Clinical Laboratory Science

Clinical Laboratory Science is a dynamic medical profession at the forefront of medical science discovery. It is a profession dedicated to providing information used to prevent, diagnose and treat disease.  

Ohio Northern University, Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences, offers both a Baccalaureate Degree and a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Laboratory Science.  A sample curriculum can be viewed here.

Clinical Laboratory Scientists, also known as Medical Technologists, play pivotal roles in the dynamically changing healthcare arena. They are medical investigators, performing sophisticated analyses using state-of-the-art instrumentation to generate accurate test results. As medical professionals, clinical laboratory scientists are involved in all phases of sample analysis, direct and supervise laboratory operations, as well as, collaborate in the diagnosis, care and treatment of patients.

CLS professionals work in a variety of areas and environments including but not limited to:

• Hospitals, analyzing blood, body fluids and tissues for drugs, proteins and other biological substances. Test results are used to diagnose, prognose, and treat disease.
• Community Blood Centers, performing tests and preparing blood, blood products and other tissues for transfusion and transplantation.
• Medical Research Centers investigating diseases of the blood like leukemia and conducting research to determine the cause of bleeding and clotting conditions such as hemophilia.
• Public Health Laboratories like CDC, collecting data about infectious diseases like AIDS and Hepatitis to determine the source of and appropriate therapy to treat disease outbreaks

MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the West Central Ohio Clinical Laboratory Science Program is to educate students in the clinical laboratory sciences, preparing them to practice as ethical and competent professionals, and enabling them to meet whatever job-related challenges arise now and in the future.

PROGRAM GOALS
The program goals of the West Central Ohio Clinical Laboratory Science Program are to:

• Build and sustain a Clinical Laboratory Science curriculum that meets current and emergent knowledge/skill needs of students.
• Identify and partner with affiliates in providing clinical laboratory science education opportunities.
• Provide a learning experience rich in opportunities that maximize a student's potential to attain entry-level clinical laboratory scientist competencies.
• Graduate knowledgeable, skillful and ethically demonstrative clinical laboratory scientists for the under served areas of Ohio and national regions of need.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of clinical laboratory science pedagogy and growth of the profession.