Clinical Lab Sciences

A clinical lab scientist (CLS), also known as a medical laboratory scientist (MLS), works with healthcare professionals to assist with diagnoses by performing laboratory tests with various blood, fluid, and tissues tests and samples. They have the knowledge of the principles behind these tests, the ability to recognize physiological conditions affecting test results, and the ability to develop data that may be used by a physician in determining the presence, extent, and the cause of disease.

To learn more about CLS, check out American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP): Careers in Medical Laboratory.

Clinical Laboratory Scientist Preparation

  • Timeline

  • 1. Obtain a Bachelor’s degree and complete all pre-CLS requirements, including prerequisites, experiences, and obtaining a Trainee License through the CA Department of Public Health which allows pre-CLS students to train (not work) as a licensed Clinical Laboratory Scientist (4+ years)
    NOTE: Some CLS programs may prefer if students major in biological sciences, chemistry, or related to the field of study

    2. Attend a National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)-accredited CLS Training Program (1 year)
    NOTE: Most CLS Training Programs may require you to have your CLS Trainee License before the program begins

    3. Pass the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification Board of Certification (ASCP BOC) exam for Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS)

    4. Become licensed in the state you wish to practice
    Optional: Specialize in a field of interest

    Upon matriculation into a CLS training program, there are additional steps students must complete in order to obtain licensure or professional certification. These steps vary by field and by program, and may include board examinations, supervised clinical hours, background checks, or other program-specific milestones. Once you are in your training program, your program advisor will provide guidance on the post-graduation next steps.

  • Pre-Requisites

  • Prerequisite courses are the academic foundation that most schools require students to complete before beginning CLS programs. No matter which major you choose, you will need to fulfill the specific science and non-science prerequisites set by each program. Always review and cross-check the requirements of your major with the prerequisite coursework for your chosen CLS training programs to ensure you are completing both UCD requirements as well as the requirements of the CLS training programs.

    While HPA has developed a suggested prerequisite chart from a sample of programs and accounted for the academic requirement of the CA CLS Generalist Trainee License, prerequisite coursework and entrance requirements continues to vary by program, hence it is important to check individual programs' websites to familiarize yourself with their exact prerequisites.

    Program Prerequisites

    Courses to Take at UC Davis

    Most schools require (per CDPH CLS Generalist Trainee License):1

    		 

    24 quarter units of Chemistry

    General Chemistry: CHE 2ABC OR CHE 4ABC

    Organic Chemistry: CHE 8AB OR CHE 118AB OR (CHE 128AB AND CHE 129AB)

    Biochemistry: BIS 102 AND BIS 103

    4.5 quarter units of Physics, Math, or Statistics2

    Calculus: MAT 17AB OR MAT 21AB

    Statistics: STA 13 OR STA 100

    Physics: PHY 7AB OR PHY 9AB

    24 quarter units of Biological Science, including medical, clinical, or pathogenic microbiology, hematology, and immunology3, 4, 5

    General Biology: BIO 1 & 2 & 3 AND BIO 1L & 2L

    Medical Microbiology: PMI 127

    Immunology: MMI 188 OR (PMI 126 & PMI 126L)

    Hematology: course is not offered at UC Davis

    Some school may require or recommend:6

    Molecular/Cell Biology: BIS 104

    Human Anatomy: (EXB 106 & EXB 106L) OR (CHA 101 & CHA 101L)

    Physiology: (NPB 101 & NPB 101L) OR (NPB 110C & NPB 101L)

    Genetics: BIS 101

    Mycology: PLB 148 OR PLP 148

    Virology: MMG 162

    Parasitology: ENT 156 

    Prerequisite Chart Footnotes: 
    1. While the pre-CLS prerequisites may not require you to complete the full series for a particular course (e.g. calculus, physics, and organic chemistry), it is important to check with your major advisor to see if you are required to complete the full series for your major requirements. 

    2. Most CLS training programs may ask for 1 quarter or 4.5 quarter units of math. Some programs may not have a preference for math hence students can either do statistics or calculus. However, a few programs may specify a preference. UC Davis students should also keep in mind that calculus is a prerequisite for physics. 

    3. When students are deciding on which immunology course to take (MMI 188A or 188B), they are recommended to check their major requirements and also consider the unit difference between 188A or 188B. If a training program that students are interested in applying to ask for 3 quarter units of immunology, MMI 188A is recommended. But if it is 4 quarter units for immunology, MMI 188B is recommended. 

    4. Some CLS Training Programs may ask for 27 quarter units in biological sciences, instead of 24 quarter units. 

    5. Hematology can be taken at an accredited community college, another four-year university, or at UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education (CPE).

    6. Mycology is offered every Fall quarter onlyBefore starting a training program, you obtain a Trainee License through the California Department of Public Health. This license permits you to train, not work, as a licensed Clinical Laboratory Scientist.

    HPA Recommendations:
    1. Complete all prerequisite courses for a letter grade, not P/NP.

    2. Earn a “C” or higher in all prerequisite coursework. Some programs may require no lower than a B in any of your prerequisite courses.

    3. Maintain a minimum undergraduate and science GPA of 3.0 or higher. A competitive GPA will likely be higher for most programs.

    Please also note that CLS programs do accept community college work in varying degrees, some accept all transferable work, some a certain amount of units, and others accept a very limited amount. If you have any questions about your major, prerequisite courses, or grade/GPA concerns, you are encouraged to make an appointment with one of HPA Staff Advisors.

    Additional things to consider: To see a formal list of the requirements for the CA CLS Trainee License, visit California Department of Public Health (CDPH): Clinical Laboratory Scientist and Limited Clinical Laboratory Scientist Trainee License.

  • Exam

  • There is no exam requirement for CLS training programs or the CA CLS Trainee License.

    To learn more about the standardized exam and preparing for it, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Standardized Exams and HPA’s Test Prep Events & Resources.

Applying to CLS Training Program

  • Choosing Programs
  • There are around 240 NAACLS-accredited programs in the U.S. Most training programs in CA are run by universities (e.g. UCs, CSUs, etc.) and take place in hospitals. Some programs are run by the hospital where training occurs (e.g. Central Valley Children's Hospital) and others by private companies (e.g. Quest Diagnostics). For CLS training programs in CA, check out the California Department of Public Health (CDPH): Approved CLS Training School Programs and Affiliates. For NAACLS-accredited programs throughout the U.S., students can utilize the NAACLS Program Search by selecting “Medical Laboratory Scientist” for program type.

    There are a variety of factors that go into choosing which CLS program to apply to, including degree awarded, location, environment (i.e. urban), tuition, class size, focus or mission statement, etc. Spend some time researching schools online and create a spreadsheet that tracks the factors most important to you. On average, pre-CLS students apply to 2-4 CLS programs. HPA also recommends meeting with an advisor to discuss your school list.
  • Application System

  • There is no central application system for CLS. Most CLS training programs have their own unique application which can be found on the programs’ admissions page. HPA recommends for applicants to carefully review the application process of each individual program that they are applying to. 

    The application deadlines may also vary by programs or the program start date. Please check your individual programs for specific dates. If that is the case for your programs of choice, be sure to submit your application early, but only when you are ready. Come see an advisor at Health Professions Advising to review your application.

    Most CLS training programs may require you to have your CLS Trainee License at the time of the application or before the program begins. It may take 1-2 months for the CDPH Laboratory Field Services (LFS) to process a Trainee License application. Students are welcome to meet with HPA Staff Advisor to discuss their timeline on completing the academic requirements of the Trainee License and CLS training programs’ prerequisite coursework, accounting for the Trainee License application processing time, and submitting their CLS training program application(s). 

    Programs may have specific guidelines about what is considered a completed application, and these components may vary based on individual programs. Some examples include but are not limited to submitting the application fee and receiving letters of recommendations and official transcripts. Students are responsible for ensuring their applications are complete, submitted, and verified by the application deadline. 

    To learn more about applications and application timeline, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Applications and Application Timelines.

  • Personal Statement

  • The prompt and/or character or word count may vary per year. HPA recommends applicants  begin drafting their personal statement in advance of the application opening. It is very common for applicants to write multiple drafts before they finalize their personal statement. To learn more about approaching personal statements, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Personal Statements.

  • Experiences and Activities

  • Experiences and activities help students learn more about their motivations, interests, and goals, and to explore the field of CLS. What you do with your time helps define who you are in your application. Whatever you choose to do, be sure you are dedicated, passionate about it, and understand your motivation for pursuing it. It is important that you balance your co-curricular activities with your academics to ensure you are maintaining strong academic performance while still engaging meaningfully outside the classroom. 

    Most CLS training programs have their own Essential Functions that applicants are expected to demonstrate. These functions often include strong critical thinking skills, the ability to work under stressful conditions, professional attitude, understanding of laboratory techniques, and more. Because Essential Functions may vary by program, it’s important to review each school’s requirements carefully and show you developed their essential functions through your academic, clinical, research, or volunteering experiences.

    Students are also encouraged to gain laboratory and clinical experience as most CLS training programs may require, recommend, or have preference for it. This can be gained through a college research laboratories or volunteering in a hospital-based clinical laboratory. UC Davis students can find research opportunities through the Undergraduate Research Center at UC Davis or through their individual academic department.

    To learn more about experiences and various on- and off-campus opportunities, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Experiences. UC Davis students are also encouraged to subscribe to HPA Today (HPA’s newsletter).

  • Letters of Recommendation

  • Letter of recommendation requirements vary by program For CLS, this can include a professor from a science-lab based class, research PI, mentor, or volunteer coordinator. Your specific school list will determine what letters you may actually need.

    To learn more about the etiquettes for letters of recommendation, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Letters of Recommendations.

  • Supplemental Applications

  • Supplemental applications (or secondaries) may be required for some CLS programs and some may not require it. Students should carefully review the application process of the programs they are applying to. Supplemental/secondary applications may include additional fees and/or essays. To learn more about supplemental applications, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Applications.

  • Interviews

  • Interviews may be required for some CLS programs and some may not require it. Students should carefully review the application process of the schools they are applying to. To learn more about preparing for interviews, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Interviews and HPA’s Interview Week. 

More questions? Check out the frequently asked questions or schedule an appointment with an advisor.