Medical Laboratory Science

ODU Medical Laboratory Science Program is privileged to offer clinical practica at the sites listed below. Internships/practica will be assigned by the Program Director and Education Coordinator as they become available and may be made for evening, night, as well as day shifts. Student learning experiences in clinical practicum courses are performed under the supervision of a preceptor. Student learning experiences, however, are not substituted for the work of the staff. Service work performed by students outside of academic hours is not required or permitted to fulfill practicum requirements. Assignments will be made on a priority basis, i.e., preference will be given to those students who are ready for graduation immediately upon completion of practicum courses. In case of a shortage of clinical sites, assignments will be made based on academic performance, centered on cognitive, psychomotor as well as affective behaviors.

Students may be required to attend several different clinical sites. Transportation is the student's responsibility. Internships/practica may be local or at distant sites. Newly acquired clinical sites may require relocation for the assignment period.

Eligibility:
Graduates of a formal accredited medical laboratory technician training program who are MLT certified and currently employed in a full service clinical laboratory.
Interested applicants for the MLT to MLS Degree Completion Program should contact a Health Sciences Enrollment Coordinator.

MLT to MLS Articulation:
Articulation into the BSMLS Program is available to individuals who are graduates of a formal accredited medical laboratory training program. Students with previous laboratory training may complete the degree by completing courses in the traditional BSMLS Program or the BSMLS Degree Completion Program. Advanced placement will be based on educational background and work experience.

Degree Completion Program:
The BSMLS Degree Completion Program is available for laboratory practitioners who are graduates of accredited associate degree, hospital or military Medical Laboratory Technician programs who are currently employed in a full service clinical laboratory. MLT certification is required for admission. The program builds on previously acquired strengths and accomplishments, allowing students to acquire advanced technical, managerial, and problem-solving skills. The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of local and distant practitioners who seek a baccalaureate degree. Program courses are delivered online to accommodate the schedules of working students.

Technical standards represent the essential functions that students must master to successfully complete program requirements. Standards for this program are listed below.

Students must be able to:

1. Perform laboratory assays and tasks with coordination and control.
2. Manipulate small objects and devices.
3. Turn dials, press buttons and keypads, and move switches.
4. Maneuver around instruments in the laboratory and in patient care settings.
5. Perform and interpret laboratory assays, including the ability to: distinguish red, yellow, blue, and other color reactions; distinguish between solutions that are clear, cloudy or particulate; identify stained and unstained cellular and non-cellular components in the range of 1 um using a microscope; and read calibration lines or scales that range 1 mm apart.
6. Perform tasks and assays that require responses to auditory stimuli.
7. Perform phlebotomy, blood and body fluid processing, and testing procedures safely.
8. Perform laboratory assays and interpret results, including the ability to communicate effectively in English, both in written and non-written forms.
9. Read, understand, and follow directions printed in English.
10. Maintain cognitive, psychomotor, and affective performance standards while retaining intellectual and emotional stability and maturity when confronted with stressful and rigorous circumstances.

Who is a Medical Technologist/Medical Laboratory Scientist?
Medical Technologists, currently known as Medical Laboratory Scientists, are laboratory health professionals who provide vital information about the status and function of the body and its systems. The data is utilized in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.

How desirable is this profession?
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook* "An increase in the aging population is expected to lead to a greater need to diagnose medical conditions, such as cancer or type 2 diabetes, through laboratory procedures. Prenatal testing for various types of genetic conditions also is increasingly common. Medical laboratory technologists and technicians will be in demand to use and maintain the equipment needed for diagnosis and treatment".

Additionally "Job prospects will be best for medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians who complete an accredited education program and earn professional certification."

*https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-and-clinical-laboratory-technologists-and-technicians.htm (visited January 30, 2018).

Are there job opportunities in Medical Technology/Medical Laboratory Science?
Most of our graduates obtain local job offers before completing the program.
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook "Employment of medical laboratory technologists is projected to grow 12 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations."

What prerequisite courses do I need?
Biology (4 hrs), foundations of chemistry/equivalent to ODU CHEM 121N/122N and CHEM 123N/124N (8 hrs), organic chemistry (5 hrs), anatomy and physiology (3-8 hrs), and statistics (3 hrs) are required science prerequisite courses.

I have a BS degree in science. Do I qualify for admission?
Yes. As long as the prerequisite courses listed above are met, applicants are eligible for a second baccalaureate degree in Medical Technology/Medical Laboratory Sciences (BSMT/BSMLS). A faculty advisor will evaluate your credentials.

I am transferring to ODU from a community college/another institution. What should I do?
Contact the Health Sciences Advising Center-an advisor can assist you in getting prepared to apply to the MT/MLS Program:

Health Sciences Advising Center
3133 Health Sciences Building
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA 23529-0288
Phone: (757) 683-5137
Email: hsadvising@odu.edu

What GPA do I need in order to be eligible to apply to the MT/MLS Program?
The minimum GPA is 2.0 overall and a "C" in all prerequisite science courses. However, admission is competitive. Admitted students who are the most successful have a GPA that is 2.8 or higher.

When do I apply?
Prospective transfer and second degree students and students tracking from their freshman year (spring of their sophomore year), should apply by February 1 for traditional on-campus program.

Applications for Degree Completion Program are accepted during fall or spring semester. It is recommended students apply when they are within one - two semesters of finishing the general education and prerequisite course requirements.

If I miss the application deadline, am I allowed to begin taking MT/MLS Program courses?
Yes, prospective students may begin taking program courses prior to formal admission to the program. A faculty advisor will recommend selected courses based on completed prerequisites.

What is the difference between the traditional BSMT/BSMLS Program and the BSMT/BSMLS Degree Completion Program (DCP)?
Program courses in the traditional BSMT/BSMLS Program are offered on ODU campus during the day. Degree Completion courses are web-based courses for applicants who are already certified as Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLTs) due to completion of a formal, NAACLS accredited medical laboratory training program or applicants with an Army/Navy or Air Force Medical Laboratory Specialist Certificate (such as 68K). The BSMT/BSMLS Degree Completion Program is preferably offered to practicing laboratory professionals.

I am a Laboratory Technician. How does my previous coursework apply towards obtaining a BSMT/BSMLS?
Articulation into the BSMT/BSMLS Program is available to certified individuals who are graduates of a formal accredited medical laboratory training program. Students with previous laboratory training may complete the degree by completing courses in the traditional or Degree Completion Program. Completion of the Laboratory Technician program does not exempt the applicants from the science prerequisites. Advanced placement will be based on educational background and work experience.

How long does it take to complete the Program?
Students beginning the traditional BSMT/BSMLS Program as freshmen can complete the program in 4 years. Transfer students can complete the program in five semesters (including summer). Second-degree students can complete the program in four semesters (including summer).
BSMT/BSMLS Degree Completion Program students can complete the program in five semesters (including summer).
Total time for completion of both programs will vary depending on what prerequisites courses are needed.

Are professional Medical Laboratory Science courses taken at another institution transferable to the ODU Medical Technology/Medical Laboratory Science program?
Professional courses in Medical Technology/Medical Laboratory Science taken at another institution are considered for transfer on a case-by-case basis. Transfer decisions will depend on the number of credit hours taken, syllabus evaluation by the faculty and, the grade earned by the student. Professional courses completed in non-accredited programs and courses in which the applicant achieved less than a B will not be considered for evaluation.