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Medical Laboratory Science Program

FACULTY COORDINATING COMMITTEE  Bennett (Health Professions Advising Center), Campbell (Chemistry and Biochemistry), Morris (Biology), Stover (Biology), Fry (Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chair)

ADJUNCT FACULTY Affiliate Instructors Carlson and Wallace.

Medical Laboratory Science is an inter-departmental major jointly sponsored by Department of Biology and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The objective of the program is to provide the student with the appropriate background for admission to an accredited medical laboratory science hospital program. Students electing the Medical Laboratory Science program will be assigned an advisor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and must complete either the Clinical or General concentrations to fulfill the program requirements.

Students must submit a petition to advance to candidacy in the program following completion of Introduction to Medical Laboratory Science (CHM122), Statistics (MTH111), Molecules to Cells and its associated laboratory (BIO151 and BIO152), Anatomy and Physiology II and its associated laboratory (BIO232 and BIO233), and Organic Chemistry II and its associated laboratory (CHM252 and CHM253) with a C or better. Majors who are eligible for the Clinical concentration complete a 3 + 1 program in which the student normally spends the first three years completing University course work necessary to fulfill general requirements for a bachelor’s degree and the fourth year in an affiliated hospital medical laboratory science program. Advancement to candidacy in the Medical Laboratory Science-Clinical concentration requires 3.0 for cumulative gpa and science gpa at 60 hrs of coursework completed. Students in this concentration traditionally apply to one or more of the affiliated hospital practicum programs* by December 1st of their junior year. Admission to the clinical practicum is competitive and determined by a selection committee external to Bradley. Continuation in the Clinical concentration of the Medical Laboratory Science program is contingent upon acceptance into an affiliated hospital clinical practicum. After successful completion of a clinical practicum, the student will be granted a bachelor’s degree from Bradley. Upon receipt of the B.S., graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification exams in Medical Laboratory Science.

Students who are not selected for a senior year clinical practicum are eligible to transition into the Medical Laboratory Science-General concentration. In addition, students may elect the General concentration instead of the Clinical concentration to fulfill the Medical Laboratory Science program requirements. After successful completion of the General concentration coursework and all University requirements, the student will be granted a bachelor’s degree from Bradley. 

Students may also opt for a 4+1 program by completing a four-year degree at the University to allow them to apply to any accredited medical laboratory science clinical practicum in the nation. Majors in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Medical Laboratory Science-General concentration or the Liberal Arts and Sciences Individualized Major program are the most suitable for this program. Upon receipt of the baccalaureate degree and successful completion of the hospital clinical practicum, graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification exams in Medical Laboratory Science.

Students desiring a major in medical laboratory science will be required to complete a minimum of 47 hours of science and math courses distributed as follows: 19 hours of biology, 25 hours of chemistry, and 3 hours of elementary statistics. Descriptions of biology, chemistry, and math courses required for the degree in medical laboratory science are listed under regular departmental offerings. These requirements are met by taking the following courses:

  • BIO 151 Molecules to Cells - 3 hrs.
  • BIO 152 Molecules to Cells Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • BIO 230 Human Anatomy and Physiology I - 3 hrs.
  • BIO 232 Human Anatomy and Physiology II - 3 hrs.
  • BIO 231 Human Anatomy and Physiology I Lab - 1 hr.
  • BIO 233 Human Anatomy and Physiology II Lab - 1 hr.
  • BIO 406 General Microbiology - 4 hrs.
  • BIO 468 Immunology of Host Defense – 3–4 hrs.
    19-20 hours

  • CHM 122 Introduction to Medical Laboratory Science - 1 hr.
  • CHM 110, 111 General Chemistry I  - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 116, 117 General Chemistry II  - 5 hrs.
  • CHM 252 and 253 Organic Chemistry - 5 hrs.
  • CHM 256 and 257 Organic Chemistry II - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 360 and 361 Biochemistry - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 422 Clinical Chemistry - 2 hrs.
    25 hours
  • MTH 111 Elem. Statistics - 3 hrs.

Required math and science hours (minimum) in the Medical Laboratory Science major- 47 hrs.

In addition, majors must complete either the Clinical (32 hrs) or General (21 to 22 hrs) concentrations

Total required math and science hours (minimum) in the Medical Laboratory Science program – 68 to 79 hrs.

Note: Those students who have not attained an overall grade point average and a science gpa of at least 3.0 after completion of 60 semester hours will complete the General concentration to fulfill the major requirement.

The following schedule of courses is suggested for the first year.

First Semester

  • CHM 110 General Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • CHM 111 General Chemistry Lab - 1 hr.
  • MTH 111 Elementary Statistics - 3 hrs.
  • ENG 101 English Composition or COM 103 The Oral Communication Process. - 3 hrs.
  • Core Curriculum Electives - 6 hrs.

                    16 hrs.

Second Semester

  • BIO 151 Molecules to Cells - 3 hrs.
  • BIO 152 Molecules to Cells Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 116 General Chemistry II - 4 hrs.
  • CHM 117 General Chemistry II Lab - 1 hr.
  • CHM 122 Introduction to Medical Lab Science - 1 hr.
  • COM 103 The Oral Communication Process or ENG 101 English Composition. - 3 hrs.
  • Core Curriculum Elective - 3 hrs.

                    16 hrs.

The hours required for a major in Medical Laboratory Science are distributed as follows:

Biology – 19 to 20 hrs.

Chemistry - 25 hrs.

Statistics - 3 hrs.

English - 6 hrs.

Speech Communication - 3 hrs.

Core Curriculum Electives– 21 hrs.

Concentration (Clinical or General)-21 to 32 hrs.

Total (minimum) – 124 hrs.

Clinical Concentration

Students in the Clinical concentration of the Medical Laboratory Science program must successfully complete the 32 hours off-campus Clinical Practicum (OCP388) at one of the affiliated hospital programs. The clinical year will include the following courses taken at an affiliated hospital program. The student registers at Bradley for OCP 388. A one-time fee of $100 is charged for OCP 388.

Clinical Chemistry I 4-6 hrs.

Theory and practice of analytical biochemistry as applied to pathologic states, methodology, and instrumentation. Statistics as applied to reagent preparation, result determination, and quality control.

Clinical Chemistry II 2-4 hrs.
Theory and practice of analytical biochemistry as applied to specialized tests for drugs, endocrine function, and urine and body fluid analysis.

Clinical Hematology 5 hrs.
Study of the origin, development, morphology, physiology, and pathophysiology of the formed elements of the blood and bone marrow. Manual and automated methods of cell counting, differentiation, and other special hematological procedures on blood and body fluids used in disease diagnosis are included.

Clinical Hemostasis 1 hr.
Study of the platelet, vascular, coagulation, and fibrinolytic systems. Testing procedures and the application of the principles of hemostasis as related to disease states and therapeutic monitoring are also included.

Clinical Immunohematology 4 hrs.
Study of red cell antigen-antibody systems, antibody screening and identification, compatibility testing, and immunopathologic conditions. Also included are donor requirements and blood component preparation and therapy.

Clinical Immunology 3 hrs.
Study of the principles of the protective and adversive aspects of the cellular and humoral immune responses. Theory and performance of test procedures based on antigen-antibody reactions and clinical significance of test results are included.

Clinical Microbiology I 4-6 hrs.
Theory and practice of the isolation and identification of pathogenic bacteria and mycobacteria in clinical specimens through cultures, morphology, biochemical, and/or serological reactions and their drug susceptibility. The relation of clinical testing to disease states is also included.

Clinical Microbiology II 2-4 hrs.
Theory and practice of the isolation and identification of fungi, parasites, rickettsia, and viruses utilizing morphological, cultural, biochemical, and serologic methods. The relation of clinical testing to disease states and epidemiology as it applied to microbiology is also included.

Special Topics in Clinical Laboratory Science 1 hr.
An overview of medical ethics, patient approach, the theory and practice of phlebotomy techniques, laboratory safety, applications of laboratory computer systems, and independent clinical research and development.

Clinical Management and Education 1 hr.
A basic introduction to the principles and theory of management and education as related to the clinical laboratory. The special job responsibilities of the medical laboratory scientist in management and education are addressed.

General Concentration

Students in the General concentration must complete 20 to 21 additional science hours as delineated below;

  • CHM 326 Analytical Chemistry-4 hrs.
  • CHM 380 Seminar I in Chem and Biochem- 1 hr.
  • CHM 480 Senior Seminar in Chemistry and Biochemistry - 1 hr.
  • CHM 420 Instrumental Analysis-4 hrs.
  • CHM 416 Environmental Chemistry or BIO 420 Ecosystem Ecology 3 or 4 hrs.
  • BIO 251 and BIO 252 Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity- 4 hrs.
  • PHY 107 Physics I- 4 hrs.

This is the official catalog for the 2021-2022 academic year. This catalog serves as a contract between a student and Bradley University. Should changes in a program of study become necessary prior to the next academic year every effort will be made to keep students advised of any such changes via the Dean of the College or Chair of the Department concerned, the Registrar's Office, u.Achieve degree audit system, and the Schedule of Classes. It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of the current program and graduation requirements for particular degree programs.