Clinical laboratory scientists receive training in the following areas: clinical chemistry, the study of chemical reactions that occur in normal and diseased processes; hematology, the study of the cellular elements of the blood and blood-forming tissues; microbiology, the study of microbiological aspects of infectious disease, and the isolation and identification of pathogenic bacteria; immunohematology, the application of theory and principles of blood banking, cell typing, compatibility testing and antibody identification; and immunology, the study of the immune system and the serological and molecular techniques used for diagnosing infectious disease. With the rapid advancement of knowledge in the field of laboratory medicine, there is a growing need for highly skilled and knowledgeable clinical laboratory scientists. Employment is found in hospitals; physicians’ offices; research facilities; molecular diagnostic, biotechnology and public health laboratories; industrial quality control; veterinary clinics; and sales and service of health care equipment. In addition to the technical arena, opportunities as managers or consultants exist for graduates of this program.

Upon graduation the student is eligible to take the national examinations for MT/CLS given by the Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology and the National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel Inc.

Admissions information
For information on admission requirements for this program, please visit www.sahp.vcu.edu/cls/admissions.htm.