Medical Laboratory Science

Certification is a voluntary process; however, most employers prefer to hire certified practitioners. After graduation, graduates of the Thomas University BS in Medical Laboratory Science are eligible to sit for exams to certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist. Certification is not licensure, however, there are currently 10 states and 1 territory with laboratory personnel licensure requirements (California, Hawaii, Florida, New York, North Dakota, Louisiana, Nevada, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Montana). Puerto Rico also has licensure. The components of the law vary state-to-state, but usually includes an annual licensing fee (some are bi-annual), national certification, a provision for continuing education, a minimum education, and professional competency requirements.

Completion of the TU BS in Medical Laboratory Science does not guarantee that a graduate will meet a state’s educational requirements for licensure. If a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) plans to locate in a state with licensure, that state should be contacted for specific information relative to that state’s laboratory practice act. This contact should be made as early as possible after the location decision has been made.

Check with other states regarding reciprocity; most give reciprocity for another state license as stringent or more stringent than that state. Please review the document below for specific information

MLS Certification and Resources

The 2+2 Medical Laboratory Science program is an online bridge program designed for the medical laboratory technician who has previously earned an associate degree from a NAACLS-accredited MLT/CLT program and holds current MLT certification. Students must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher to be admitted to the program. Students are accepted each semester. Once accepted, students begin a structured curriculum of online courses and competency-based clinical experiences. Students graduating with the B.S. degree in Medical Laboratory Science from Thomas University will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination at the Medical Laboratory Scientist level.