DEPARTMENT
Clinical laboratory practitioners perform laboratory testing vital to the detection, differential diagnosis, treatment, and study of disease and health maintenance.
The Weber State University programs utilize a career ladder concept in curriculum planning and educational preparation. The campus-based four-year program offers a BS degree in an integrated setting where students complete their degree in a structure that does not require extended formalized external clinical instruction.
The Online-program offers registered Clinical Laboratory Technicians (CLT) and Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLT) an opportunity to complete a bachelor's degree in clinical laboratory sciences within their own clinical setting utilizing varied instructional learning approaches including technology-assisted learning and customized preceptorships. The Online BS program is offered nationally in conjunction with the university's Division of Continuing Education.
The two-year technician AAS degree is also an integrated campus-based program and allows the graduate to take the national certification examinations after two years.
The WSU Clinical Laboratory Sciences Online-program offers the employees of clinical laboratories an opportunity to complete an AAS degree in clinical laboratory sciences. Graduates of the program are eligible to take national exams to become certified as clinical laboratory technicians (CLT) or medical laboratory technicians (MLT). Students admitted to the online AAS degree program are expected to meet the same department requirements, policies, and outcomes as the on-campus students. Laboratory competencies will be met at the students' respective work facilities. Please refer to the Employer Support Information on the CLS Department web site, weber.edu/cls.
Both the BS and AAS programs are accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). As such, graduates are eligible for several options for national certification including ASCP and NCA.
To meet the need for clinical laboratory competencies in a rapidly changing health care system, the CLS program offers an intensive Certificate Program, which provides applied core clinical laboratory skills required primarily for testing performed in physician office labs (POL's) and other decentralized testing sites. These sites mostly perform waived or moderately complex testing as defined within the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1988 (CLIA 88). The latter program is offered during Summer Semester at times that are compatible with individuals working full time during the day.
Students must have completed an AAS degree in Clinical Laboratory Sciences and/or be CLT certified, meet with a CLS faculty advisor and submit an application complete with a non-refundable $20 fee by May 1st of the year they wish to enter the program.
Students must meet with a CLS faculty advisor, complete the pre-application courses listed in the Admissions Requirements and make application to the program by May 1st of the year they wish to enter the program. There is a $20 non-refundable application fee for the program.
The program is offered to individuals employed in the health care desiring a core of clinical laboratory skills. The program is designed to encourage medical assistants, phlebotomists, certified nursing practitioners and similar health care workers to achieve competencies that will better serve patient care in settings requiring basic laboratory testing as a part of the facility's health care services. The program's courses are directed toward achieving entry level competencies required for accurate performance of basic laboratory testing under the regulations set forth through CLIA 88 waived and moderately complex testing protocols under the direct supervision of laboratory directors and/or supervisors.
Interested individuals will need to contact the program office for advisement and further details.
Since the BS/CLS program offers in a bachelor's degree in an applied medical science, it offers an attractive alternate approach to traditional pre-professional degree tracks. The program has specific course integration with other required pre-professional course requirements. See a CLS faculty advisor for more specific information.
Weber State University 2003-2004 Catalog