www.nwciowa.edu/medical-laboratory-science-major
The medical laboratory science program is designed to furnish the student with a liberal arts education and with the skills required to serve as a medical laboratory scientist. The program is based upon three years of college preparatory work and one year in clinical, professional training at one of several hospital-based programs affiliated with Northwestern College. Upon satisfactory completion of the four years of study, the student will receive the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in medical laboratory science. (Students may instead elect to spend four years at Northwestern before entering the clinical year, a so-called 4+1 program.) At the conclusion of the program, a national registration examination is taken, leading to certification in medical laboratory science. A certificate of completion will be issued by the affiliated hospital-based school.
The medical laboratory science student must fulfill all of Northwestern College’s Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. A minimum of 96 credits must be earned at Northwestern. Additionally, between 30 and 40 credits are received for the course work completed while enrolled in the hospital-based clinical program. Only the credits for the clinical year are accepted; the grades for the clinical courses do not calculate into the student’s cumulative GPA at Northwestern College.
Courses in anatomy, computer science, physics, communication (speech), management, psychology, parasitology, and education are also recommended. A minimum of 96 credits must be earned with a minimum grade point average of 2.80 for admission into the clinical year. The clinical year of professional study at an affiliated hospital includes the following courses:
Clinical Chemistry 8-12
Clinical Hematology 5-8
Clinical Immunohematology 4-6
Clinical Immunology 2-3
Clinical Microbiology 8-12
Clinical Urinalysis/Microscopy/Body Fluids 2-3
Northwestern College is affiliated with hospital-based schools of medical laboratory science located at:
Mercy Medical Center;
Sioux City, Iowa
St. Luke’s College;
Sioux City, Iowa
Sanford Hospital;
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Applications to the hospital-based programs are made early in the academic year preceding the clinical year. The application deadline is October 1. Specific information regarding each hospital program, including application deadlines and procedures, credit hours awarded by each hospital program, fees, and other information is available from the coordinator on Northwestern’s campus. Students must register at Northwestern in order to receive financial aid. An administrative fee is charged for this program. Tuition is charged at Northwestern College’s rates for two terms. Students must complete a commuter form for the Student Development office in order to avoid room and board charges.
The pre-professional preparation at Northwestern must include the following courses:
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