MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCES at Purdue University

Medical Laboratory Science is a branch of health sciences concerned with the performance an analysis of clinical tests on patient tissues, blood and other body fluids. These disease detectives play a critical role in the patient care team by providing vital information concerning the accurate diagnosis and treatment of disease. Working with physicians, nurses, and researchers, individuals in this profession apply their clinical knowledge and critical thinking skills daily to aid in the promotion of patient health through timely diagnosis, tailored treatment, and intervention.

Yet graduates of this program are not limited to working only in hospitals, due to their unique clinical training and very technical skillset these professionals can attain employment in diverse work environments spanning research, industry, and beyond. As a result, these graduates are always in demand, thus leading to a career full of perpetual growth, advancement, and opportunities.

The Health Sciences curriculum is structured so that students study for three years on the Purdue campus and one year at an affiliated NAACLS accredited clinical program of medical laboratory sciences. This 3+1 program allows students to complete, by the end of their junior year, the coursework required for admission to a hospital-based training program for their senior year. This structure allows our students to not only complete their undergraduate degree, but acquire the clinical training required to work in this highly technical profession and attain national board certification in advance of their graduation. In recent years, our clinical placement rate for students in the program has been ~100% as compared to the ~50% national average experienced by other like programs. The curriculum also fulfills the requirements for admission to most professional programs, all while ensuring employment post-graduation. The fourth year offers combined classroom and laboratory studies that provide experience in clinical chemistry, hematology, microbiology, serology, histology, urinalysis, parasitology, and instrumentation and management.

Careers in Medical Laboratory Sciences

The employment rate for graduates of Medical Laboratory Sciences is constantly at, or near, 100%. The only deviation comes with those program graduates attaining admission to further professional programs like medical school or physician assistant school.

• Biological Research Technologist
• Clinical Laboratory Scientist
• Clinical Laboratory Technologist
• Forensic Laboratory Scientist/Technician
• Medical Laboratory Scientist
• Medical Laboratory Technologist
• Medical Research Technologist