Medical laboratory science is the use of clinical laboratory tests to detect, diagnose, monitor, and treat disease. Blood, tissue, and body fluids can be chemically analyzed and examined for foreign organisms and abnormalities. Medical laboratory scientists (formerly known as medical technologists) are laboratory professionals who are part of the medical team of specialists who work together to determine the presence, extent, or absence of disease. They perform a full range of laboratory tests from simple blood screens to more complex tests to detect diseases like cancer, coronary artery disease and diabetes. They analyze, evaluate and validate laboratory data in the five major areas of the clinical laboratory: chemistry, immunology, hematology, transfusion medicine, and microbiology.

Tracks of study

• The certification track is designed for individuals who wish to become nationally certified medical laboratory scientists and work in clinical laboratory positions upon graduation. In their final semester, certificate track students gain practical experience in the clinical laboratories of affiliated hospitals.
• The medical science (non-certification) track is a flexible program designed for individuals who wish to prepare for graduate school or post-baccalaureate professional programs such as medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry or law. Graduates of this track are not eligible to take the national certifying examination.
• The MLT articulation track allows a medical laboratory technician to complete a bachelor’s degree in two years.