Major
	Clinical Laboratory Sciences (BS) from the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
Four-year Graduation Plan
	Yes
Competitive Admission
	10-15 students per year
Links
	Web Site Courses General Catalog

Clinical laboratory scientists perform sophisticated laboratory tests used by physicians to diagnose and treat disease. They manage all aspects of the lab to rapidly produce the reliable data needed for helping patients.

Clinical laboratory scientists can culture and identify bacteria causing a case of pneumonia, type and screen blood from an accident victim, report protein levels to the emergency room, and identify white blood cells in a leukemia patient. They also can evaluate a new method to detect cocaine metabolites in urine, detect muscular dystrophy genes by molecular methods, and perform hundreds of other lab tests.

• Why Study Clinical Laboratory Sciences at Iowa?
• Course Work
• Careers
• Scholarships

Why Study Clinical Laboratory Sciences at Iowa?
Clinical laboratory sciences (CLS) students at The University of Iowa have achieved great success on national certification exams and in the workplace. During the past five years, 85 percent of enrolled students successfully completed the program and 100 percent of the program’s graduates passed a national certification exam on their first attempt. Certification exam mean scores and pass rates consistently place The University of Iowa among the nation's top sites for CLS education.

CLS graduates make a significant, positive impact on the health of innumerable patients throughout Iowa, and many of them have gone on to leadership positions in the profession statewide and across the nation.

Iowa's CLS major is offered through a partnership between the University's Carver College of Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Nebraska’s program is fully accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences. Graduates are eligible for national certification.

As a CLS major, you'll spend an 11-week summer session in lectures and instructional laboratories learning the basic knowledge and skills used in all areas of laboratory diagnosis. During the fall and spring semesters, you'll work one-on-one with laboratory professionals in the clinical laboratories of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center while completing additional web-based course work.

This curriculum will give you patient-centered educational opportunities and firsthand experience working with specimens from patients who have a wide variety of illnesses. You'll be challenged to integrate your knowledge of biological and chemical principles and epidemiological data with your understanding of technical procedures to determine and communicate the clinical significance of laboratory findings.

Course Work
Students majoring in clinical laboratory sciences earn a Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Iowa that requires a minimum of 131 semester hours (s.h.) of credit. They also earn a CLS certificate from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

During your first three years, you'll acquire a strong foundation in biology and chemistry. During your senior year (called the clinical year), you'll study how lab tests are best applied to diagnose and monitor human disease. You'll work with clinical laboratory scientists in hospital laboratories to apply knowledge and skills in hematology, clinical chemistry, microbiology, immunohematology, immunology, molecular diagnostics, research, and laboratory management.

Admission to the Clinical Year

Students usually apply for admission to the clinical year early in the fall semester of their junior year. You'll submit an application, official transcripts from all colleges you've attended, a short essay, and three reference forms.

Before enrolling in the clinical year, you must complete all prerequisite course work, which includes biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry with lab, microbiology with lab, genetics, immunology, math through precalculus, statistics, English, and public speaking/oral communication.

You also must satisfy all requirements of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program.

You must have a grade-point average of at least 2.70 in science courses and no grade lower than a C-minus in all prerequisite work. All of your science courses must have been completed within the past seven years. Also, you must satisfy the Carver College of Medicine residency requirements.

For More Details

See Clinical Laboratory Sciences in the UI General Catalog to learn more about the major.

Careers
The demand for clinical laboratory scientists is much greater than the number of people qualified to fill the positions, so CLS graduates have numerous employment options nationwide. They consistently find employment before or very soon after graduation. Starting salaries are $33,000 to $42,000 or more, depending on shift differentials, bonuses, and location.

Opportunities for advancement include positions such as lab manager, computer specialist, technical specialist, or sales representative. An advanced degree in basic sciences, medicine, hospital administration, or business can expand your earning potential.

Graduates often enjoy diverse work environments, including labs in hospitals, research institutions, public health facilities, forensic units, or pharmaceutical companies. They also have an impact in the field as integral members of health care teams, providing information essential for the treatment and prevention of disease.

Scholarships
Consult multiple sources for scholarship information, including the Office of Admissions, the Office of Student Financial Aid, and departmental web sites.