Clinical Year Program (Senior Year)
The Clinical Year Program is the final (Senior) year of the baccalaureate degree in Clinical Laboratory Sciences. The Clinical Year Program is also open to qualified applicants who meet the pre-requisites, such as post-baccalaurate students and guest sutdents from affiliated colleges/universities (see Guest Student Senior Clinical Year Program). For admissions requirements to the Clinical Year Program refer to Admissions & Applications.
The Clinical Year is comprised of 47 credits and is divided into two distinct sections: the didactic (lecture and student laboratory) portion and the practicum portion. The Clinical Year always begins in the Fall. Due to the highly structured, sequential nature of the Program, it cannot be started at any other time. The curriculum for the Clinical Year follows:
Fall Semester (Didactic -- AU Campus)
Course Number Course Title Cr CLSC401 Clinical Year Seminar I 0 CLSC411 Hematology 3 CLSC421 Clinical Immunology 2 CLSC431 Clinical Microbiology 4 CLSC441 Immunohematology 3 CLSC451 Clinical Chemistry 4 Total credits: 16
Spring Semester
First Session (Didactic -- AU campus) CLSC400 Specimen Procurement and Processing -- Lecture and Lab CLSC402 Clinical Year Seminar II 0 CLSC412 Hemostasis 1 CLSC432 Special Microbiology 2 CLSC442 Transfusion Medicine 1 CLSC452 Clinical Chemistry and Body Fluids 2 CLSC460 Clinical Laboratory Systems 2 Second Session (Practicum -- Clinical Sites) CLSC400 Specimen Procurement and Processing -- Practicum Portion 2 CLSC433 Clinical Microbiology Practicum 5 CLSC463 Clinical Microscopy Practicum 1 Total credits: 16
Summer Semester (Practicum -- Clinical sites)
CLSC413 Clinical Hematology and Hemostasis Practicum 4 CLSC423 Clinical Immunology Practicum 1 CLSC443 Clinical Immunohematology Practicum 4 CLSC453 Clinical Chemistry Practicum 5 CLSC495 Practicum Project 1 Total credits: 15
The Didactic Portion, taught on the Berrien Springs campus, consists of lectures and student laboratories. The duration of this portion of the Clinical Year Program is one and a half semesters: Fall Semester and half of Spring Semester. The didactic portion typically begins at the end of August and concludes at the end of February.
The Practicum Portion of the Clinical Year is the culmination of a Clinical Laboratory Scientist's undergraduate training. It consists of practical hands-on experience where students work side by side with practicing laboratory professionals in patient healthcare at one of our affiliate hospitals or clinical laboratory sites, located across the United States (see the list of affiliated Clinical Sites below). Since this is a learning and credit earning experience, regular tuition is due during the practicum.
The practicum portion of the Clinical Year follows the preparatory didactic portion and is 20 weeks long. It typically starts at the beginning of March and ends the last Friday of July. Advancement into the practicum portion is dependent on meeting the following criteria:
Requirements for Clinical Practicum Placement:
- GPA: Minimum GPA of 2.50
- Recommendations: Recomendation of the faculty
- Transportation: Must have available independent transportation to clinical practicum rotations. (Public transportation is not available at all clinical sites and many sites will include rotations at another facility.)
- Student Trainee License: Must be willing to submit an application and pay fee for trainee license if required by the state where clinical practica experience is assigned.
- Social Security Number: Must have a United States Social Security Number.
- Criminal Background Check: Must provide an acceptable crimincal background check on the first day of classes of the Spring Semester of the Clinical Year.
- Drug Screen: Must provide an acceptable drug screen on the first day of classes of the Spring Semester of the Clinical Year.
- Medical Clearance: Must submit the "Statement of Medical Clearance" form signed by a health care provider on the first day of classes of the Spring Semester of the Clinical Year.
- Immunizations: Must submit the "Documentation of Immunizations/Immune Status" form signed by a health care provider on the first day of classes of the Spring Semester of the Clinical Year.
A very attractive feature of our Clinical Year Program is that the clinical site assignments are guaranteed for students who complete the didactic portion of the Program satisfactorily and meet the advancement criteria.
Clinical assignments are made in December, at the end of the Fall Semester. Students rank clinical site preferences on a preference selection form provided by the CLS Department once the affiliated clinical sites indicate whether they will be accepting students. Although students are not guaranteed their first choice, careful consideration is given to each student's preferences and granted whenever feasible. Assignments also depend upon recommendations by the faculty and the educational coordinators of the clinical affiliates. Following is a list of our affiliated clinical sites. Note that not all clinical affiliates accept students each year.
Upon successful completion of the didactic and practicum portion of the Clinical Year Program, students are eligible to write United States national professional certification exams in order to work as a certified clinical laboratory scientist/medical technologist. Certification exams are offered by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), and the National Certification Agency for Laboratory Personnel (NCA). Some states require a separate license in order to practice as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist.
Affiliated Clinical Sites Location Adventist Health Systems, Midwest Region, Hinsdale Hospital Hinsdale, Illinois Eliza Coffee memorial Hospital Florence, Alabama Florida Hospital Orlando, Florida Grandview Medical Center Dayton, Ohio Huguley Memorial Medical Center Fort Worth, Texas Lakeland Regional Medical Center St. Joseph, Michigan La Porte Hospital La Porte, Indiana Leesburg Regional Medical Center Leesburg, Florida Memorial Health Care Systems Chattanooga, Tennessee Porter Adventist Hospital Denver, Colorado Saint John's Health System Anderson, Indiana Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center Lincoln, Nebraska South Bend Medical Foundation South Bend, Indiana