What is a Medical Laboratory Scientist?
Using microscopes, specialized staining techniques, chemical analyses and highly sophisticated instruments, medical laboratory scientists are vital healthcare professionals who perform tests on the fluids, cells and tissues of the human body. They uncover medical mysteries and provide data to physicians that is used for important medical decisions including patient diagnosis, monitoring treatment, researching the causes of diseases and developing new methods for treatment and diagnosis.
VCU Medical Laboratory Sciences Open House
Explore VCU medical laboratory science programs at our open house. You will receive an email reminder and Zoom link (if requested) the week of the event.
Program Offerings
Program can be completed in under two years
Fully online MLT to MLS Program
Financial Aid available
Prepares students for ASCP MLS certification exam
100%
Graduation Rate (based in NAACLS requirements)
$61k
median annual salary for medical laboratory scientists
96%
of students graduate with a job in healthcare
Career Opportunities
- Clinical supervisor
- Forensics
- Medical laboratory management
- Technical specialist
- Laboratory information specialist
- Research and development
- Pharmaceutical representative
Student Success Stories
The professors were extremely dedicated to ensuring that we were learning what was needed in order to make us competitive for our job market... I would absolutely, wholeheartedly recommend the College of Health Professions to potential students. It is the foundation of who I am and how I was able to obtain the accomplishments that I have currently.
Dr. Marilyn Freeman Bibbs
In lab sciences we are not patient facing, but are still taught about clinical presentations of diseases such as splenomegaly in leukemia patients. This exhibit helped me contextualize the information we've learned and affirm the importance of laboratory testing to identify and help treat patients.
Rachel Coblentz
I saw an article about how MLS was a hidden backbone during COVID, as laboratory scientists had to run all those tests and really supported the system. I wanted to see how you could become one... It showed me that this job is critical to the hospital, not only for routine testing procedures, but for emergency medicine and other areas as well... As I apply to med school, having the MLS degree as a foundation is really beneficial.
Takbir Miah
