Undergraduate Program

Medical Laboratory Sciences Program

The Medical Laboratory Sciences Program at The University of New Mexico is offered through the Department of Pathology in the School of Medicine. The program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), 8410 West Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 670, Chicago, IL 60631, (773) 714-8880. Students who successfully complete the program are eligible to sit for the national certification examination given by the Board of Certification (ASCP).

The MLS Program may be taken as part of a four-year curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences from The University of New Mexico’s School of Medicine OR as part of a degree from another four-year academic institution. The Program follows a prescribed curriculum which requires two and one half years of pre-professional academic study and one and one half years in the MLS Program.

Students earning a B.S. degree from an academic institution other than The University of New Mexico must meet the degree requirements established by that university in addition to the minimum educational requirements specified below for entering The University of New Mexico’s MLS Program. Students register through The University of New Mexico for all MEDL courses.

Admission Requirements

Minimum education requirements are 69 semester hours of acceptable college credits from a college or university approved by a recognized accrediting agency including the required courses listed below. All credit hours must be acceptable towards a baccalaureate degree. A minimum grade of C or better in all subjects and a grade of C or better in each prerequisite biology, chemistry and math course is required.

Students coming from other universities or colleges who will earn their baccalaureate degree from their parent institutions or students who already have a baccalaureate degree must have the following prerequisites for admission to the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program at The University of New Mexico.

Total of 69 semester hours of credit including:

Biological Sciences–approximately 16 semester hours including courses in physiology and microbiology.
Chemistry–approximately 12 hours including one course in organic or biochemistry.
Mathematics–a minimum of one course in college level algebra or a higher math course.

NOTE: Remedial and survey courses are not acceptable. Other recommended courses are: anatomy and physiology, cell biology, parasitology, pathogenic bacteriology, biochemistry, psychology, sociology, computer science, communications, management and education.

Students can be admitted to the program at the beginning of the Spring semester, Summer session, or Fall semester. An application must be submitted to the Office of Medical Laboratory Sciences by the October 15 deadline for January admission or the March 15 deadline for June admission or June 15 for August admission. Application may be made while enrolled in courses needed to complete the prerequisites. Official transcripts of all college course work must be sent directly from each institution. Admission is limited, with selection based on cumulative grade point average, science grade point average, letters of reference and a personal interview. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 is recommended. Selection of applicants will be made by the Medical Laboratory Sciences Admissions Committee. All applicants will be notified of their admission status. Selection will be given to qualified persons regardless of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, qualified handicap or military involvement. Residents of New Mexico receive preference in admission.

Students earning their B.S. degrees from the School of Medicine at The University of New Mexico must follow the prescribed curriculum outlined below and should make their intentions known to a Medical Laboratory Sciences advisor as early in their student career as possible in order to receive proper advisement.

Pre-Medical Laboratory Sciences Curriculum

	Biological Sciences:
	Approximately 16 semester hours to include:
BIOL 123/124L	General Biology and Lab	4
-or-
201/201L and 202/202L	Molecular and Cell Biology, and Genetics	8
BIOL 201/201L	Cell Biology and Lab	4
BIOL 237 and 238	Anatomy and Physiology I and II	6
BIOL 239L	Microbiology for Health Sciences and Non-Majors	4
-or-
BIOL 351/352L	General Microbiology and Lab	4
	Chemistry:
	Approximately 12 semester hours to include:
CHEM 121 and 123L 122 and 124L	General Chemistry I & II and Labs	8
-or-
CHEM 131L and 132L	Principles of Chemistry and Lab	9
CHEM **301 and 303L	Organic Chemistry and Lab	4
-or-
CHEM 212	Integrated Organic & Biochemistry	4
	Mathematics:
	Minimum of 2 courses to include:
MATH 121	College Algebra	3
STAT 145	Introduction to Statistics (recommended)	3
-or-
	Higher math or statistics
	English:
	Competence in writing English as determined by the English Department or the following two English courses:
ENGL 101	Composition I: Exposition	3
ENGL 102	Composition II: Analysis and Argument	3
	Interpersonal Communicative Skills:
	One course from the following:
CJ 221	Interpersonal Communication	3
CJ 225	Small Group Communication	3
	Management Theory:
	One course on general management theory:
MGMT 113	Management: An Introduction	3
	Computer Science:
	One course:
CS 150L	Computing for Business Students	3
	The University of New Mexico Core Curriculum Courses:
	Courses must be taken to fulfill the core requirements in the following areas listed. A listing of acceptable courses can be found in this catalog.
	Social and Behavioral Sciences	6
	Humanities	6
	Second Language	3
	Fine Arts	3

Medical Laboratory Sciences Program Curriculum

The MLS Program begins each Spring semester, Summer session, or Fall semester. Courses may be taken as a part-time student allowing up to three years instead of the normal one and one half years to complete the program. Students are assigned to an affiliated clinical laboratory for practical experiences in the rotation courses. Hospital and reference laboratories currently used are: Quest Diagnostics, TriCore Reference Laboratories, and VA Medical Center and hospitals located throughout the state of New Mexico.

Medical Laboratory Sciences Program - 63 semester hours

MEDL 234	Introduction to Clinical Immunology	3
MEDL 300L	Introduction to Medical Laboratory Sciences	2
MEDL 310	Introduction to Clinical Chemistry	3
MEDL 311L	Introduction to Clinical Chemistry Lab	2
MEDL 315L	Clinical Serology	2
MEDL 320	Introduction to Clinical Hematology/Hemostasis	4
MEDL 321L	Clinical Hematology/Hemostasis Lab	2
MEDL 330	Introduction to Microbiology	3
MEDL 331L	Introduction to Microbiology Lab	2
MEDL 340L	Introduction to Immunohematology	2
MEDL 350L	Clinical Urinalysis	2
MEDL 410L	Advanced Clinical Chemistry	3
MEDL 420L	Advanced Clinical Hematology/Hemostasis	3
MEDL 430	Advanced Clinical Microbiology	3
MEDL 431L	Advanced Clinical Microbiology Lab	2
MEDL 432L	Clinical Parasitology	2
MEDL 440L	Advanced Clinical Immunohematology	2
MEDL 445	Clinical Lab Management and Education	2
		44

	Clinical Rotation Courses
MEDL 351	Basic Clinical Chemistry Rotation	3
MEDL 352	Basic Hematology/Hemostasis Rotation	3
MEDL 355	Clinical Urinalysis Rotation	1
MEDL 451	Advanced Clinical Chemistry Rotation	1
MEDL 452	Advanced Hematology and Hemostasis Rotation	2
MEDL 453	Clinical Microbiology Rotation	5
MEDL 454	Clinical Immunohematology Rotation	4
		19

Information Requests

Communications regarding information and applications should be addressed to the Director, Medical Laboratory Sciences, MSC09 5250, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001.

NOTE: Changes in the MLS Program could occur. Therefore, you will need to stay in touch with an MLS advisor.

Keys and Symbols Reference