
|
Centenary University
B.S. in Medical Lab Science
Recommended Four Year Sequence
2023-2024
|
|
YEAR 1 (Fall)
|
|
Course #
|
Title
|
Credits
|
Completed
|
|
BIO 1205
|
Nature of Work in the Sciences
|
2
|
|
|
BIO 1301/1101
|
General Biology I and Lab
|
3/1
|
|
|
CHM 1302/1102
|
General Chemistry I and Lab (placement test, MTH1600)
|
3/1
|
|
|
MTH 1600
|
Precalculus** (By placement test)
|
4
|
|
|
LAS 1305
|
Wellness
|
2
|
|
|
YEAR 1 (Spring)
|
|
Course #
|
Title
|
Credits
|
Completed
|
|
BIO 2300
|
Medical Terminology
|
2
|
|
|
CHM 1303/1103
|
General Chemistry II and Lab (CHM1302 ≥ C-)
|
3/1
|
|
|
WRI 1001/1002
|
Composition and Rhetoric (By placement test)
|
4
|
|
|
Core
|
Broad, Enduring Interest
|
4
|
|
|
COM 2001
|
Public Speaking
|
4
|
|
|
YEAR 2 (FALL)
|
|
BIO 2302/2102
|
Anatomy & Physiology I and Lab
|
3/1
|
|
|
CHM 2300/2100
|
Organic Chemistry I and Lab (CHM1303 ≥ C-)
|
3/1
|
|
|
MTH 1501
|
Statistics
|
4
|
|
|
WRI 2200
|
Intensive Research Writing I (WRI1001/1002)
|
2
|
|
|
YEAR 2 (Spring)
|
|
BIO 2303/2103
|
Anatomy & Physiology I and Lab (BIO2302 ≥ C-)
|
3/1
|
|
|
BIO 3301/3101
|
Genetics and Lab (BIO1301 ≥ C-)
|
3/1
|
|
|
BIO 4300
|
Bioethics (CU Value IV) (Sophomore Standing)
|
4
|
|
|
MLS 2000
|
Clinical Laboratory Operations (co-req BIO3500)
|
2
|
|
|
WRI 2210
|
Intensive Research Writing II (WRI1001/1002)
|
|
|
|
YEAR 3 (FALL)
|
|
BIO 3304/3104
|
Microbiology and Lab (BIO1301 ≥ C-)
|
3/1
|
|
|
CHM 4200
|
Biochemistry (CHM2300 ≥ C-)
|
4
|
|
|
Core
|
Global Culture (CU Value IV)
|
4
|
|
|
Core
|
Creative Expression & Self (CU Value IV)
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
YEAR 3 (Spring)
|
|
MLS 3100
|
Body Fluids (MLS 2000)
|
2
|
|
|
MLS 3301/3101
|
Hematology I and Lab (MLS 2000)
|
3/1
|
|
|
MLS 3302/3102
|
Clinical Chemistry I and Lab (MLS 2000)
|
3/1
|
|
|
MLS 4303
|
Clinical Immunology (MLS 2000, BIO 3304)
|
3/1
|
|
|
MLS 4600
|
Molecular Diagnostics (MLS 2000, BIO 3301 or 3300)
|
2
|
|
|
YEAR 4 (Fall)
|
|
MLS 4301/4101
|
Hematology II and Lab (MLS3301)
|
3/1
|
|
|
MLS 4505/4205
|
Clinical Microbiology and Lab (MLS 2000, BIO 3304)
|
5/2
|
|
|
MLS 4304/4104
|
Immunohematology and Lab (MLS 4303)
|
3/1
|
|
|
MLS 4202/4102
|
Clinical Chemistry and Lab (MLS 3202)
|
2/1
|
|
|
MLS 4800
|
Clinical Competency Review (MLS 2000, MLS 4202, MLS 4304, MLS 4405)
|
1
|
|
|
YEAR 4 (Spring)
|
|
MLS 4920
|
Clin. Practicum-Hematology (MLS 4800, MLS Director Approval)
|
3
|
|
|
MLS 4930
|
Clin. Practicum-Chemistry (MLS 4800, MLS Director Approval)
|
3
|
|
|
MLS 4940
|
Clin. Practicum-Immunohematology (MLS 4800, MLS Director Approval)
|
3
|
|
|
MLS 4950
|
Clin. Practicum-Microbiology (MLS 4800, MLS Director Approval)
|
3
|
|
|
|
Total Credits
|
126
|
|
** Chemistry/math placement test must be taken prior to entry in course
Total Credit Hours: 126