Meet Our Students

UMass Lowell student Ellen Panetto pictured in a lab coat looking into a microscope in one of the health sciences labs
Ellen Panetto '18
Medical Laboratory Science

Ellen Panetto was always interested in anatomy and how the body works, but wasn't sure exactly what area she wanted to work in. Her clinical rotation experiences led to her decision to pursue a career as a pathologists' assistant.

I've been able to see how labs are run in small and large hospitals. These experiences gave me the ability to see what kind of environment I might want to work in and to learn from technicians in all stages of their careers.
Read More About Ellen Panetto 

Become a Highly Skilled Medical Lab Scientist

Our Grads are in High Demand: Three-Year Job Placement Rate of 100 Percent

Medical laboratory science professionals are highly skilled scientists who perform and analyze diagnostic tests that help physicians identify disease and treat their patients. With an average job placement rate of 100 percent, the UMass Lowell MLS program is highly regarded by employers.

Starting in your junior year, you'll gain experiences in clinical internships at hospitals and reference laboratories, helping you sharpen your skills and making you appealing to future employers.

Prepare for the Certification Exam with our Accredited Program

After completing the degree, you'll be qualified to take the Board of Certification examination for Medical Laboratory Scientists offered by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

This program is fully accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), 5600 N. River Rd. Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018-5119, Contact: 847-939-3597 or 773-714-8880, email: info@naacls.org, and the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences website.

Admissions and Degree Pathways

Admission into the MLS Program is a two-step process.

  1. Apply or transfer to the Clinical Science (CS) Option of the Applied Biomedical Sciences (ABS) major. Internal transfers must have minimum basic science and cumulative GPAs of 2.500.
  2. After at least one successful semester in the CS Option, and upon meeting certain course and GPA pre-requisites, students will then be eligible to apply to the Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) Option.

Visit the Applied Biomedical Sciences degree program page for more information on admission and the degree pathway. For specific questions about the ABS-MLS option please contact Assoc. Prof. Nancy Goodyear, MLS Program Director, at Nancy_Goodyear@uml.edu.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

100 percent of MLS program graduates are successfully employed by laboratories in:

  • Hospitals
  • Physician offices
  • Medical reference labs
  • American Red Cross Blood Bank 
  • Public health labs
  • Veterinary offices
  • Universities
  • Medical Schools

Graduates have also continued onto graduate schools, i.e. Veterinary School, Chiropractic School, Osteopathic School, Medical School or Physician and Pathologist Assistant's programs.