Pre-Medical Laboratory Science

Steps you should be taking in your first year at Boise State:

1. Attend Orientation
2. Required Advising Appointment
3. Start Major Exploration
4. Start Exploring Schools
5. Consider taking the courses listed to the right in your first year

The courses listed on the tables are meant as a guide for students to start completing the requirements to apply to Medical Lab Science programs in the U.S. Students should meet regularly with their academic and pre-health advisors to ensure progress.

Steps you should consider taking during your second year at Boise State:

1. Find Volunteer/Community Service Opportunities
2. Start Networking
3. Student Involvement and getting to know your advisors and instructors (especially science)

The courses listed on the tables are meant as a guide for students to start completing the requirements to apply to Medical Lab Science programs in the U.S. Students should meet regularly with their academic and pre-health advisors to ensure progress.

Steps you should consider taking during your second year at Boise State:

1. Find Volunteer/Community Service Opportunities
2. Start Networking
3. Student Involvement and getting to know your advisors and instructors (especially science)

The courses listed on the tables are meant as a guide for students to start completing the requirements to apply to Medical Lab Science programs in the U.S. Students should meet regularly with their academic and pre-health advisors to ensure progress.

Steps you should consider taking during your fourth year at Boise State:

1. Start Practicing for Interviews
2. Continue Gaining Experiences
3. Start the Application

Helpful Links

• American Medical Technologists
• The American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
• American Society for Clinical Pathology

How to become a Medical Lab Science Professional

To become a certified medical laboratory science professional, candidates must have:

1. Graduated from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science, or graduated with a bachelor’s degree with a major in one of the biological or chemical sciences and completed at least one year of approved laboratory experience.
2. Completed at least 90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours in an accredited college. These credits can include junior college credit and must consist of 40 semester hours or 60 quarter hours in those disciplines that comprise medical laboratory science. Also, an applicant must complete at least one year of approved laboratory experience. This route is valid only if the program awarded a baccalaureate degree or if the individual has otherwise earned a B.S. degree.

A criterion for admission to many professional schools in medical laboratory science is a Bachelor of Science degree. The Bachelor of Science degrees in Health Studies and Biology (Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Emphasis) usually satisfy this requirement. Other medical laboratory science programs have specific prerequisite requirements but do not require a bachelor’s degree before admission. The only Medical Laboratory Science program within Idaho is located at Idaho State University (Programs are located at their Meridian or Pocatello Campus). Idaho State strongly recommends that applicants earn a bachelor’s degree in a related science area (Biology/Microbiology/Health Science Studies) before entry into their program.

Although prerequisite requirements vary for each medical laboratory science program, common prerequisite coursework may include:

• General Biology
• Human Anatomy and Physiology
• Microbiology
• Cell Biology
• Genetics
• Immunology
• Pathophysiology
• General Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry

Other beneficial electives could be but are not limited to Biochemistry, Pathogenic Bacteriology, Parasitology, Histology, Quantitative Analysis, and Statistics.

Career Exploration Tools

• Exploring Medical Lab Technologists
• Read about Medical Laboratory Technologists

FAQ’s

Is a bachelor’s degree required to enter a Medical Lab Science program?
A: Not necessarily. It is highly recommended and often required by most programs not all require that you have a bachelor’s degree before entering. However, they will have other requirements that you must adhere to, and you will want to pay close attention to what those are. ISU in Pocatello and Meridian, Idaho, would like you to have your bachelor’s but does not require it. However, you must come with your Associate’s degree and 84 credits total.

Is there an admissions test for MLS programs?
A: If it’s the bachelor’s degree level, there will likely not be an entrance exam.  However, if you are applying to a graduate-level program, you may be required to take the GRE.

What kind of jobs can I get with an MLS degree?
A: There are many jobs for someone with an MLS degree that go beyond what one typically thinks (hospitals). MLS majors can be found in research and development facilities, as insurance underwriters, in forensic medicine and science, in medical product sales and testing, and food, cosmetics, and other consumer products testing labs.