Clinical Laboratory Science (BS)

Clinical Laboratory Science

Clinical Laboratory Science is the branch of medicine concerned with the performance of laboratory test procedures and analyses used in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of disease, and the maintenance of health.

Mission Statement

The Clinical Laboratory Science Program at York College has been structured to provide students with an education that encompasses liberal arts and basic science requirements. It is our mission to prepare students to become competent clinical laboratory scientists with knowledge, skills, and attitudes assumed by professionals as members of the health care team.

Program Goals

• Provide a learning experience for students in the field of laboratory sciences.
• Provide students with appropriate courses and internship training in order to qualify for NYS licensing and national certification exams.
• Prepare students to work in large institutions, point of care testing sites and research laboratories as a knowledgeable member of the healthcare team.
• Have students graduate with cognitive and psychomotor skills that will allow them to become responsible professionals as they perform laboratory procedures with precision and accuracy, and complete their studies with distinct entry-level competencies.
• Have students develop a personal philosophy incorporating legal and ethical standards that govern the practice and management of a diagnostic laboratory.
• Have students assume responsibility for their continuing education and prepare them academically for graduate school.
• Prepare students with critical thinking skills to develop and assess research projects, including the math skills to present, interpret and evaluate project data and statistics.

Eligibility for Admission to the Upper Division and Clinical Portion of the Clinical Laboratory Science Program:

Students must apply for admission to the upper division and clinical portion of the Clinical Laboratory Science program. To be eligible for admission, students are required to have:

1. Overall GPA of at least 2.5
2. Successful completion of the following courses:
   Biology 201, Biology 202, and Biology 265, Chemistry 108, Chemistry 109, Chemistry 111, Chemistry 112, Chemistry 230, Chemistry 235, Chemistry 237, and Chemistry 241 with a minimum grade of "C." Students may repeat a maximum of two prerequisite science courses to earn a grade of C or above, and no prerequisite science may be taken more than twice to earn a grade of C or above.
3. Required science courses taken more than 10 years prior to admission to the CLS program cannot be used for transfer credits
4. Matriculation at York College
5. Completion of all York College Pathways (or General Education) requirements
6. It is required that all students begin the three-part vaccination program for Hepatitis B prior to starting the CLS courses. Proof of vaccination for Hepatitis B must be submitted prior to registering for CLS courses.

Students denied admission to the CLS program may reapply only once.

Transfer students:

All those having completed an Associates or Bachelor's degree program will be given any applicable transfer credit for the general education/Pathways courses as per the Registrar's Office evaluation. (there may be some additional Pathways courses required - please see the College Bulletin for details). All science courses deemed equivalent by the Registrar's Office and completed within the past 10 years with a grade of C or higher will be given transfer credit. Those entering with an AAS degree from Bronx Community College may receive credit for MLT courses with greater than C as follows:

Admissions Process:

• Formal application to the program is required in order to begin the professional phase classes (CLS classes)
• Application forms are available in the CLS office (SC-004) or by calling the office at 718-262-2747. Applications are provided to students who are in the last semester of prerequisite courses
• The due date for applications is April 1^st for the Fall semester and November 1^st for the Spring semester. Completed applications should be returned to the CLS office (SC-004)
• A letter acknowledging admission or denial will be sent by June 30^th for the Fall semester or January 21^st for the Spring semester.
• All of the above prerequisite courses and requirements must be completed for entry into the professional phase. If a student is given permission to enroll in CLS classes pending completion of prerequisite courses, but does not complete them or does not maintain the required cumulative GPA (2.5), they will be deregistered from the CLS classes (this process will take place in January for the Spring semester and in August for the Fall semester).

Please Note:

The average student spends five semesters in this program. However, due to high course demand and limited class size for laboratory sections, a student may be unable to enroll in their first choice of courses. The schedule for advisement and registration is arranged in such a fashion that students closest to graduation are given first priority for scheduling courses still needed. Those who are newly accepted or conditionally accepted will be the last on the schedule and may be "closed out" of CLS classes for that initial semester in the program.

Placement for an internship cannot be guaranteed. If the number of eligible candidates exceeds the number of available training sites, every effort will be made to engage additional diagnostic labs in an affiliation agreement. Otherwise, those with the highest GPAs will be placed first. In the rare instance where students are not placed, they will have first priority in the following semester. If a hospital or lab faces closure, the interns will be allowed to finish the current rotation and then the intern will be reassigned to another training site. Internships are provided only by contractually affiliated diagnostic labs and are completed during the day shift only. Some hospitals will require a background check and a drug screen and the cost may not be covered by the hospital.

Clinical Laboratory Science Program Technical Standards

The technical (non-academic) standards established by the program require evidence of the "essential functions" that the students must be able to accomplish in the program. Essential functions include requirements that students be able to engage in educational and training activities in such a way that will not endanger other students or the public including:

Standards and Functions

1. Vision
   The student must be able to read charts and graphs, read instrument scales, discriminate color, read microscopic materials and record results.
2. Speech and hearing
   The student must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively in order to assess non-verbal communication and be able to adequately transmit information to all members of the health care team.
3. Fine motor functions
   The student must process all skills necessary to carry out diagnostic procedures, manipulate tools, instruments and equipment. Must be able to perform phlebotomy safely and accurately.
4. Psychological Stability
   The students must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of the applicant's intellectual abilities. Must be able to function in stressful emergency situations, and take appropriate action.

Retention in the Clinical Laboratory Science Program

To be retained in the program, students must:

1. Earn a minimum grade of "C" in each Clinical Laboratory Science course. No Clinical Laboratory Science course may be attempted more than twice without departmental permission. (A W or WU counts as an attempt.)
2. Maintain a cumulative GPA and a major GPA of at least 2.5 (includes all Clinical Laboratory Science courses, and all prerequisite Biology and Chemistry courses).
3. Complete all degree requirements within four years of the date of admission to the upper division and clinical portion of the Clinical Laboratory Science program.

Eligibility for Internship

To be eligible for CLS 459 and 460, students must:

1. Have completed all required CLS courses
2. Maintain a GPA of at least 2.5 in major science courses and overall
3. Have the written permission of the CLS Director

For a suggested four-year plan to complete the Pathways and Major requirements, please see the Clinical Lab Science Degree Map.

Clinical Laboratory Sciences Hospitals Available for Student Internships

• Brookdale Hospital, Brooklyn
• Core-North Shore LIJ Health Systems, (Multiple Facilities)
• Elmhurst Hospital, Queens
• Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Queens
• Harlem Hospital, Manhattan
• Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx
• Jamaica Hospital, Queens
• James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx
• Lenox Hill Hospital, Manhattan
• Lincoln Medical Center, Bronx
• Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Nassau County
• Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Manhattan
• Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx
• North Central Hospital, Bronx
• North Shore University Hospital, Nassau County
• St. Barnabas Hospital, Bronx
• SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn

The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) Board of Directors has awarded continuing initial accreditation for ten years effective 2020 to 2030 to York College of CUNY's Clinical Laboratory Science Program.

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS)
(773) 714-8880
5600 N. River Road
Rosemont, IL 60018
www.naacls.org

Outcomes Assessments

Achieved ASCP certification as first-time examinees:

Three-year average pass rate of 85%

Job placement as reported in a survey:

Three-year average placement rate of 98%

Graduation/Attrition