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Studies & Degrees in Clinical Laboratory Sciences

Clinical laboratory science, also called medical laboratory science or, in some countries, biomedical science or medical technology, is the health profession that analyses blood, tissue and other samples from patients. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes clinical laboratory technologists and technicians as performing medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease.

Students take chemistry, biology and mathematics first, and then the laboratory disciplines themselves. The medical laboratory technician programme at Somerset Community College names the main areas: blood banking, clinical chemistry, hematology, microbiology, serology and urinalysis. Quality control, laboratory safety and the handling of instruments and data run through the whole course. A supervised placement in a hospital laboratory is a standard part of the training: according to the BLS, accredited programmes typically include hands-on training in a hospital or other clinical setting.

Qualifications and levels

  • United States. There are two levels. Technologists (medical laboratory scientists) typically earn a bachelor's degree in medical technology or a related life science; technicians sometimes qualify with an associate's degree. At Saint Louis University, the B.S. in Medical Laboratory Science consists of two years of core courses in basic sciences and the liberal arts, one year of preclinical laboratory coursework and a practicum, with seniors spending 16 weeks in hospital laboratories. Wright State University offers a bachelor of science that makes graduates eligible for the national certification examination of the American Society for Clinical Pathology, and a certificate option for people who already hold a bachelor's degree. The University of Alabama at Birmingham teaches the subject at master's level. Somerset Community College offers an Associate in Applied Science for medical laboratory technicians.
  • Accreditation and licensing in the United States. Programmes are accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), which grants public recognition to programmes that meet established education standards. The BLS notes that some states require laboratory personnel to be licensed or registered, so check the rules of the state where you want to work.
  • United Kingdom. The equivalent profession is the biomedical scientist, a title protected by law and regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) recommends an IBMS-accredited degree or degree apprenticeship as the first step.
  • Spain. Laboratory technicians train through vocational training (FP): the Técnico Superior en Laboratorio Clínico y Biomédico is a 2,000-hour higher vocational qualification in the health family.
  • Peru. The Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos trains medical technologists in the area of Laboratorio Clínico y Anatomía Patológica. The programme consists of 1 year of general studies, 3 years of academic studies and 1 year of internship, and leads to the academic degree of Bachiller and the professional title of Licenciado en Tecnología Médica.
  • Portugal. The Egas Moniz School of Health and Science offers a Licenciatura em Ciências Biomédicas Laboratoriais of 4 years and 240 ECTS credits.

Laboratory professions are regulated differently in each country. If you plan to work somewhere other than where you study, ask the school and the professional regulator of that country whether the qualification is recognised there.

Where to study clinical laboratory sciences

SpainExchange lists 20 active schools for clinical laboratory sciences. Thirteen are in the United States, and Australia, the Netherlands, Argentina, Bermuda, Peru, the United Kingdom and Portugal have one each.

Examples in the United States are Saint Louis University, Wright State University, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, the University of Alabama - Birmingham, East Carolina University, the University of Maine, the University of Minnesota and the community colleges of Somerset and Henderson in Kentucky. Outside the United States the directory includes the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Lima, the Egas Moniz School of Health and Science in Caparica (Portugal), Griffith University in Australia, Utrecht University in the Netherlands and The University of Warwick in the United Kingdom.

Teaching follows the language of the country: English in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, Spanish in Peru and Argentina, Portuguese in Portugal. Because of the hospital placement, a good level of the local language is needed.

Careers

Graduates work in hospital and private diagnostic laboratories, blood banks, public health laboratories, research laboratories and the diagnostics industry. The Spanish vocational qualification places its holders in clinical analysis laboratories and in diagnosis, treatment, management and research.

In the United States, the BLS projects employment of clinical laboratory technologists and technicians to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 20,800 openings each year on average over the decade. These figures refer to the United States only.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a laboratory technologist and a technician?

In the United States, technologists (medical laboratory scientists) typically hold a bachelor's degree, while technicians sometimes qualify with an associate's degree.

Does the programme include work in a hospital?

Normally yes. Accredited programmes typically include hands-on clinical training; at Saint Louis University, for example, seniors spend 16 weeks in hospital laboratories.

Can I work in another country with my qualification?

Not automatically. Titles such as biomedical scientist in the United Kingdom are protected, and some US states require a licence, so ask the regulator of the country or state where you want to work.

How is this profession trained in Spain?

Through vocational training: the Técnico Superior en Laboratorio Clínico y Biomédico, a 2,000-hour programme.