Admissions

All preclinical Medical Laboratory Science requirements must be completed before entering the Program. Applicants must document:

(1) completion of a bachelor's degree (4+1), OR

(2) on-track progress to graduating with a bachelor's degree before the program year starts (4+1), OR

(3) eligibility to receive a bachelor's degree at the completion of the Program (3+1).

All applicants must provide documentation [i.e., official transcript(s)] which proves the applicant’s completion of the following prerequisites:

• 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biology, including a course in microbiology (with lab) and a course in immunology (either as a separate course or as part of another course)
• 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry, including at least one course in organic chemistry or biochemistry
• One course in college-level mathematics
• Minimum total of 90 semester hours (135 quarter hours) completed
• An overall, cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.7 or higher on a 4.00 scale
• A (science) GPA of 2.7 or higher in science courses
• No grade of less than a "C-" is accepted for a required chemistry or biology course.

Other recommended courses include quantitative analysis, anatomy and physiology, instrumentation, computer science, management and supervision, genetics, parasitology, medical microbiology, statistics, and physics.

More information on prerequisites is available in the MLS Student Handbook.

Technical standards (essential functions) represent the essential non-academic requirements of the Program that the student must master to successfully participate in the Program and become employable. Applicants are requested to read the following technical standards. These standards are written to help facilitate a valid career choice and to ensure that the safety and health of students, the public, and other health professionals are not compromised.

Visual function

• Sufficient visual acuity to:
  • Identify microscopic structures
  • Read charts, graphs, instrument printouts, complete reports, and enter computer data
  • Observe patient conditions and inspect specimens for suitability
  • Operate analytical instruments appropriately and safely
  • Discern differences in colors

Motor function

• Sufficient fine motor function to:
• Obtain, manipulate, and measure specimens safely and with precision
• Manipulate reagents, materials, instruments, and analytical equipment according to established standards and procedures, safely and with speed and accuracy
• Perform multiple and repetitive tasks

Interactive function

• Sufficient interactive skill to:
  • Effectively report, discuss, or explain results to supervisors, physicians, and other appropriate personnel
  • Maintain a cooperative and productive working relationship with patients and other health professionals
  • Exhibit compassion, integrity, and concern for others

Emotional health

• Sufficient emotional health to:
  • Respond quickly and efficiently in emergency situations
  • Function effectively in stressful situations and complete all responsibilities
  • Exercise sound judgment and display flexibility

Intellectual function

• Sufficient intellectual function to:
  • Calculate, interpret, analyze, reason, evaluate, and explain lab results and quality control
  • Prepare reagents and materials properly with accuracy, speed, and precision
  • Solve problems, make critical judgments, and initiate corrective action to ensure accuracy and reliability of results in a timely fashion

Upon applying to the Parkview Medical Laboratory Science Program, international students who have degrees granted from a college or university that is not located in the United States must have their transcript evaluated by a transcript evaluation service. This transcript evaluation must be from one of the transcript evaluation services listed in the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) “U.S. Procedures for Examination & Certification” booklet, which can be viewed and downloaded for free from the ASCP website (www.ascp.org).

Documentation of proficiency in English

The student may demonstrate proficiency in English in one of five ways:

1. Transcript of classes taken at an accredited U.S. college or university
2. Successfully challenge the TOEFL exam with a score of at least 80 for the total exam
3. CGE: A minimum of a "B" in English
4. Successfully complete a college level English composition course at an accredited U.S. institution with a minimum grade of "C-"
5. A minimum score of 6.5 on the IELTS

Photocopies of this documentation may be submitted with the application.

However, originals will need to be filed with the rest of the student paperwork upon acceptance into the program.

When selecting applicants for Summer Cohorts, Parkview participates in the CIMLE (Consortium of Indiana Medical Laboratory Educators, Inc.) Indiana Student Preference Match. The selection of applicants for Winter cohorts is not eligible to participate in the Match process due to when the Match is scheduled, but information on students who are admitted into Winter cohorts will be reported to CIMLE for tracking purposes.

Results of the student selections are based on the following criteria:

1. Overall Grade Point Average (GPA)
2. Science GPA
3. References
4. Interview
5. Other relevant information, including previous hospital or health care experience, college laboratory work, honors, and extracurricular activities.

Student selection is nondiscriminatory with respect to age, race, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, gender reassignment, veteran status, or disability.

Advanced placement into the Program is generally not available. However, if an applicant is accepted into the Program for one cohort and elects to start the Program in the following cohort, that would be considered advanced placement and would be feasible with approval from the Program Director.