There is currently a severe shortage of medical laboratory scientists in the United States. Start a career in the lab today.
What is a medical laboratory scientist?
Medical laboratory scientists (MLS) perform a full range of laboratory tests used by physicians to diagnose and treat disease. They work quickly and carefully to confirm the accuracy of test results and report laboratory findings to pathologists and patients' physicians.
As an MLS, you'll work with microscopes, complex electronic equipment, computers, and precision instruments to give clear and accurate reports to physicians. Up to 70 percent of physicians' decisions related to disease diagnosis and treatment are directly related to laboratory results, making you a vital part of a patient's medical team.
Responsibilities:
Medical laboratory scientists are usually responsible for the following items:
- Running tests and analyzing blood, urine, and tissue samples
- Using and maintaining critical equipment such as microscopes, cell counters, and other equipment
- Managing automated hardware and software to conduct multiple sample analysis
- Reporting and recording data from tests
Specializations:
Medical laboratory scientists can focus on one or more of the following types of testing:
- Blood Bank Collections
- Clinical Chemistry
- Cytotechnology
- Hematology
- Histotechnology
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
Growing career opportunities
+ 5 %
Estimated job growth
(2022 to 2032)
$ 57,380
Annual median pay
(May 2022)
24,000
estimated job openings in the next ten years
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2023)
How it works:
- Apply and enroll at the University of Iowa.*
- Complete two years of general education requirements on the University of Iowa campus. Second-year students apply to the MLS program.
- In year three: Once accepted into the MLS program, students apply to and begin the medical laboratory technician (MLT) program at the Kirkwood Regional Center at the University of Iowa campus in Coralville.**
- In year four:
- Complete your clinical rotations in various laboratory departments at the University of Iowa or other affiliated hospital lab locations.
- Receive your MLS degree from Carver College of Medicine and be eligible for the MLS (ASCP) exam.
Read the full plan of study here
More information for new and current students:
* Students may also begin their coursework in the Kirkwood Community College MLT program and still complete the MLS degree requirements.
** Student acceptance to the Kirkwood MLT program is based on clinical site placement availability.
In addition to the Kirkwood partnership described above, the University of Iowa (UI) also has a partnership with Mercy College of Health Science. In the Mercy College program, students start at the UI and finish at Mercy College in Des Moines. If you're interested in the Mercy College program, please read this page for more information.
Tour our facilities:
Program overview
In collaboration with Kirkwood, the Iowa MLS program offers a four-year bachelor’s degree program tailored to provide real-life hands-on experiences. Students start their educational journey at the University of Iowa to establish a strong foundational knowledge base, which they can apply in the technical courses at Kirkwood.
Following the completion of prerequisites at the University of Iowa, students transition to the technical training courses at Kirkwood which integrate online learning with hands-on laboratory and clinical site experiences. Classes are taught by skilled instructors with expertise in clinical laboratory science who are passionate and dedicated to fostering student learning and success.
Students acquire the entry-level skills to conduct, assess, verify validity and interpret a wide range of laboratory tests that are utilized in diagnosing and treating patients. These test results also play a critical role in maintaining patient health. Students also gain experience in problem-solving, directing and supervising laboratory resources and troubleshooting laboratory challenges as they arise. Graduates leave with the knowledge and skills needed to perform laboratory testing in all major areas currently practiced in the contemporary clinical laboratory setting including clinical chemistry, hematology and hemostasis, immunology, immunohematology and transfusion medicine, clinical microbiology, urine and body fluid analysis, quality assurance, laboratory management and operations.
Course listings are accurate as of June 24, 2024.
Medical Laboratory Scientist
School Year: 2024–28
For the academic year 2023–2024, the undergraduate tuition and fees at University of Iowa is $10,964 for Iowa residents and $32,927 for out-of-state students. This is tuition and fees per year without room and board.
Additional tuition and fee information
See also: Applying and Scholarship Information
| Graduation year | Graduation rate* | Certification pass rate** | Graduate placement rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2022 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2023 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
*Graduation Rate: The percentage of students completing the program who started the final half of the program, which is defined as the start of the fall semester in the second year of the professional part of the program.
**Certification Pass Rate: Percentage of students who pass the exam taken within 1 year of graduation.
Admission to the Medical Laboratory Science Program requires satisfactory grades in prerequisite course work and acceptance into a clinical program.
In order to apply to the MLS program, you'll need to do the following:
Read, sign and date the Essential and Technical Standards.
Complete the application for admission which requires:
Two references (one college science professor or teaching assistant and one former/current employer)
A one-page essay describing why you’ve chosen MLS as a career and your future plans as an MLS.
Learn more and download the Essential and Technical Standards, application and reference forms.
The University of Iowa Medical Laboratory Science program is currently seeking accreditation by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
NAACLS
5600 N. River Rd., Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018-5119
www.naacls.org
773-714-8880
Contact information
Kizer Friedley, MBA, MLS
Gabe Young, MLS
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/clinical-laboratory-technologists-and-technicians.htm (visited November 23, 2023).