Undergraduate Degree
	BS in Clinical Laboratory Sciences 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 to help 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
• Admission
• 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 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 top sites for CLS education in the country.

Our graduates daily 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.

A partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, launched in 2007, offers a new model for CLS education. In this curriculum, students 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, students 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 provides long-term, patient-centered educational opportunities and firsthand experience working with specimens from patients with a wide variety of illnesses. Students are challenged to integrate their knowledge of biological chemical principles, epidemiological data, and their understanding of technical procedures to determine and communicate the clinical significance of laboratory findings.

Through this partnership, students receive academic credit and a bachelor’s degree through The University of Iowa and a CLS certificate from 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 and enter the workforce well prepared to fill a vital role in health care delivery.

Course Work
The first three years of course work provide a strong foundation in biology and chemistry. During their senior year (called the clinical year), students study how lab tests are best applied to diagnose and monitor human disease. Students 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
Application for admission to the clinical year usually occurs early in the fall semester of the junior year. Students submit an application, official transcripts from all colleges attended, a short essay, and three reference forms.

Before enrollment in the clinical year, all prerequisite course work must be completed, including:

• 16 semester hours (s.h.) of biological sciences, including Principles of Biology, microbiology, genetics, and immunology
• 16 s.h. of chemistry, including Principles of Chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry
• Mathematics through the precalculus level
• Statistics

Not required, but highly recommended, are courses in human physiology, pathogenic microbiology, parasitology, ethics, writing, anatomy, and research design and methodology.

Applicants must have a minimum 2.70 grade-point average in science courses and no grade lower than a C- in all prerequisite courses. All science courses must have been completed within the past seven years. Also, UI Carver College of Medicine bachelor's degree course and residency requirements must be completed.

Careers
The demand for clinical laboratory scientists is much greater than the number of new graduates available to fill the positions. Graduates have many employment options across the country. They consistently find employment in the field before, or very soon after, graduation. Starting salaries are $33,000 to $42,000 or more, depending on shift differentials, bonuses, and location.

There are many opportunities for advancement in 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 a health care team, 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.