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A valued member of the health care team, the clinical laboratory scientist uses advanced technology to perform analyses on blood and other body fluids that are useful in detecting and/or treating disease. Working closely with physicians and other allied health professionals, the clinical laboratory scientist (often called a medical technologist) plays an integral role in comprehensive patient care by providing accurate and timely results. Graduates of a clinical laboratory science-training program have a firm foundation enabling them to work in the clinical laboratory and pursue graduate study for many advanced or alternate career paths.
The Undergraduate Program
The Clinical Laboratory Science Program at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children cooperates with more than a dozen area colleges and universities in offering the clinical year of a four-year program leading to the bachelor of science degree in Clinical Laboratory Science. During the first three years, the student follows a course of study concentrating on biology and chemistry at the college where the student is matriculated. In the fourth year, all courses are held at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and various clinical laboratory sites within two Tenet hospitals in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Students will spend mornings in the laboratory and afternoons in the classroom to fulfill their clinical and academic requirements over an 11-month period. The academic year begins in late August and ends in late June.
The Post Baccalaureate Program
Enrollment in the Clinical Laboratory Science Program is not limited to undergraduates. Individuals with bachelor's degrees and clinical laboratory technicians who wish to advance to the clinical laboratory science level are also accepted. Individuals with bachelor's degrees who have already taken the courses required by the certification agencies are typically required to take only the courses given during the clinical year at the hospital.
College Affiliates
While the program accepts students from many colleges, it is currently affiliated with:
- De Sales University
- Bloomsburg University
- Cabrini College
- East Stroudsburg University
- Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
- Gwynedd-Mercy College
- Holy Family University
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania
- Kutztown University
- Lycoming College
- University of The Sciences in Philadelphia
- York College
- West Chester University
The System of Hospitals
Clinical rotations will be performed at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and Hahnemann University Hospital. These rotations will provide a broader experience for the students and enhance their understanding of the profession of clinical laboratory science (medical technology).
The Curriculum
The curriculum is designed to give the student a thorough background in the performance, interpretation and application of clinical laboratory procedures. Equally important is the emphasis placed on correlation of test results with pathologic conditions of patients.
The four major areas of the hospital laboratory are microbiology, chemistry, hematology and immunohematology. Upon completion of the 12-month program, the individual will be proficient in each of these four areas. In addition, students are exposed to the basics of health care management, education, research and computer skills, which are applicable to career advancement and/or graduate school. Students will also be introduced to the clinical disciplines of transfusion medicine, cyto-genetics, virology and molecular diagnostics and anatomic pathology.
A description of the courses is provided in PDF format.
Pre-Clinical Course Requirements
The Clinical Laboratory Science Program at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children is fully accredited by the National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). You may contact the National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) at 8410 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, Suite 670, Chicago, IL 60631-3415 or 773.714.8880.
In order to become enrolled in a NAACLS-approved clinical laboratory science program, students must take college-level courses in the following areas:
- Human Anatomy and Physiology
- Immunology
- Genetics or Molecular Biology
- Statistics
- Microbiology
- Organic Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Recommended:
- Medical Terminology
- Hematology
- Computer courses to include the use and function of Windows, spreedsheet usage, database usage, and word processing.
Survey/introductory courses do not qualify as fulfillment of chemistry and biology science prerequisites. Remedial mathematics courses will not satisfy the mathematics requirements.
Other science courses may be necessary to satisfy the degree requirements of the various college affiliates. Students may be required to update any biology and chemistry course work that was taken seven years prior to admission to the clinical year. Students completing course work in a foreign country must submit a transcript evaluation. Further information on this can be obtained from the program director.
Clinical Course Requirements*
# of College Credits** ·
- Medical Hematology and Coagulation ............ 4
- Clinical Hematology and Coagulation ............. 2
- Immunology ............. 2
- Clinical Immunohematology ............ 2
- Medical Immunohematology ............ 2
- \Urinalysis and Other Body Fluids .......... 2
- Medical Chemistry ............ 4
- Clinical Chemistry ............ 4
- Medical Microbiology ........... 5
- Clinical Microbiology and Serology ........... 4
- Clinical Seminar .......... 4
* Students will spend a five-day week on the hospital site.
** Varies somewhat with each college affiliate.
National Certification
Upon completion of the program and all other college requirements, the student is eligible to receive a bachelor's degree. This is conferred by the college at which the student is enrolled. The student is then eligible to take one of two nationally administered certification examinations. After passing the exam, the individual becomes certified as a Medical Technologist [MT (ASCP)] and/or Clinical Laboratory Scientist [CLS(NCA)]. Either certification qualifies the student for a professional position.
Admissions
The Admissions Committee at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children bases its acceptance on the strength of a student's academic record, recommendations and a personal interview that is conducted during the junior year.
The prerequisites for admission into the fourth year of the program include approximately 90 semester credits of both liberal arts and science courses, including the content areas listed previously under Pre-Clinical Course Requirements. Admission will be limited to students with a minimum cumulative average of 2.5 and minimum average of 2.5 in all science courses. If accepted for the fourth year of the program, the student must maintain a 3.0 average in all science courses during the fourth year. The program is currently accepting applications for enrollment in the 2008-2009 academic year.
Tuition
For individuals affiliated with a college, tuition varies depending on the institution. For persons with a degree, tuition is charged by St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. To apply for admission to the Clinical Laboratory Science Program at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, contact:
Clinical Laboratory Science Program
St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children
3601 A Street
Philadelphia, PA 19134
Richard Vandell, MS, MT, (ASCP) SC,SH
Program Director
Telephone: (215) 427-5050
Jeannie Lee, MT (ASCP)cm
Clinical Education Coordinator
Telephone: ( 215) -427-6084
St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, gender, age, national origin, handicap, sexual preference, disability or Vietnam era veteran status or financial status, in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, their programs, activities or facilities.
Instructions for Applicants
Application
Applicant Self-Evaluation
Student Reference Form
Student Essential Capabilities Form
Opportunities in Clinical Laboratory Science
Graduates of our program are prepared for many varied and stimulating career opportunities. Graduates may:
- Practice as generalists, rotating through all sections of the laboratory; or they may specialize in one section, such as hematology, blood bank, microbiology, chemistry or immunology.
- Work in a city, suburban or rural hospital, in the armed services or Veterans Affairs, in a medical school or research institute, in private or commercial laboratories or in public health.
- Accept a wide variety of positions in and other laboratories and in public health.
- Perform a wide variety of positions in other laboratory-related industries, including marketing and research.
- Elect to continue their education in areas such as a laboratory specialty, computer science, business/healthcare administration or healthcare education. This advanced education may permit them to pursue careers as educators, healthcare administrators, healthcare computer specialists or laboratory consultants/inspectors.
- Choose to attend a medical, dental or veterinary school.
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