Welcome
UT Southwestern’s Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Medical Laboratory Sciences Program provides world-class training that prepares students for a career as an essential member of the healthcare team. At this time, the program is not accepting new applications.
Students in the medical laboratory sciences programs have these UT Southwestern advantages:
- Our program combines academic and clinical experiences for a comprehensive, well-rounded education.
- Our location on a large medical center campus offers outstanding opportunities within our hospitals, clinics, and academic community.
- We’re affiliated with Dallas’ top hospitals—ranked among the best in the nation: UT Southwestern University Hospital–St. Paul, Children’s Medical Center Dallas, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas VA Medical Center, Baylor University Medical Center, Medical Center of Plano, Medical City Dallas, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, and others.
- Our tuition and fee rates are among the most reasonable in the country.
- We’re located near the heart of Dallas, a thriving center for health care, business, education, and the arts.
As medical laboratory sciences professionals, our students deliver information that’s vital to diagnosing and treating disease. The opportunities in this exciting and rewarding field have never been better.
About Medical Laboratory Sciences
Medical laboratory sciences is a field of applied biology and chemistry that’s perfect for people interested in the life sciences and the delivery of health care services. A career in medical laboratory sciences is a great way to combine an aptitude for science with the desire to help others.
Medical laboratory scientists, also known as clinical laboratory scientists, are highly skilled professionals who perform analytical tests on blood, tissue, and body fluids to provide laboratory information for the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of human diseases. They’re also increasingly involved in wellness laboratory testing aimed at preventing disease.
For students who enjoy science and solving mysteries, the field of medical laboratory sciences may be a good fit. Most successful medical laboratory scientists are problem solvers who:
- Like a varied work environment.
- Enjoy challenges and taking personal responsibility.
- Concentrate on accuracy and attention to detail.
- Work well under pressure and are able to finish tasks.
- Set high personal standards and perform high quality work.
- Are committed to helping others perform.
Employment opportunities can be found in hospitals, clinics, research laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, forensic science laboratories, and environmental laboratories, to name a few. A career in medical laboratory sciences can also include positions in sales, product development, quality assurance, and education.
Medical Laboratory Sciences Today
According to 2008 data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 328,100 active medical/clinical laboratory technologists nationwide. The Bureau reports that medical/clinical laboratory technologists earned a median salary of $53,500 a year in 2008.
Outlook for Tomorrow
MSN Careers ranked medical sciences as one of the top five hot fields for hiring in 2011. And U.S. News & World Report highlighted medical laboratory sciences as one of the best health care career opportunities for the next decade. As new types of testing emerge and a growing, aging population needs more tests, job opportunities will be excellent. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that jobs for medical/clinical laboratory technologists and technicians will increase by 14 percent through 2018, significantly faster than the average for all occupations. Most jobs will continue to be in hospitals, but employment will also grow rapidly in other settings.
Additional Information
Here are more resources for information about medical laboratory sciences.
Professional Organizations
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
American Society for Clinical Pathology