Medical Laboratory Science (MLS)

The Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) program at Minot State University is a four year program leading to the Bachelor of Science Degree in Medical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology. The program consists of courses that are designed to give the medical laboratory science student the necessary, scientific background to enter clinical training at an accredited hospital laboratory.

The program consists of three years of academic coursework completed at Minot State University. Through an affiliation with the University of North Dakota (UND), students spend 12 months in a clinical internship at one of the many participating accredited hospitals, as a member of the Western College Alliance for MLS.

http://www.med.und.edu/medical-laboratory-science/mls-wcamls.cfm

The academic portion of the program provides the student with a broad-based background in the sciences as well as General Education courses in communications, the humanities and the social and behavioral sciences. The clinical year provides practical, hands on, experience in clinical laboratory techniques.

 

Curriculum (First 3 years)

The first two years of the program primarily involve General Education courses and fundamental courses in chemistry, microbiology, anatomy and physiology. The third year involves the students in courses more directly relevant to their major, such as parasitology, hematology, and immunology. These courses address more specifically what the student will encounter during the clinical internship year. Minot State University’s medical laboratory science program is accredited by the NAACLS through UND. All affiliated hospitals are accredited by the Council on Medical Education. Upon completion, the student is eligible to take the national examination conducted by the Board of Registry to become a certified clinical laboratory scientist by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists MT (ASCP) and the National Certification Agency for Medical Laboratory Personnel National Exam for certification as Medical Laboratory Scientist.

MLS majors are required to fulfill Minot State University's General Education requirements including  courses in each of the following subject areas: communications, history, humanities, wellness/personal development, mathematics, science, and social science. This is the link to the Catalog.

CLINCAL YEAR

The WCAMLS curriculum consists of three semesters of study which starts with an on-campus summer session (13 weeks) which is referred to as summer practicum. The on-campus summer session is completed in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

After completion of the on-campus summer session, two more semesters (fall and spring terms) are completed at a clinical affiliate of the UND MLS program.

Summer Semester

Course # Course Name Credits
MLS 471 Clinical Chemistry I 2
MLS 472 Preanalytical Testing 1
MLS 473 Clinical Hemostasis I 2
MLS 474 Clinical Urinalysis I 2
MLS 477 Clinical Immunohematology I 1
MLS 477L Clinical Immunohematology I Laboratory 1
MLS 478 Clinical Microbiology I 2
MLS 479 Clinical Hematology I 2
  Total Credits 13

Fall Semester

 

Course # Course Name Credits
MLS 480 Clinical Immunohematology II 2
MLS 481 Clinical Chemistry II 2
MLS 483 Clinical Hemostasis II 1
MLS 484 Clinical Microbiology II 2
MLS 485 Clinical Urinalysis II 1
MLS 488 Clinical Hematology II 2
MLS 487 Medical Mycology 1
MLS 489 Clinical Body Fluids 1
  Total Credits 12

Spring Semester

Course # Course Name Credits
MLS 490 Financial and Quality Management of Clinical Laboratory 3
MLS 491 Clinical Chemistry III 2
MLS 492 Clinical Immunohematology III 2
MLS 494 Clinical Immunology 1
MLS 495 Clinical Microbiology III 2
MLS 498 Clinical Hematology III 2
  Total Credits 12

The total number of courses is: 22
Total number of academic credits is: 37

There are special requirements prior to contact with patients and testing of patient specimens. The UND MLS program requires all students enrolled in the final year of study to complete a UND School of Medicine approved background check prior to work with patients. All clinical affiliates require specific immunizations and testing to be completed (or a signed liability waiver) before entrance to the medical facility. Students are responsible for additional costs (above the cost of academic tutition and fees) that include: travel, housing, food, and summer lab course fees during the second year of the professional curriculum.