Curriculum, Faculty, and Program Outcomes

Curriculum

The curriculum is designed to provide the student with both theoretical and practical laboratory experience and skills, as well as appropriate attitudes needed to perform competently as entry level medical laboratory scientists. Our curriculum is a structured educational experience which consists of lectures, reading assignments, examinations, and medical laboratory experience. While credits are determined by the student's college, provided below is a suggested list. The areas of clinical experiences and suggested credits are:

• Chemistry – analysis of human fluids for diagnostic purposes and supportive medical care; 8 credits
• Urinalysis – study of the chemical and microscopic elements of urine; 2 credits
• Coagulation – study of systems involved in the coagulation of blood, detection of deficiencies in those systems, and control of anticoagulant therapies; 2 credits
• Hematology – the study of the origin, development, normal, and abnormal morphology, functions, and reaction of blood cells; 4 credits
• Immunohematology – study of processing, storage, and administration of human blood and its components (also called Transfusion Services); 4 credits
• Microbiology – study of pathogenic bacteria, mycobacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi, their rapid and exact identification, and antibiotic susceptibilities; 8 credits
• Serology – in vitro study of antigen-antibody interactions; science of immunity and study of the in-vitro development of antibody against specific foreign antigen; 4 credits
• Clinical Seminar – Orientation to the Medical Laboratory, Phlebotomy, Medical Terminology,  lectures and activities in Education, Laboratory Computerization, Management, Laboratory Safety, Continuous Quality Improvement , Total Quality Management (CQI & TQM), medical ethics, professionalism, cultural diversity and other relevant topics; 3 credits
• Anatomic Pathology—students spend time in Cytology, Histology and Pathology as an enrichment experience. The brief overview of basic techniques associated with these departments affords the students the ability to see how the clinical and anatomic laboratories equally contribute to the care of the patient. 1 credit

Students successfully completing this one-year program receive a certificate from the Reading Hospital School of Medical Laboratory Science and are eligible and prepared to sit for the certifying examination offered by the Board of Certification of the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). Graduates of the program are highly marketable and have experienced 100% relevant job placement within six months of graduation. Most graduates have gained employment in hospital laboratories. Others have been employed by private laboratories, pharmaceutical laboratories, and reference laboratories.

Essential Functions for the Medical Laboratory Scientist are located on the student application.

Program Outcomes

Program Faculty

Members of the faculty are pathologists, department supervisors, and clinical laboratory scientists from the Hospital’s Medical Laboratory.