Program Commitment, Goals, Competencies & Outcomes

Statement of purpose

The Inova Fairfax Hospital Medical Laboratory Science Program is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, to instruction of students in laboratory theory and techniques and to the provision of laboratory healthcare. The major concern of the Inova Fairfax Hospital and the laboratory is the patient. However, within the framework of a teaching hospital, the Medical Laboratory Science program is able to afford the opportunity for medical laboratory education in a real-world setting. The program, well aware of the rapidity of change, seeks to provide the most meaningful education for its students, by constant re-examination of its methods and goals.

Our commitment

The educational commitments of the program are to graduate medical laboratory scientists with competence to perform the laboratory procedures in all areas of the laboratory with an understanding of the clinical significance of test results to the physician and the patient.

Graduates are eligible for certification as medical laboratory scientist and are prepared to enter the allied medical field as professional laboratorians.

Program goals

• Assure that entry-level medical laboratory scientists are adequately trained and equipped with the knowledge, skills and background experience essential for becoming a professional medical laboratory scientist
• To provide the most meaningful and high quality clinical education experience for our students both academically and clinically in all areas of the clinical laboratory so that students are well prepared for the workforce
• To offer a sustainable curriculum that meets and exceeds the standards of training set forth by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science
• To graduate well-qualified medical laboratory scientists to achieve a passing score on the national certification examination
• To recruit and employ program graduates in the state of Virginia and the nation

Skills and abilities expected at career entry

Communication

The medical laboratory scientist communicates technical or general information to medical, paramedical or lay individuals. This may include problems or matters of a scientific, technical and/or administrative nature.

Judgment and decision making

The medical laboratory scientist has the ability to exercise initiative and independent judgment in dealing with the broad scope of procedural and technical problems. The medical laboratory scientist is able to participate in, and may be delegated the responsibility for decisions involving quality control programs, instrument selection, preventative maintenance, safety test procedures and reagent purchases.

Knowledge

The medical laboratory scientist has an understanding of the underlying scientific principles, as well as the technical and procedural aspects of laboratory testing. The medical laboratory scientist has a general comprehension of the physiological, biochemical, immunological, microbiological and genetic factors, which affect health and disease, laboratory tests and the importance of laboratory tests to medical care. The medical laboratory scientist is familiar with the various services available in the hospital and has an appreciation of the roles and interrelationships of paramedical and other health related fields.

Technical skills

The medical laboratory scientist is capable of performing technically demanding tests. The technologist has a theoretical understanding of quality assurance sufficient to monitor and to implement quality control programs. The medical laboratory scientist is able to participate in the introduction and implementation of new procedures and in the evaluation of new instruments. This includes a basic knowledge of accuracy, precision, normal ranges and correlation with existing methods.

Graduation and certification

At the end of the clinical year and upon successful completion of all program requirements, the student is granted a certificate from the Inova Fairfax Hospital School of Medical Laboratory Science at a graduation ceremony. At this time, the student is eligible to take a national certifying examination. Obtaining the certificate for successful completion of the program is not in any way contingent upon taking or passing the national certifying examination. A student who is enrolled in a 3+1 option will receive transfer credit to their universities upon completing the program. The affiliated university will offer credits per the affiliation agreement. The baccalaureate degree is awarded by the universities. Examinations are conducted by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Board of Certification, 33 W. Monroe St., Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60603-5617, www.ascp.org. Upon successful completion of this examination, the MLS (ASCP) certification is awarded.