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Bachelor of Science in MLS

The curriculum is designed to produce graduates who reflect the current expectations of the profession and of employers, particularly with respect to the need for problem solving and supervisory skills in the laboratory. Graduates of the program are prepared to function effectively as medical laboratory scientists (MLS) in any laboratory setting and eventually to assume positions of responsibility in laboratory management, teaching and consulting.

The curriculum of the medical laboratory science program is a two-year professional program. Students complete two years of prerequisite courses at other colleges or universities, and then complete two years (21 months) of professional coursework on the Memphis campus of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Clinical experience is integrated throughout the curriculum. The curriculum is designed so that there are opportunities for interactions with other health sciences students, and for integration of professional principles with the techniques of medical laboratory science.

Students are required to pass either a comprehensive examination upon completion of the program covering all courses in the curriculum, or comprehensive examinations at intervals as specified by faculty. Examinations may be written, practical, or both. Where a sequence of courses is described below, each course in the sequence is prerequisite to the subsequent course. Generally, for promotion to the next term or to graduation, all courses in each term must be completed with a passing grade.

Additional Information

For admission to the Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science degree programs or the Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), students are expected to be able to successfully meet the Technical Standards outlined below. Students are required to sign the Technical Standards Commitment form indicating their understanding and ability to meet these standards either with or without accommodations (for persons with documented disabilities). Any questions about these technical standards should be directed to the program director of the MLS programs.

UTHSC receives applications from a diverse body of potential students including those with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to help students meet these technical standards when appropriate, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Any student wishing accommodations should contact the Student Academic Support Services and Inclusion (SASSI) for further information. Information regarding accommodations can be found on the SASSI website page: or by calling 901.448.5056.

In the event a student cannot fulfill these Technical Standards with or without reasonable accommodations at any time in their program, the student will be ineligible for admission or continued enrollment in the program. In addition to ensuring that students can meet the intellectual, emotion and physical criteria for medical laboratory science, it should also be noted that of utmost importance is the student’s ability to provide for the welfare and safety of their patients and others. This is the foundation of all Technical Standards and if this cannot be done, the student is unable to meet the criteria outlined by the Technical Standards.

Once enrolled in the BS MLS or MS CLS Program, students must meet the requirements of the curriculum, including the demonstration of the skills described herein for the Program in order to progress through the curriculum and to graduate.

General Standards

The students must have the ability to:

  • Assess and make appropriate judgments regarding lab services and patient outcomes.
  • Prioritize and perform laboratory testing.
  • Adapt to a variety of patient care situations, including crisis.
  • Communicate effectively in English, orally and in writing.
  • Participate in discussion in the classroom, the clinical arena and with colleagues and patients.
  • Acquire information developed through didactic instruction and clinical experiences.
  • Comprehend reading assignments and to search and evaluate literature.
  • Prepare written assignments and maintain written records.
  • Perform duties and assignments in a timely fashion while under stress and in a variety of settings.
  • Meet deadlines and manage time.
  • Utilize the computer for instructional assignments and patient care activities.

Physical and Motor Skills

The student must possess:

  • Dexterity with both wrists, hands and arms, and dexterity with al fingers.
  • Motor skills to grasp, pinch, push, pull, finger, hold, extend, rotate, cut.
  • Ability to obtain and/or verify patient samples.
  • Sufficient stamina to tolerate physically taxing workloads.
  • Ability to operate/manipulate and effectively evaluate the status of laboratory instruments and equipment.

Sensory Skills

The student must possess:

  • Visual acuity (corrected to 20/40); visual perception with respect to depth and color.

Cognitive, Integrative, Quantitative Skills

The student must possess the:

  • Ability to measure, calculate, analyze, interpret, synthesize and evaluate as applicable to clinical practice.
  • Ability to solve one or more problems within specific time frames, which are often short.
  • Ability to comprehend spatial relationships.

Affective, Behavioral and Social Skills

The student must be able to:

  • Function as part of a team (communicate effectively in English, consult, negotiate, share, delegate).
  • Delegate to and supervise others.
  • Adhere to safety guidelines for self and others.
  • Comply with standards and regulations required by external agencies.
  • Follow instructions/procedures with accuracy and precision.
  • Maintain intellectual and emotional stability and maturity under stress, while also maintaining appropriate performance standards.
  • Learn and exhibit professional attributes.

The following scholarships are available to students entering the Medical Laboratory Science program:

  • UTNAA Scholarship
  • Ann Bell Scholarship
  • Elam Scholarship
  • Elizabeth Club Scholarship
  • Loretta Cox Stuckey Scholarship

Information about these scholarships is available in the general college section of the bulletin.  Students receive a scholarship application during the admission process.

Clinical affiliation sites are located in Memphis and throughout Tennessee. Due to the limited number of clinical sites in Memphis, it may become necessary for students to accept the financial impact of traveling and living out of town for a portion of their clinical assignments. The Medical Laboratory Science program will make every effort to place all students on clinical rotation. Occasionally, a scheduled clinical experience at an external site is unavailable due to circumstances beyond the control of the University; however, because the experience is required for graduation, the Medical Laboratory Science program has exercised a number of replacement options. A student’s graduation due to lack of clinical placement could be delayed if a clinical rotation could not be secured in Memphis and the student could not be placed in one of the following: A site outside of Memphis or a simulated laboratory experience on campus.

American Esoteric Laboratory, Memphis
1701 Century Center Cove
Memphis, TN 38134

American Esoteric Laboratory, Knoxville
7501 Strawberry Plains Pike
Knoxville, TN 37924

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville
1500 West Poplar Avenue
Collierville, TN 38017

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Desoto
7601 Southcrest Parkway
Southaven, MS 38671

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis
6019 Walnut Grove
Memphis, TN 38120

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton Co
1995 Highway 51 South
Covington, TN 38019

Baptist Memorial Hospital – Union City
1201 Bishop Street
Union City, TN  38261

Baptist Women's Hospital
6225 Humphreys Boulevard
Memphis, TN 38120

Compass Laboratory Services
1910 Nonconnah Boulevard, Suite 120
Memphis, TN 38132

East Tennessee Children's Hospital
2018 Clinch Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37916

Erlanger Health System
975 E. Third Street
Chattanooga, TN 37403

Jackson-Madison County General Hospital
620 Skyline Drive
Jackson, TN 38301

Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center
848 Adams Avenue
Memphis, TN 38103

Maury Regional Medical Center
1224 Trotwood Avenue
Columbia, TN 38401

Medical University of South Carolina
165 Ashley Avenue
Charleston, SC 29425

Memphis VA Medical Center
1030 Jefferson Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104

Methodist Hospital-Germantown
7691 Poplar Avenue
Germantown, TN 38138

Methodist Hospital-North
3960 New Covington Pike
Memphis, TN 38125

Methodist Hospital, Olive Branch
4250 Bethel Road
Olive Branch, MS 38564

Methodist Hospital, South
1300 Wesley Drive
Memphis, TN 38116

Methodist University Hospital
1265 Union Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104

Molecular Pathology Laboratory Network, Inc.
250 E. Broadway
Maryville, TN 37804

Regional Medical Center
400 E. 10th Street
Anniston, AL 36207

Regional One Health
877 Jefferson Avenue
Memphis, TN 38105

St. Francis Hospital
5959 Park Avenue
Memphis, TN 38119

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place MS 250
Memphis, TN 38105

Summit Medical Group
7211 Wellington Drive, Suite 103
Knoxville, TN 37919

 

Programs are accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS);
5600 N. River Rd, Suite 720 Rosemont IL 60018-5119; phone: 773.714.8880; fax: 773.714.8886
 
Jan 31, 2024