Clinical Year Program (Senior Year)

The Final (Senior) Year of the Baccalaureate degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences

The Clinical Year Program is also open to qualified applicants who meet the pre-requisites, such as post-baccalaureate students and guest students from affiliated colleges/universities (see Guest Student Senior Clinical Year Program). 

For admissions requirements to the Clinical Year Program refer to Admissions & Applications.

The Clinical Year is comprised of...

47 credits and is divided into two distinct sections:

• Didactic portion (lecture and student laboratory)

• Practicum portion - clinical practicum takes place at affiliated clinical sites and travel away from the Andrews University campus is required. Refer to the Resources area for a list of Affiliated Clinical Sites.

The Clinical Year always begins in the Fall! 

Due to the highly structured, sequential nature of the Program, it cannot be started at any other time. 

The curriculum for the Clinical Year follows:

Fall Semester (Didactic -- AU Campus)

Spring Semester (Last Half of Program; Didactic Portion -- AU Campus)

The Practicum Portion of the Clinical Year is the culmination of a Medical Laboratory Scientist's undergraduate training.  It consists of practical hands-on experience where students work side by side with practicing laboratory professionals in patient healthcare at one of our affiliate hospitals or clinical laboratory sites, located across the United States (see the list of affiliated Clinical Sites below).  Since this is a learning and credit earning experience, regular tuition is due during the practicum.

• The practicum portion of the Clinical Year follows the preparatory didactic portion and is 16 weeks long. 

• Typically starts at the beginning of April and ends the last Friday of July.

Summer Semester (Practicum -- Clinical sites)

The Didactic Portion, taught on the Berrien Springs campus, consists of lectures and student laboratories.  The duration of this portion of the Clinical Year Program is one and a half semesters: Fall Semester and half of Spring Semester.  The didactic portion typically begins at the end of August and concludes at the end of March.

Requirements for Clinical Practicum Placement:

Advancement into the practicum portion is dependent on meeting the following criteria:

• GPA:  Minimum of 2.50

• Recommendations:  Recommendation of the faculty

• Transportation:  Must have available independent transportation to clinical practicum rotations. (Public transportation is not available at all clinical sites and many sites require rotations at another facility.)

• Student Trainee License:  Must be willing to submit an application and pay the fee for trainee license if required by the state where clinical practica experience is assigned.

• Social Security Number:  Must have a United States Social Security Number.

• Criminal Background Check:  Must provide an acceptable criminal background check on the first day of classes of the Spring Semester of the Clinical Year.

• Drug Screen:  Must provide an acceptable drug screen on the first day of classes of the Spring Semester of the Clinical Year.

• Medical Clearance:  Must submit the "Statement of Medical Clearance" form signed by a health care provider on the first day of classes of the Spring Semester of the Clinical Year.

• Immunizations:  Must submit the "Documentation of Immunizations/Immune Status" form signed by a health care provider on the first day of classes of the Spring Semester of the Clinical Year.

A very attractive feature of our Clinical Year Program is that the clinical site assignments are guaranteed for students who complete the didactic portion of the Program satisfactorily and meet the advancement criteria.

Clinical assignments are typically made in December, at the end of the Fall Semester

Students rank clinical site preferences on a preference selection form provided by the MLS Department once the affiliated clinical sites indicate whether they will be accepting students. 

Although students are not guaranteed their first choice, careful consideration is given to each student's preferences and granted whenever feasible. 

Assignments also depend upon recommendations by the faculty and the educational coordinators of the clinical affiliates. 

The List of our Affiliated Clinical Sites

Note: Not all clinical affiliates accept students each year.

Upon successful completion of the didactic and practicum portion of the Clinical Year Program, students are eligible to write the United States national professional certification exam in order to work as a certified medical laboratory scientist. 

The certification exam is offered by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). 

Note: Some states require a separate license in order to practice as a Medical Laboratory Scientist. The Andrews Univeristy MLS Program  may not meet some states CLS/MLS Licensure requirements:

• California CLS Licensure requirements
• New York CLS Licensure requirements