Introduction
The Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) program relies heavily on the natural sciences to provide a bachelor's degree that is appropriate for students interested in dynamic careers in places such as hospital labs and clinics, forensic labs, veterinary clinics, industrial research labs, and biotechnology labs. The curriculum is heavily science-based, drawing upon the expertise from faculty members in Chemistry and Biology to provide the necessary foundation for a CLS student.
A degree in Clinical Laboratory Science provides pathways to a wide variety of career opportunities, and the demand for clinical laboratory scientists is positive. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects this field to grow by seven percent between 2021-2031. The volume of laboratory tests continues to increase with both population growth and the development of new types of tests. The field of Clinical Laboratory Science has evolved, and with the appearance of sophisticated automated analytical instruments, clinical laboratory scientists find themselves using critical thinking skills to evaluate the validity of data to be used by healthcare providers in treating patients.
Graduates from the Clinical Laboratory Science program must successfully complete a national certification examination that grants them the credentials of a medical laboratory scientist (formerly medical technologist) to work as a credentialed CLS practitioner. The CLS degree can also be used as a gateway to graduate or professional schools, including UE’s Master of Physician Assistant Science degree.