Admission Qualifications - Academic and Technical Standards
All students must meet both our academic standards and our technical standards in order to be admitted, progress through, and graduate from the Medical Laboratory Technology and Medical Laboratory Science programs. These qualifications assist you in progressing through the curriculum and clinical training.
Academic standards
Academic standards refer to acceptable demonstrations of competency in various disciplines, before admission and after, as judged by faculty members, examinations, and other measurements of performance.
For detailed information about academic standards, refer to the University Student Handbook.
Technical standards
Technical standards refer to the essential aptitudes and abilities that allow Medical Laboratory Technology/Medical Laboratory Science program students to perform in a modern healthcare environment in a variety of ways.
The Medical Laboratory Technician/Medical Laboratory Scientist must have sufficient strength, motor coordination, and manual dexterity to:
- Move freely and safely about the laboratory and other areas of the facility
- Control, operate, manipulate, and trouble shoot laboratory instrumentation and equipment
- Utilize electronic keyboards to operate laboratory instruments or to record, evaluate, and transmit information
- Perform tasks included in specimen collection and preparation including phlebotomy and culture collection
- Perform physical work that may require sitting or standing for several hours
- Lift and transport laboratory supplies
The Medical Laboratory Technology/Medical Laboratory Science program students must have sufficient eyesight to:
- Allow for identification of objects and discriminate find differences between structures and color with the use of a binocular microscope
- Read printed and video displayed text, numbers, and graphs
- Recognize and evaluate color, consistency, and clarity of biological specimens or reagents
The Medical Laboratory Technician/Medical Laboratory Scientist must have the mental and intellectual capacity to:
- Comprehend, measure, mathematically calculate, reason, analyze, compare according to standards of laboratory practice
- Read and comprehend technical and professional materials
- Utilize problem solving and critical thinking skills to review, evaluate, and respond appropriately to laboratory results and situations
- Evaluate their own performance
The Medical Laboratory Technician/Medical Laboratory Scientist must be capable of:
- Handling stressful situations related to technical and procedural standards and patient and other customer interactions
- Responding to situations requiring first aid or emergency care
- Reading, interpreting, and responding to requests for testing
- Reading and interpreting directions
- Accepting and responding to constructive criticism
- Manage time efficiently under realistic time constraints
- Adapt to change
- Demonstrate compassion, honesty, and integrity
Notice of working conditions: The work environment for the Medical Laboratory Technician/Medical Laboratory Scientist involves exposure to communicable diseases, toxic substances, medical preparations and other conditions common to a clinic environment.
* Please note that all requests for accommodations must be made in a timely manner, as stated in the “Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Policy” found in Section 2.2 of the Student Handbook.