Medical Laboratory Science Program
WSU offers a traditional Medical Laboratory Science BS major. In this 3 + 1 program, students spend three years at WSU followed by an additional year at one of our clinical affiliates.
Once students have completed program requirements at both WSU and an affiliate, they will earn a MLS degree from WSU.
View the Medical Laboratory Science Major Map (PDF).
Through their coursework, students will develop leadership, management, and educational skills.
In addition, theory and techniques in laboratory testing, such as molecular technology, are incorporated into program specific courses.
Students will practice the application of laboratory testing in numerous labs on campus, preparing them for a year full of integrated learning in a clinical setting.
Because of this practical experience, graduates are prepared to complete the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Registry Exam, becoming Nationally Certified in the laboratory profession.
Experienced faculty actively engage students in the critical thinking process.
They will also supervise and provide feedback and instruction on classroom lab work.
Clinical Affiliate Placement
Our program is partnered with several accredited medical internship affiliates:
- Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital (Hines, Illinois)
- Mercy College of Health Science (Des Moines, Iowa)
- Hennepin County Medical Center (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
- Allen College (Waterloo, Iowa)
- University of North Dakota (Grand Forks, North Dakota)
- Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota)
Affiliate programs are competitive and require an application process. Students should plan for a GPA of 2.75 or higher for affiliate consideration.
At the off campus clinical affiliate, students complete additional classes and rotate through areas within the medical laboratory.
Careers
Medical Laboratory Scientists serve in a variety of roles in the workplace, including:
- Medical laboratory generalists in hospitals, clinics, or in reference laboratories
- Medical laboratory specialists in areas of the clinical laboratory, such as microbiology & virology, chemistry & toxicology, hematology (stem cell, bone marrow labs), transfusion medicine, molecular biology, and flow cytometry
- Medical laboratory management including supervisors, managers of laboratory departments, and laboratory directors
- Quality assurance professionals in the hospital or in pharmaceutical quality control industry
- Sales or technical representatives for biomedical firms
- Research or development specialists in laboratory industries
- Medical research associates in medical trial organizations
- Laboratory information systems specialists in hospitals or biomedical companies
- Infection control officers in hospital or clinics
- Educators for employee training programs or formal academic MLS programs
- Forensic scientists in governmental or commercial laboratories
- Medical laboratory scientists in veterinary laboratories
Pasteur 224
507.457.5271