Medical Laboratory Science

FAST TRACK PROGRAM

The MLS Fast Track program is a post-Baccalaureate, intensive program designed to prepare students for certification as a Medical Technologist. It is intended for students who have already completed most of the non-MLS science courses that are required for the MLS degree program. Students will NOT receive a degree for completing this program, but they will be qualified to take Medical Technologist certification exams from agencies such as ASCP and NCA.

To qualify, students must:

Have a bachelors' degree in a life science, such as Biology, Microbiology or Zoology
Work for a medical laboratory that is willing to provide acceptable practical training at the technologist level for clinical rotations in Blood Bank, Clinical Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry, and Hematology, or have a private agreement with a medical laboratory to provide such training. UNH will not be responsible for providing a clinical site for Fast Track students.
Complete any required non-MLS courses, such as Anatomy and Physiology, Immunology, or Pathogenic Microbiology, that are part of the MLS program of study that were not taken during the student's previous undergraduate (or graduate) study.
Complete MLS courses in Clinical Chemistry, Hematology, Mycology and Parasitology, Immunohematology, Urinalysis, Lab Management, and Clinical Practice.

The proposed clinical site must:

Provide liability insurance for the student.
Have a written agreement with the University of New Hampshire Medical Laboratory Science program that outlines the responsibilities of each institution for the clinical training portion of the Fast Track program.

Acceptance into the program

Prospective students should meet with the MLS Program Director and bring transcripts of previous college courses with them (official transcripts should be sent after admission into the program). The Program Director will have the transcripts evaluated, and advise the student on what courses he or she can expect to take, and prepare a tentative schedule of courses. The student will not be admitted to any formal UNH program, and will register for all classes under the auspices of the Division of Continuing Education.

Once the student is accepted into the Fast Track program, they will have to earn a C or better in all MLS courses. They will also be required to provide the MLS program with copies of grade reports for non-MLS classes that are taken to fulfill program requirements.

Clinical Rotations

When the student has completed the MLS theory courses, they will sign up for Independent Studies: Clinical Practice (MLS 696 section 05) and work off-campus at a clinical laboratory to gain practical experience. Students may sign up for the full 4 credits at once (1 credit each for Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, Immunohematology, and Microbiology), and complete all four clinical rotations in one semester, or may sign up for 1 - 3 credits, and do the appropriate rotation(s) that semester, as long as they have completed the corresponding MLS theory course(s).

The bulk of this course will be the responsibility of the clinical lab with which the student has made arrangements, or for which the student works, in cooperation with the faculty of the MLS program. The MLS faculty will also provide the student with study materials, and the student will take three theory exams for each of the four rotations: Clinical Chemistry, Immunohematology, Hematology, and Clinical Microbiology. Students must achieve a minimum score of 70 on each of these exams. At their discretion, the clinical site may also require students to take quizzes on lab-provided lectures, or practical exams on bench techniques, and may set their own requirements for passing these tests. The clinical instructors at the medical laboratory will also be asked to fill out evaluations for each of the rotations, and students must achieve an average score of 80 for the practical evaluations.