TTUHSC School of Allied Health Sciences
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Clinical Laboratory Science

Clinical laboratory science, the study and practice of diagnostic laboratory medicine, is a dynamic health care profession. Clinical laboratory professionals provide 70% of the critical objective information for diagnosis, treatment and preventative health care. These individuals analyze body tissues and fluids using complex instrumentation, sophisticated techniques and specialized knowledge. http://www.ascls.org/

Clinical laboratory scientists (CLS), also called medical technologists (MT), work primarily in hospitals, physician's offices and reference laboratories. They perform many routine and complex tests that help the physician diagnose and treat the patient. Clinical laboratory professionals seldom have contact with patients because they work more closely with physicians, researchers and other health care professionals in disease investigation, consultation, and interpretation of laboratory results. If you like science, particularly the laboratory, and you want to be a part of the health care team then the clinical laboratory profession may be for you. We welcome you to come and visit our facility and gain some first-hand knowledge of the type of work done in the clinical laboratory.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts a rapid growth in the job market for clinical laboratory professionals with excellent employment opportunities. The growth rate for these jobs is projected to be 14% from 2006-2016, with 43,000 new jobs due to increased demand for clinical laboratory testing. This is in addition to positions that will be available due to retirement, change of profession, etc. Due to the shortage of clinical laboratory professionals, graduates from our program have no problems finding jobs. Most have positions before they graduate. The entry level median annual earnings in 2006 were reported to be $46,000. Pay varies widely depending on geographical area, experience level and place of employment. http://www.labsarevital.com/; http://laboratorian.advanceweb.com/

A student admitted into the Clinical Laboratory Science program must meet basic and essential requirements that are necessary to be able to obtain employment in the field of clinical laboratory medicine. The essential functions identified are the following:

  •     Must be able to communicate effectively, in English, in the written and verbal form with colleagues, instructors, patients, and other members of the healthcare team.
  •     Must have the physical and motor function ability to observe, learn and implement various technical skills associated with the practice of clinical laboratory medicine such as: hand-eye coordination to operate specialized automated and technical equipment including a microscope, and manual dexterity associated with specimen collection, including venipuncture.
  •     Must have the intellectual and integrative abilities to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, evaluate and synthesize. This includes problem solving skills and interpretation of laboratory data.
  •     Must have the maturity to readily accept the clinical preceptorship assigned by the clinical coordinator.
  •     Must have basic computer and typing skills needed to complete assignments.

The TTUHSC Clinical Laboratory Science program is a 2+2 university-based program which culminates in the Bachelor of Science degree in Clinical Laboratory Science within one of the three optional areas of special emphasis.

  •     Standard Option prepares a student for a career primarily in a clinical setting such as a hospital, physician's office, laboratory, or a reference laboratory.
  •     Pre-med Option is for students pursuing a graduate medical education through medical school, osteopathic school, veterinary school, or research graduate programs.
  •     Pre-Physician Assistant Option is for students pursuing a graduate education in physician assistant studies.

Another offering of the Department of Laboratory Sciences and Primary Care is a Master of Science in Molecular Pathology. In addition, the program has a partnership with the Master of Science in Clinical Practice Management Program.

Our students consistently score above the national average on external certification exams offered by the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and the National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel (NCA). http://www.ascp.org/bor; http://www.nca-info.org/

Students are required to own or have access to a laptop computer for use in the classroom. Laptops are suggested to have a minimum of 1 GB Shared DDR2 SDRAM, 60 GB hard drive and have wireless capabilities.

The Clinical Laboratory Science Program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), 8410 W. Bryn Mawr, Suite 670, Chicago, IL 60631-3415