Laboratory Medicine

NW 120, UW Medical Center

Medical technology, offered by the Department of Laboratory Medicine, is a profession of highly knowledgeable and skilled individuals who perform clinical laboratory tests on patient samples. This is a critical part of health care, as the results obtained by these laboratory tests are a vital tool for physicians in their diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.

Undergraduate Program

The Department of Laboratory Medicine offers the following program of study:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology

Bachelor of Science

1. Pre-professional Phase. During the first two years, students enroll as pre-majors in the College of Arts and Sciences, satisfying general education requirements as well as completing prerequisite courses.
2. Professional Phase. The professional phase begins autumn quarter of the third year and continues for seven consecutive quarters at the UW School of Medicine. Courses in the first year of the professional phase provide students an appropriate theoretical background and basic technical skills that enable them to function effectively in the clinical laboratory.

   The final year is offered in the clinical laboratories of the UW Medical Center and its principal affiliates. Students in the core clinical laboratories receive on-the-bench training in chemistry, hematology, immunohematology, and microbiology.

Department Admission Requirements

Complete all general education requirements including 10 credits of Individuals & Societies, and 10 credits of Visual, Literary, & Performing Arts, as well as all required English and writing courses.

Students admitted to the Medical Technology program must be exempt from or have successfully completed any required English as a Second Language (ESL) courses no later than August 31 of the application year or admission will be cancelled. 

Application Procedure: See program adviser for application form. Application deadline is February 15, to begin the following autumn quarter.

Major requirements

1. Courses Required for Admission (44-47 credits): See list above.
2. Didactic Courses (52-53 credits): BIOC 405, BIOC 406; MICROM 440, MICROM 441, MICROM 442, MICROM 443, MICROM 444, MICROM 445; LAB M 321, LAB M 322, LAB M 418, LAB M 419, LAB M 420, LAB M 421.
3. Clinical Rotations (46 credits): LAB M 423, LAB M 424, LAB M 425, LAB M 426, LAB M 427.
4. A minimum grade of 2.0 in all LAB M courses and a minimum GPA of 2.00, both cumulative and in required courses, are required for graduation.

Student Outcomes and Opportunities

• Learning Objectives and Expected Outcomes: Graduates of the Medical Technology Program are expected to have in-depth knowledge of the relationships between laboratory data and pathologic processes, and how laboratory data relate to clinical medicine. They have experience with the performance and quality control of routine and specialized medical laboratory testing procedures and an understanding of the theoretical basis of these procedures. In addition, they have experience trouble-shooting and resolving typical problems in the clinical laboratory and are familiar with laboratory quality assurance, safety, governmental regulations, information systems, management, research design and practice, educational methodology, continuing education, communication, ethics, professionalism, and concepts and principles of laboratory operations.

  Successful medical technologists enjoy studying the biological, chemical, and physical sciences and find personal satisfaction and intellectual reward in applying scientific methods in the diagnosis and evaluation of disease. A medical technologist may practice as a generalist, using knowledge in several of the scientific areas, or may specialize in one scientific area in larger hospitals. Medical technologists may work in a variety of settings, including clinical laboratories in large medical centers, hospitals, and clinics. Others carry out research in industrial, public health, and medical laboratories, or teach in hospitals, colleges, and universities.

• Instructional and Research Facilities: The major training sites are the University of Washington Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center. Affiliate hospitals include Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Dynacare Northwest, Group Health Cooperative, MultiCare Health System, Northwest Hospital, Providence Everett Medical Center, Providence St. Peter Hospital, Veterans' Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, and Virginia Mason Medical Center. The Puget Sound Blood Center is also affiliated with the University of Washington. These laboratories support patient care, and provide training and research in the major clinical divisions of chemistry, hematology, immunohematology (blood banking), and microbiology, including multiple subspecialties in these divisions. In addition, students can either receive training in a variety of clinical laboratory rotations designed to enrich their core clinical experiences or participate in research in collaborative projects supervised by faculty members in the Department of Laboratory Medicine. Enrichment rotations include subspecialty sections in chemistry, hematology, and/or microbiology; molecular diagnostics laboratories; and laboratories where multi-tasking skills are utilized.

• Honors Options Available: None offered

• Internship Opportunities: One or two internships per year in Japan available to graduates of the Medical Technology Program.

• Department Scholarships: None offered.

• Student Organizations/Associations:: None currently active.

Of Special Note: The Medical Technology Program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, 8410 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue, #670, Chicago, Illinois 60631-3415, (312) 714-8880. Graduates are eligible for certification by the Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology and by the National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel, Inc.