Clinical Laboratory Science

The clinical laboratory scientist is an essential member of the health care team, performing a myriad of laboratory procedures aimed at the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

Degree and Certificate Offered

The School of Health Professions offers the following programs in Clinical Laboratory Science:

Bachelor of Science Degree: Clinical Laboratory Science
Certificate: Clinical Laboratory Science

The programs are administered by:

Dean: Michael J. Ahearn, Ph.D.

Program Director: Brandy Greenhill, M.S., MT (ASCP)

Education Coordinator: Kimberly Murray, M.A., CLS (NCA) H, MT (ASCP) SH

Educational Preceptor:

Medical Advisor: Jeffery Tarrand, M.D.

Roster of Faculty

Mission

The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Program in Clinical Laboratory Science, in concert with the mission and vision of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, is committed to the education of technically and academically competent graduates prepared to meet the immediate and future needs of the Clinical Laboratory Science profession.

Goals

The faculty of the Program in Clinical Laboratory Science is committed to:

• Provide the didactic and clinical instruction necessary for the graduate to:
  
  • Perform procedures in all areas of the clinical laboratory
  • Integrate and correlate laboratory data
  • Solve problems relating to the production of laboratory results
    
    
• Maintain an effective program of student development and learning
  
  
• Ensure an understanding and appreciation for a total quality management program; providing the skills necessary to establish quality control measures and make appropriate decisions to maintain accuracy and precision
  
  
• Meet the future needs of the Clinical Laboratory Science profession by including:
  
• • State-of-the-art procedures and instrumentation
  • Courses that offer career alternatives
  • Opportunities to participate in research and development of molecular techniques
    
    
• Develop the framework for the graduate to maintain and grow in professional competence throughout his lifetime by promoting participation in continuing education activities of the laboratory, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and the community
  
  
• Communicate the necessity of obeying a professional code of conduct toward patients, visitors and all health care professionals and to demonstrate the highest regard for human dignity and life

Objectives

The M. D. Anderson Program in Clinical Laboratory Science is designed to prepare students to perform clinical laboratory analysis, make appropriate decisions and solve problems to become successful entry-level clinical laboratory scientists.

The program provides instruction and training in all the major areas of the clinical laboratory through both didactic and clinical training. Most students enter the program to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree.

The clinical laboratory scientist is an essential member of the health care team, performing a myriad of laboratory procedures aimed at the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

The technical procedures and complex instruments used in modern laboratory medicine require well-educated and technically proficient scientists. Clinical laboratory scientists are problem solvers, technologists who use their knowledge and technical skills to operate and repair laboratory instruments, monitor quality control programs, produce high-quality patient test results and correlate test results with disease processes.

The primary goal of the Clinical Laboratory Science program is provide the community with competent, entry-level clinical laboratory scientists (medical technologists) who are prepared to meet the qualifications for certification in their profession.

While many scientists choose to work in hospital laboratories, others opt to develop new testing procedures in diagnostic and research laboratories. Scientists with leadership ability and administrative skills manage the laboratory operations. Those interested in computer technology use their laboratory knowledge and skills in the management of laboratory information systems. Others provide educational programs to prepare the scientists for the future. There are even opportunities for scientists to serve as self-employed consultants.

CLS Competencies

Upon completion of the CLS curriculum the student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate accurate application of mathematic principles in the clinical laboratory science domain of practice.
2. Demonstrate appropriate interpersonal and public speaking skills in the clinical and academic setting.
3. Demonstrate appropriate oral and written communication in the clinical and academic setting.
4. Demonstrate appropriate computer skills in the clinical and academic setting.
5. Demonstrate synthesis of information from primary and secondary sources using recognized research techniques.
6. Apply critical reading and writing strategies to evaluate, interpret and analyze non-fiction, academic and professional readings.
7. Demonstrate knowledge of quality assurance through application of quality control and required documents for regulatory compliance.
8. Correlate disease processes with appropriate assays for diagnosis.
9. Apply management principles in the clinical laboratory science domain of practice.
10. Collect specimen and determine criteria of acceptability and rejection.
11. Demonstrate ability to operate instrumentation, troubleshoot and document preventive maintenance.
12. Describe the theory and principle of operation of the test methodology for all areas of the clinical laboratory.
13. Perform appropriate assays with the ability and accuracy to determine the accuracy of results from interference substances.
14. Correctly perform appropriate manual procedures when necessary.
15. Apply knowledge of test limitations and select appropriate corrective action for out-of-limits situations.
16. Organize workflow to make efficient use of time and materials.
17. Differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate results. Recognize normal, abnormal and critical values and take appropriate action where necessary.

Selection Process

Applicants should begin the application process nine to 12 months prior to the year they expect to enter the program. Interviews for the upcoming class begin in November of the year prior to the August start date. Application and supporting documents for Seniors should be submitted by January 1, for Juniors on February 1. Students will be selected by mid-February for the August class.

Nonacademic Requirements

In addition to the nonacademic requirements listed in the Admission policy, students accepted into the Program must be able to do all of the following:

• Visually identify cellular components and micro-organisms using a microscope
• Discriminate and visually interpret reactions on slides, plates and test tubes
• Demonstrate the manual dexterity required to process specimens; operate, maintain and repair laboratory equipment; carry out all aspects of laboratory testing procedures
• Ambulate sufficiently to collect blood specimens from patients throughout the hospital in an established time frame
• Read, write and speak, demonstrating written and oral proficiency in the English language
• Communicate effectively in order to transmit information to faculty, fellow students, physicians and all members of the health care team

Requirements for Admission

Students seeking admission to the program may pursue a Bachelor of Science degree from M. D. Anderson with entry at the junior level. Senior students seeking a B.S. may enter at the senior level; however there are a limited number of positions available at this level.

Bachelor of Science Degree

Applicants to the Program of Clinical Laboratory Science must satisfy the following requirements for admission to the Bachelor of Science degree program:

All prerequisite coursework must be from a regionally accredited college or university.

The applicant must have satisfactorily completed all prerequisite courses listed prior to graduating. These courses must be lecture and laboratory courses acceptable toward a degree by majors in those fields and cannot be survey courses.

Each candidate for a baccalaureate degree must complete a minimum of 135 semester credit hours of course work. Within this requirement, students must complete the following at M. D. Anderson:

• At least 40 semester credit hours of advanced (3000/4000) course work
• At least 25% of the total semester credit hours required must be taken at M. D. Anderson

A minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale both overall and in science courses is required to be considered for admission.

Texas Success Initiative (TSI) - All applicants must provide proof of successful assessment of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). Applicants who have graduated with an associate or baccalaureate degree from an accredited Texas College or University are exempt from TSI. Proof of an applicant's readiness to enroll in college level coursework will be determined by the Registrar's Office based upon review of official transcripts from previously attended institutions.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Applicants from countries where English is not the native language may be required to take the TOEFL. Internet based TOEFL is now available and a total test score ranging from 74-78 with a minimum score of 18 in each section is required.

An early acceptance plan is available to qualified applicants who are seeking a baccalaureate degree. For more information, please see Early Acceptance Track.

Prerequisites for the two-year program: a minimum of 60 semester hours (SCH); one-year program students must have a minumum of 90 semester hours (SCH).

The following requirements must be met by all students:

Part A. The Texas Core Curriculum - 42 semester credit hours (SCH) that must include the following specific courses:

**Required Natural Sciences that can be used to fulfill the candidate's Texas Core Curriculum SCH:

• Biological Sciences: minimum 8 SCH, including Biology I & II OR Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II
  
  
• Chemistry: minimum 16 SCH, General Chemistry I & II (4 and 4), Organic Chemistry I (4) and Organic Chemistry II OR Biochemistry (3 or 4)

Applicants are evaluated on several factors. These include overall grade point average and science grade point average, verbal and written communication skills, personal interviews and letters of recommendation.

Students with a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university may receive a second baccalaureate degree from M. D. Anderson by meeting the requirements outlined above.

Advanced Placement

The School of Health Professions accepts and/or awards credit through the following examination programs:

• College level examination program of the College Board
• Comprehensive departmental examinations
• Regionally accredited military training programs

Recommendations from the School's academic departments are followed with regard to minimum score requirements, level of credit and amount of credit to be awarded. Program faculty are consulted to determine if credit recommendations equate to specific School of Health Professions (SHP) courses. The internal comprehensive departmental examination program provides a local means for establishing knowledge of SHP course content in areas not covered by the above examination program. Programs may elect to administer examinations that cover material specific to SHP courses with the results being reported to the Registrar.

Graduation

Graduation occurs mid August. Upon graduation, students are eligible to take the national certification exams given by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and the National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel, Inc. (NCA). These exams are given throughout the year. Please check with the program director for application deadlines.

Upon passing the certification examination(s), the student is considered a certified Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Medical Technologist). The awarding of the degree or certificate is not contingent upon a student passing a national certification examination.

Curriculum

The one and two-year Program of Clinical Laboratory Science is a highly intensive course of study composed of didactic and clinical training. Formal courses are presented in clinical hematology and hemostasis, clinical chemistry, clinical microscopy, microbiology, immunohematology, immunology, molecular diagnostics, human tissue typing and management.

This curriculum conforms to the standards published and monitored by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). For each course, students will receive classroom lectures, laboratory demonstrations and technical experience.

This course of study will provide the student with:

• Fundamental knowledge to enter the profession as a capable clinical laboratory scientist
• Highly specialized skills that will open an expansive horizon of career opportunities

The M. D. Anderson Program of Clinical Laboratory Science is accredited by the NAACLS, which is located at 5600 N. River Rd., Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018. The phone number is (773) 714-8880.

During the clinical phase of instruction, training and supervision are provided at leading clinical laboratories at sister medical institutions within the Texas Medical Center and beyond, in order that students may develop expertise in a variety of settings and experience the breadth of opportunity available to Clinical Laboratory Scientists.

Current Affiliations include:

• Children's Medical Center Dallas
• Conroe Regional Medical Center
• Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center
• St. Luke's Hospital in the Texas Medical Center
• St. Luke's Hospital in the Woodlands
• Texas Children's Hospital
• Laboratory Corporation of America
• Medical Clinic of Houston
• North Cypress Medical Center
• Quest Diagnostics

*For Incoming Seniors without these courses

Course Descriptions

CL 4131 Immunohematology Lab (1 semester credit hour)
Laboratory emphasizes hands-on instruction in basic blood bank techniques, resolution of compatibility problems and advanced antibody identification methods.
Corequisite: CL 4230

CL 4145 Hemostasis (1 semester credit hour)
An analysis of the mechanisms of hemostasis, the analytical techniques used to measure coagulation and the correlation of test results with hemostatic disorders. (Admission to Program)

CL 4146 Clinical Hemostasis (1 semester credit hour)
The study of manual and automated instrumentation used in a modern hematology laboratory.
Corequisite: CL 4145

CL 4220 Medical Microbiology (2 semester credit hours)
A comprehensive study of clinically important aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Course consists of both didactic and student laboratory sessions.This course has a Lab fee of $30.00.

CL 4221 Clinical Microbiology (2 semester credit hours)
Clinical laboratory study of the utilization of morphological biochemical and serological characteristics for microorganism identification.
Prerequisite: CL 4220

CL 4230 Immunohematology (2 semester credit hours)
An in-depth study of the basic principles of immunology, human blood group systems, blood group genetics and the theory and application of blood bank techniques. This course has a Lab fee of $30.00.

CL 4232 Clinical Immunohematology (2 semester credit hours)
Clinical laboratory study of the serodiagnostic studies of blood group identification and transfusion service procedures.
Prerequisite: CL 4131, 4230

CL 4250 Phlebotomy (2 semester credit hours)
This course emphasizes professional conduct and adherence to safety regulations and policies. Course includes practical experience in patient blood procurement by venipuncture and microcollection techniques.

CL 4260 Capstone Seminar (2 semester credit hours)
This course provides an integration of the information obtained by laboratory testing in the various laboratory disciplines.
Prerequisite: CL 4221, 4230, 4310, 4400

CL 4310 Applied Clinical Chemistry (3 semester credit hours)
Laboratory studies on body fluid changes related to pathological conditions. Operation, maintenance and problem-solving procedures on a wide range of instruments found in the clinical chemistry laboratory, including advanced techniques.

CL 4323 Miscellaneous Microbiology Part I (3 semester credit hours)
Course will discuss the clinically important fungi and their interaction with the human host and recognized species of mycobacteria that are known to cause disease in human hosts. In addition, this course will look at anaerobic bacteria. Student Laboratory demonstrations/practice will be a significant part of this course.

CL 4324 Miscellaneous Microbiology Part II (3 semester credit hours)
Study of protozoan, helminthic and arthropod parasites and clinically important viruses of medical significance in humans. In addition, the course includes a study of serological techniques such as agglutination, precipitation, enzyme immunoassay and Immunofluorescence. Student Laboratory demonstrations/practice will be a significant part of this course.
Prerequisite: CL 4323

CL 4343 Applied Clinical Hematology (3 semester credit hours)
Clinical laboratory study of blood cell counts and special procedures, using manual and automated methodology. Operation, maintenance and troubleshooting of the hematological high volume analyzers. Manual cell counting and morphological interpretation of blood and bone marrow cells.
Prerequisite: CL 4440

CL 4370 Advanced Studies (3 semester credit hours)
The study of some of the more esoteric areas of clinical laboratory. Topics include molecular diagnostic procedures utilizing recombinant DNA technology, Cytogenetics and bone marrow transplantation testing. This course has a Lab fee of $30.00.
Prerequisite: CL 4400, 4440

CL 4375 Research Project (3 semester credit hours)
An independent study that may be a case study analysis, laboratory test procedure evaluation, or investigation of a laboratory problem. This course has a Lab fee of $30.00.

CL 4540 Clinical Hematology (5 semester credit hours)
A comprehensive study of the formation of blood cells, functions of the hematopoietic system, related hematological disease and instrumentation and manual procedures to quantify and identify cells. Analysis of the maturation cell sequence in peripheral blood and the morphological characteristics of these cells. Flow cytometry will also be discussed. This course has a lab fee of $30.00.

CL 4500 Clinical Chemistry (5 semester credit hours)
A comprehensive study of the methods used to determine the chemical composition of body fluids. Study includes principles of analytical procedures and the correlation of test results with normal and abnormal physiological states. Additionally, the course will include the study of special chemistry techniques, including electrophoresis, radioimmunoassay, enzyme immunoassay and nephelometry. This course has a Lab fee of $30.00.

HS 3101 Basic Techiques Laboratory (1 semester credit hour)
An introduction to basic clinical laboratory skills common to all diagnostic programs. Emphasis on proper use of pipettors and micropipettors, sterile techniques, laboratory safety, chemical storage and proper waste disposal, calibration and use of balances, centrifuges and spectrophotometers, serial dilutions, making buffers from stocks, microscopy and slide making. (Admission to Program)

HS 3102 Molecular Techniques Laboratory (1 semester credit hour)
A study of the laboratory skills involved in transporting, preparing and reporting final results of specimens that include blood, bone marrow and solid tissue samples. The course will provide participants with hands-on laboratory experience in: performing molecular techniques such as DNA extraction, purification and quantification; preparing and viewing PCR products and DNA fingerprints via gel electrophoresis and bacterial transformation. (Admission to Program)

HS 3254 Immunohistochemistry (2 semester credit hours)
A comprehensive course that deals with the fundamentals of immunohistochemistry as applied to the theory and practical techniques in histopathology. The students acquire basic knowledge of how immunology is applied in the development of immunohistochemistry reagents and techniques. Emphasis will be placed on the clinical significance of diagnostic and prognostic indicators used in immunohistochemistry techniques. Troubleshooting and standardization of reagents are emphasized. (Admission to Program)

HS 3300 Clinical Immunology (3 semester credit hours)
This course focuses on the basic concepts in immunology. General properties of immune responses; cells and tissues of immune system; lymphocyte activation and specificity; effector mechanisms; immunity to microbes; immunodeficiency and AIDS; autoimmune diseases; transplantation. Course delivery a blend of lecture and on line, self-paced activities. . (Admission to Program)

HS 3320 Medical Genetics (3 semester credit hours)
A study of the role of genetics in medicine, mendelian genetics, multifactorial inheritance, DNA structure, chromosome structure, population genetics, mutation rates, ethnicity of disease and genetic mapping. A comprehensive review of the cell cycle, mitosis, meiosis and pedigree analysis is incorporated as well. . (Admission to Program)

HS 3330 Pathology of Body Fluids (3 semester credit hours)
A study of the anatomy and physiology of the kidney and the formation, elimination and composition of urine. Various body fluids (CSF, Synovial, Plural, Serous, etc.) will be study and associations made with various disease states. Interpretation of urinary and body fluids elements, chemical assays and the correlation with normal and abnormal physiology. Course delivery a blend of lecture and on line, self-paced activities. . (Admission to Program)

HS 3340 Research Seminar (3 semester credit hours)
An independent study that may be a case study analysis, laboratory test procedure evaluation, or investigation of a laboratory problem. This course has a Lab fee of $30.00.

HS 3410 Introduction to Diagnostic Sciences (4 semester credit hours)
This course is an introduction to medical terminology. Emphasis is on word roots, prefixes, suffixes, spelling and analysis of unfamiliar terms. Additional background information on the anatomy that relates to various body systems will be discussed. Included is a review of the principles of mathematics and statistics used in clinical laboratories. Course presentation includes introduction to the operation of a laboratory information system. Course delivery is on-line, interactive, self-paced. (Admission to Program)

HS 4100 Issues in Health Care Ethics (1 semester credit hour)
This course content is designed to establish a foundation and set parameters of professional practice for health care professionals. The emphasis will be on developing the background for the resolution of ethical dilemmas through ethical reasoning, ethical obligations in health professional-patient relationships and just allocation of scarce health care resources.

HS 4101 Diversity and Cultural Competence (1 semester credit hour)
This course content is designed to create an awareness of ethnocentrism and a beginning understanding of cultural similarities and diversity. It provides the student with knowledge of the concepts of cultural relativity, cultural integration and variation in cultural values, organization and institutions.

HS 4300 Pathophysiology (3 semester credit hours)
This course is designed to provide basic knowledge in pathophysiology in preparation for professional studies in the health sciences. Topic covered includes central concepts of pathophysiology of the cells and tissues and alterations on organs and systems with an emphasis on carcinogenesis. Appropriate diagnostic and treatment procedures are covered.

HS 4371 Management and Education (3 semester credit hours)
This course covers laboratory management and educational methodologies. It includes management and motivational theories, communication skills, regulatory and accreditation requirements, budget and strategic planning, curriculum design and examination instruction. Course delivery is on-line, interactive, self-paced.
Prerequisite: HS 4170

HS 4510 Medical Microbiology (5 semester credit hours)
Study of the utilization of morphological, biochemical, serological, disease inducing characteristics for microorganism, fungi, mycobacterium and virus identification. Course delivery a blend of lecture and on line, self-paced activities.