Mar 28, 2024  
2018-2019 
    
2018-2019 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Medical Laboratory Science BSMLS


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The degree program includes three years of undergraduate (BS pre-clinicals) studies plus one year (3 semesters) of clinical (BSMLS) education.

Pre-clinical Program
The first three years of undergraduate study include Andrews Core Experience, cognate science, and preclinical degree requirements. Program options feature directed elective course work selected in consultation with the faculty advisor according to the student’s career goals and interests.

Clinical (Professional) Program
The year of clinical studies is comprised of lectures and student laboratories on the Berrien Springs campus and clinical practica at an affiliated hospital or clinical laboratory site.

Refer to the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences web site for the MLS Program Year Calendar.

Total Credits - 124


Major: Core - 43


Major: Additional Requirements - 17


Practicum


Clinical Experience

Students work side-by-side with practicing professionals in patient health care during the final portion of the clinical year. Andrews University maintains a number of affiliations with clinical institutions across the country. Student preferences for clinical site assignments are solicited and granted when possible. Final site assignments are made at the discretion of the faculty and in consultation with clinical affiliates. Each student is responsible for providing his/her own transportation for the clinical practica. Independent transportation is a condition for clinical placement; therefore, it is strongly advised that each student has his/her own car for clinicals.

Certification


Students who complete the MLS Program are eligible to write the national Board of Certification examination sponsored by the ASCP (American Society for Clinical Pathology).

Cognates - 26


Undergraduate Electives 5-8


Students may select courses in consultation with and by the consent of their advisors in a planned program to enhance professional preparation. Pre-medical/pre-dental students must include the following courses:

Maintaining Academic Standing


Student Progression in Clinical Year

The clinical year is highly structured and sequential. Enrolled students may not drop a class, audit a class, or earn a grade lower than C- in any class. Students may enter clinical practica only upon satisfactory completion of on-campus course work. Satisfactory completion is defined as a senior-year minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 and the recommendation of the faculty. A student receiving a cumulative GPA of less than 2.50 may be allowed to advance if the program faculty identifies exceptional circumstances and recommends that the student continue in the program.

Student continuance in the clinical practica is conditional upon acceptable ethical and professional deportment as well as exemplary patient-care practices. The clinical affiliate supervisors and program faculty are final arbiters in determining student continuance.

Admission Requirements


Application Process


Clinical Year Admission Requirements

An independent admissions process is required for all students who wish to enter clinical studies. The application form may be obtained from the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) office or downloaded from the resources section in the department’s website (https://www.andrews.edu/shp/mls/resources/). Students must complete the application and return it to the departmental office by January 31 prior to their anticipated clinical-study year. Guest, transfer, and post-bac students must also apply to Andrews University.

Applicants’ previous course work must include 16 semester credits of biological sciences, 16 semester credits of chemistry, and one college-level course in mathematics.

Admission requires an overall GPA of 2.50. In the admissions process, the GPAs for the cognate sciences, mathematics, and medical laboratory science content courses are computed together. This combined GPA must also be a minimum of 2.50. Preference is given to students with the higher GPAs. Students may only repeat the fundamentals courses once to be eligible for admission consideration for the program.

Applicants must be able to meet the program’s published Essential Functions, a copy of which is attached to the application, and express a willingness to comply with the principles, rules, regulations, and policies of both the university and the program as they relate to the ideals and values of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the medical laboratory science profession.

Prerequisite Courses


All prerequisite course work, including Andrews Core Experience, cognate science, and pre-clinical courses, must be completed prior to entry into the clinical year. A personal interview may be required at the discretion of the Admissions Committee.

In exceptional circumstances, the Admissions Committee may accept students outside the stated policy.

Andrews Core Experience


Students must take all course requirements designated in the Professional Degree Program  of the Andrews Core Experience (ACE)  while noting the following course substitutions.

Life/Physical Sciences

Fulfilled through cognate sciences

Mathematics

Statistics preferred. MATH 145 Mathematics for the (Mis)Information Age  will not fulfill the math requirement. Students transferring into clinical program—any college-level course.

Service

Fulfilled through clinical practica.

Additional Information


Accreditation


The Andrews University Program for Medical Laboratory Sciences holds accreditation from the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), 5600 N River Rd, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018, (773) 714-8880 fax (773) 714-8886, e-mail at info@naacls, or the Web at www.naacls.org.

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