Custom curriculum tracks combine hands-on clinical experience with courses in advanced evidence-based practice, health care management and research. While bench research opportunities are available to students, research assistantships are not offered as part of this program. The primary focus of this degree is preparation for advanced clinical practice.
Whether diagnosing the flu, developing new disease detection technology, or treating cancer, medical laboratory scientists are critical to patient care.
With a Master of Laboratory Science degree from UVM, you'll be prepared to go further, leading teams and collaborating on advances in this growing field.
Program Highlights
- Preparation for advanced clinical laboratory practice
- 96% placement rate within one year of graduating (3-year average)
- 89% American Society of Clinical Pathologists Certification exam pass rate (3-year average), well above the national average and 75% NAACLS benchmark.
- Experience in top clinical settings (rotations at UVM, Dartmouth, Yale, as well as other clinics)
- A capstone research project supervised by UVM faculty and clinical collaborators that advances in the field of medical laboratory science.
-
Alumni Spotlight: Lorrie Blais G '21
Lorrie Blais - public health microbiologist and a per diem medical technologist - is living a dream. By day she monitors quality control & performs food tests, and by night she works at a med center. Read more >>
- 1 of 2
- >>
Admission Requirements
We offer different tracks, depending on your academic preparation and past experience:
Track One is for applicants who are not certified in medical laboratory science. Application requirements include:
- B.S. or B.A. in one of the life sciences (or related field) from an accredited college or university
- Minimum overall GPA of 3.0
- Undergraduate and graduate transcripts
- General biology or anatomy and physiology (8 credits), general chemistry (8 credits), organic chemistry or biochemistry (4 credits), general microbiology with lab (4 credits), college level math (3 credits)
- TOEFL scores (international students)
- UVM Graduate College Application form
- GRE's not required
Track Two is for applicants already certified in medical laboratory science. Please note: this track is not currently accepting applications. Application requirements include:
- B.S. in Medical Laboratory Science or related field and ASCP certification in Medical Laboratory Science or ASCP certification-eligible.
- Minimum overall GPA of 3.0
- Undergraduate and graduate transcripts
- General biology or anatomy and physiology (8 credits), general chemistry (8 credits), organic chemistry or biochemistry (4 credits), general microbiology with lab (4 credits), college level math (3 credits)
- TOEFL scores (international students)
- UVM Graduate College Application form
- GRE not required
Accelerated Master's Option is for current undergraduates in the Medical Laboratory Science program. Please note: this track is not currently accepting applications. Application requirements include:
- Good standing as a current third-year medical laboratory science student
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Completion of the Graduate College Application
- Written personal statement
- Three letters of recommendation
- GRE not required
Curriculum
Coursework spans advanced evidence-based practice, health care management, as well as research. Each of our three tracks has its own curriculum. All students are required to complete a comprehensive exam that covers major topic areas of the medical laboratory science profession.
Track One, for students not certified in medical laboratory science comprises 67 credits total:
43 credits NAACLS-accredited courses
24 credits Advanced Practice courses
View Track One curriculum (PDF) >>
Upon successful completion of Track One, students will be eligible to take the ASCP Certification Exam. Graduation is NOT contingent on passing the certification exam. Some states require licensure. View state-by-state licensure requirements.
Track Two, for students already certified comprises 30 credits advanced practice courses. View Track Two curriculum (PDF) >>
MLS Accelerated Master's Program (AMP) offers select undergraduate students an opportunity to earn both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Medical Laboratory Science in five years.
View graduate student handbook (PDF) >>
View program graduation, certification exam, and employment data >>
Clinical and Research Opportunities
Clinical Internship
Students in the program who are not already certified in medical laboratory science gain experience by completing a required semester-long clinical internship at one of several University of Vermont Health Network hospitals as part of the core NAACLS-accredited program. Practicum sites have included:
- Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
- Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, Plattsburgh, NY
- Central Vermont Medical Center, Berlin, VT
- Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH
- Elliot Hospital, Manchester, NH
- Glens Falls Hospital, Glens Falls, NY
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- NorDx, Portland and Scarborough, ME
- Rutland Regional Medical Center, Rutland, VT
- St. Peter’s Hospital, Albany, NY
- University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT
- Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT
Note: Clinical affiliations subject to change.
Research Capstone
All students in the program complete a three-course research method and design series that culminates with a capstone project—relevant, evidence-based research aimed at advancing the field of medical laboratory science. Students are guided by supervising faculty and collaborating clinical affiliate partners.
Hannah (Annie) Bovee G’22
- Conducted a clinical study to verify the performance of a molecular-based assay test for Vaginitis/Vaginosis, with supervision from UVM clinical affiliates. Annie’s study led to implementation of the Molecular Vaginitis/Vaginosis test at UVMMC; her capstone project was also presented at the UVM CNHS Ziegler Forum.
Lorrie Blais G’21
- Worked with commensal gut bacteria to identify bacterial molecules that can influence the host immune response in autoimmune disease
- Wrote a comprehensive review article that was focused on summarizing the current scientific literature on gut bacterial therapy for the autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis, which was published in a high impact journal: Blais, L. L., Montgomery, T. L., Amiel, E., Deming, P. B., & Krementsov, D. N. (2021). Probiotic and commensal gut microbial therapies in multiple sclerosis and its animal models: a comprehensive review. Gut microbes, 13(1), 1943289.
Virtual Info Sessions
- January 25, 5 PM EST
Email cnhsgrad@uvm.edu with the date of the session you’d like to attend.
Accreditation
The Medical Laboratory Science Program, Clinical Laboratory Science Concentration at the University of Vermont has been re-accredited for the period April 30, 2022 - April 30, 2032 by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science, 5600 N. River Rd., Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018-5119; (773) 714-8880.