Educational Opportunities

• What does a Medical Laboratory Scientist do?

  A medical laboratory scientist is a bachelor's level professional that performs a wide variety of tests in five major areas of the clinical laboratory:

  • Microbiology
  • Hematology
  • Clinical Chemistry
  • Blood Bank
  • Urinalysis
• Mission, vision and values

  UCHealth mission: We improve lives in big ways through learning, healing, and discovery. In small, personal ways through human connection. But in all ways, we improve lives.

  UCHealth vision: From health care to health.

  UCHealth values: Patients first, integrity and excellence.

  The UCHealth Parkview School of Medical Laboratory Science fully embraces the UCHealth mission, vision and values by striving to administer curriculum which will enable medical laboratory science students to meet entry level curricula and pass the ASCP board of certification exam, thereby increasing the number of eligible MLS candidates to all UCHealth facilities.

• Program director

  Hallee Waye, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM

  • [email protected]
• School policies

  A copy of the most current school policies can be obtained by sending an email request to the program director, [email protected].

• Program accreditation

  The Program is accredited by:
  NAACLS
  The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
  5600 N. River Road, Suite 720
  Rosemont, IL 60018-5119
  (773) 714-8880
  www.naacls.org

• Program outcomes

  Graduation Between	Graduation Rate	Job Placement	ASC BOC Certification Pass Rate
  7/1/2021 - 6/30/2022	100%	100%	100%
  7/1/2022 - 6/30/2023	100%	100%	100%
  7/1/2023 - 6/30/2024	100%	100%	100%

Admissions

• Admission procedure

  All application materials must be completed and postmarked by December 31st for the July cohort, and by July 31st for the January cohort to be accepted. All of the following items are required as part of the application packet, but may be submitted separately:

  • A completed application form
  • Official college transcripts from all colleges/universities attended.
    • Must be sent to the program directly from the college/university registrar
    • May be sent via USPS (400 W. 16th Street, Pueblo, CO 81003) or email ([email protected])
  • A total of at least three references:
    • At least two references MUST be from science instructors and/or advisors
    • One reference may be from an employer

  Interview process:
  Once a completed application packet has been received, it will be reviewed. Based on the information provided, interviews will be conducted for selected applicants. Not all applicants will be interviewed. Students are chosen for an interview based on the guidelines used in the selection of students. The program director will contact the applicant to schedule an in-person interview.

  Final selection of students:
  Once all interviews are completed, the admissions committee will rank the applicants based on the guidelines used in the selection of students. Acceptance letters will be emailed to the top 4 applicants in January for the July cohort and in August for the January cohort. Applicants have 3 days to notify the program director of their decision to accept or decline the position in writing. If no response is received at the end of three days, it will be assumed that the applicant declined the position. If all positions are not filled, more acceptance letters will be sent. After all positions have been filled, the remaining applicants will be notified that the cohort is full. A list of alternates may also be chosen in the event that positions become available before each cohort begins.

  Background check, drug screen and physical assessment:
  All offers for a position in the MLS program are contingent upon passing a background check, drug screen and physical assessment. Once the applicant has accepted a position in the MLS program, more information will be provided on completing these requirements. The student is responsible for the cost of these items.

  Vaccination record:
  Upon acceptance to the program, the student must submit a complete vaccination record to Human Resources upon request. You will be made aware of any vaccinations, titers or tests that need to be completed prior to the start of the program. The vaccination record must include:

  • Proof of Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccination or immunity (titer).
  • Proof of chicken pox vaccination (Varicella zoster) or immunity (titer). 
  • Proof of Hepatitis B vaccination.
  • Proof of influenzae vaccination for the current year.

  In addition, students are required to have a TB test performed.

• Guidelines used in selection of students

  The admissions committee selects applicants from completed applications based on the following:

  • Transcript GPA and Science GPA (calculated by the program director).
  • Application essay (the applicant’s reason for choosing the profession).
  • Work experience relating to customer service, lab work and volunteer work.
  • References.
  • The interview.
  • Applicant's personality, attitude and goodness of fit for position.
  • Special consideration will be given to students interested in obtaining employment as an MLS at UCHealth Parkview.

  UCHealth is an equal opportunity employer. No employee or applicant shall be discriminated against in any terms, conditions or privileges of employment or otherwise be discriminated against because of the individual’s race, creed, color, religion, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, physical recovery from childbirth or a related condition, sexual orientation (including actual or perceived orientation and transgender status), gender identity, gender variance, genetic information, veteran status, civil air patrol status and lawful activities during nonworking hours, or any other applicable status

• Degree requirements

  The student must have completed their baccalaureate degree prior to starting the medical laboratory science program. A college degree is not required at the time of application, but the student must complete the degree before the program cohort begins. Completion of the program is not eligible for course credit at any college or university.

• Foreign applicants

  Transcript evaluation:

  Applicants with a degree from a foreign university must submit a transcript evaluation by an evaluation agency that is acceptable to the ASCP Board of Certification. For more information contact the program director.

  Academic requirements

  Applicants must meet the same course requirements as those listed for non-foreign students.

  Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States.

  Applicants must be admitted to an accredited graduate program in a United States college/university, which has accepted the foreign degree.

• Minimum GPA

  The student must have a minimum GPA (or calculated science GPA) of 2.8 based on a 4.0 scale.

• Course requirements

  Prior to starting the program, the student must have the following:

  Chemistry:
  16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) including:

  • Two semesters of general chemistry, each with a laboratory component.
  • Organic and/or biochemistry, including a laboratory component.

  Biological science:
  16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) including:

  • General microbiology with a laboratory component
  • Immunology
  • Genetics 
  • Anatomy and physiology
  • Cellular biology or vertebrate physiology

  Math:

  • One college course in statistics.
  • One course in college mathematics (college algebra or higher). High school courses that have been accepted by a college or university such as those with AP or IB credit may be accepted if approved by the program director.

  Notes:

  • All required courses must be acceptable toward a major in that field or to a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science. To count toward the course requirement, a grade of C or better must be obtained.
  • If all course requirements in Chemistry and Biology were completed seven or more years before application, the applicant must take a course in Biochemistry, Microbiology and Genetics, as well as a course that includes a laboratory with molecular testing.
• Physical requirements and essential functions

  The medical laboratory science student must be able to:

  • Meet the minimum physical requirements for a medical laboratory science student:
    • Stand and/or sit for up to 8 hours per day.
    • Perform repetitive tasks and motions.
    • Have good manual dexterity and the fine motor skills necessary for performing phlebotomy, handling specimens, and operating and maintaining instruments.
    • Move freely and safely around the laboratory and hospital including reaching laboratory benchtops and shelves, and reaching patients lying in hospital beds or seated in specimen collection chairs.
    • Lift up to 45 pounds occasionally.
    • Identify exposures to hazards such as toxic/caustic chemicals, communicable diseases, blood and body fluids, and moving mechanical parts.
    • Hear normal speaking voices on the bench, in lecture and on the telephone.
    • Hear alarms and telephones ringing.
    • See well enough to perform all required laboratory testing including reading and interpreting items like thermometers, results on computer screens, graphs and instrument scales. Be able to use microscopes and make microscopic distinctions regarding formed elements and cells and allow for accurate depth perception.
    • Be able to accurately discern color.
  • Speak and comprehend the English language such that they can communicate effectively with instructors, patients, supervisors, coworkers, visitors and other allied health workers on the telephone or in person.
  • Read and follow directions. Give explanations to others as needed.
  • Manage their own time and systematize actions to complete assigned tasks in a specified time limit. This includes effectively multi-tasking during bench work.
  • Adapt to professionals and technical change, as our laboratory is a dynamic environment.
  • Work safely with potentially hazardous materials, thus minimizing the risk of injury to self, patients or others.
  • In addition, the medical laboratory science student must possess:
    • The intellectual skills necessary for working in the clinical laboratory including comprehension, reasoning, analysis, comparison, self-expression and mathematical skills.
    • Recall ability adequate for functioning in the clinical laboratory. For instance, after adequate demonstration, the student should be able to explain and operate an instrument correctly.
    • The physical and psychological stamina to work under pressure.
• Tuition

  The tuition is $8,000. Tuition policies, as well as additional program expenses can be found in the current school policies.

• Alumni

  Transcript requests should be directed to the MLS Program Director.

Program curriculum

Upon completion of the program, the student will possess the entry level competency necessary to perform testing in the following areas:

• Blood bank and serology

  Lecture, reading, and laboratory rotation will cover the theory, record keeping, and performance of procedures prescribed by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) and FDA relating to the collection, storage, selection and testing of blood and blood components for transfusion, computer applications, hemolytic disease, HIPAA, safety, the theory of immunology and serology, normal and acquired immunity, antigens and antibodies, antigen-antibody reactions, autoimmune diseases, other diseases associated with the immune system, and test methods including precipitation, agglutination, immunoassay, and molecular methods. Quality assurance/quality improvement as applied to pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical components of laboratory services are also covered.

  8 semester hours

• Clinical chemistry

  Lecture, reading, and laboratory rotation will cover the theory and performance of qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis of blood and body fluids by manual and automated methods.  Methodologies covered are:  spectrophotometry, electrophoresis, chromatography, nephelometry, ion selective electrodes, and immunoassays using radioactive, enzyme, fluorescent, and chemiluminescent labels.  Other topics included are:  the explanation and correlation of diseases and other conditions that produce abnormal results, safety, biostatistics, computer applications, laboratory information systems, point-of-care testing, lab math, molecular testing, HIPAA, quality control, quality assurance, calibration, and basic troubleshooting of chemistry analyzers. Quality assurance/quality improvement as applied to pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical components of laboratory services are also covered.

  7 semester hours

• Hematology and coagulation

  Lecture, reading, and laboratory rotation will cover the proper collection of blood specimens, manual and automated testing, the theory and principle of cells including formation, morphology, and functions, the recognition of normal and abnormal cell morphology, special stains, molecular tests, cell markers, the description and classification of diseases producing abnormal test results, the theory and principles of tests performed to assess the above factors, safety, computer applications, the basic troubleshooting of hematology analyzers, theory and principles of the blood coagulation/fibrinolytic systems, the function of each coagulation factor, the description of diseases and conditions producing abnormal results, the correlation of test results to abnormal conditions/diseases, the theory and performance of coagulation tests, quality control, computer applications, basic trouble shooting, and safety. Quality assurance/quality improvement as applied to pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical components of laboratory services are also covered.

  8 semester hours

• Introduction to laboratory education, management and research

  Lectures will cover an introduction to the basic educational, statistics, research, and management tools needed by laboratory personnel.

  The program is 41 weeks long with one cohort beginning in July and a second cohort beginning in January. During the program, students spend roughly 40 hours per week (Monday through Friday) in the laboratory completing various learning activities in order to gain entry level competency as a medical laboratory scientist.  Learning activities primarily consist of clinical instruction during department rotations, reading, exercises, and lectures.

  4 credit hours

• Microbiology

  This department covers the theory and practical experience in the isolation and identification of clinically important bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Procedures covered will include: manual and automated methods, culturing techniques, identification by microscopic examination, biochemical and serological tests, fluorescent tests, antibiotic sensitivity testing, quality control, computer applications, viruses and direct antigen testing for viruses, molecular testing, infection control, and safety. Quality assurance/quality improvement as applied to pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical components of laboratory services are also covered. All of the above topics are accomplished through lectures, laboratory experiences, and reading assignments.

  9 semester hours

• Urinalysis and body fluids

  Lecture, reading, and laboratory rotation will cover the anatomy, physiology, and diseases of the renal system.  The theory, operation, quality control, and maintenance of the urinalysis analyzers, osmometer, and other miscellaneous testing is covered.  The microscopic examination of urine and other body fluids, principles of tests, sources of error, and correlation of test results to normal and abnormal physiological conditions are included.  Laboratory safety, quality assurance, HIPAA, and computer applications are also included. Quality assurance/quality improvement as applied to pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical components of laboratory services are also covered.

  3 semester hours

Program description

The MLS program consists of two cohorts that each admit up to 4 students. One cohort begins in January and the second cohort begins in July. During the program, students spend roughly 40 hours per week (Monday through Friday) completing various learning activities to gain entry-level competency as a medical laboratory scientist. Learning activities primarily consist of clinical instruction during department rotations, reading, exercises and lectures.

• Department rotation calendar

  The program is 41 weeks long (40 weeks + 1 week of vacation). Students begin the year with 9 weeks of didactic learning and preanalytical training. The next 22 weeks are spent in their first clinical rotations:

  Blood bank: 4 weeks

  Chemistry: 4 weeks

  Hematology: 4 weeks (includes coagulation)

  Microbiology: 6 weeks (includes molecular testing)

  Pueblo west lab: 1 week

  Urinalysis: 3 weeks

  The order that a student progresses through each department varies. A schedule of the rotation order for each student is developed at the beginning of the year but is subject to change. Once a student has progresses through all first rotations, the student completes a second clinical rotation in each department: 

  Blood bank: 2 weeks

  Chemistry: 2 weeks

  Hematology: 2 weeks

  Microbiology: 2 weeks

  The program concludes with 1 week of review in all subjects.

• Weekly objectives, homework, reading and tests

  In addition to practical work in the departments, students receive weekly units of instruction on subjects pertinent to the theory for that department. A unit of instruction includes a set of objectives, reading, homework and an exam. The reading and homework are completed at home and may take anywhere from 10-20 hours per week.

• Lecture

  To gain a better understanding of the theory of laboratory work, nine-weeks of didactic material are given at the beginning of the program. During this time, most lectures are available virtually utilizing a learning management system. Some lectures may require students to come into the lab and will only be scheduled Monday – Friday between 7 am – 3:30 pm.