Track in Medical and Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences (MDLS)

Director of Graduate Studies: Donna Wolk (dwolk@email.arizona.edu)

Description

The Medical and Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences (MDLS) subplan of the PSM in Applied Biosciences GIDP is designed to prepare student for professional careers in the laboratory medicine or the biosciences surrounding in vitro devices (IVDs), a term used to describe diagnostic laboratory test methods regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Graduates will be eligible for employment in a wide variety of medical and scientific disciplines, including the diagnostics and pharmaceutical industries, bioindustry, clinical and translational research units, and government agencies. Emphasis topics may include development of laboratory management skills, acumen in the legal and business environment of laboratory medicine, compliance to federal regulations for healthcare or the diagnostic industry, or knowledge of the in vitro device processes and regulations. The track requires an internship in a medical laboratory, diagnostic or translational research environment, university compliance programs for industry-funded research, or one of the associated bioscience companies.

Students will work closely with faculty in the College of Medicine’s Department of Pathology who oversee all aspects of Laboratory Medicine. These faculty direct translational research programs, collaborating with diagnostic bioindusty research partners to develop novel testing methods for disease detection, as well as basic science research programs that investigate mechanisms of disease, characterization of diseases such as cancer and infections, or disease interventions such as vaccines and antitoxins.

In addition, some of the Pathology faculty also oversee hospital laboratories and clinical laboratory scientists who perform diagnostic testing in hospitals and clinics. If students are motivated toward this type of career, they may discuss options with their faculty mentors to couple their PSM degree with courses in the Clinical Laboratory Scientists (CLS) program at the University of Arizona. CLS are key members of the healthcare system who are board-certified to practice diagnostic laboratory medicine, upon which over 80% of all medical diagnoses are made. Despite their increasingly vital role in the diagnosis and prevention of disease, national predictions indicate a 10% shortfall in qualified CLS in Arizona and across the United States. As members of one of the largest industries in the US, CLS jobs are abundant, but are vacant due to nationwide shortages. Shortages are growing each year and are detrimental to healthcare and the medical diagnostics industry, which demands quality and professional accountability. Should a student pursue both ABS-PSM and CLS educational options, such certified individuals will be eligible for employment as medical laboratory professionals anywhere in the US and many countries abroad; as this expertise is a recognized, and often a legal requirement for medical testing related to human health and disease. Employment is widely available and compensation is competitive. The program also offers entry to post-other graduate degrees in laboratory medicine, medicine, and biosciences that provide opportunities for career development and management or post-graduate level jobs in healthcare and industry with attractive compensations. For more information, refer to http://www.ascp.org/and http://www.ascls.org/

Curriculum

Internship (6-9 Units)
Take 6-9 units of ABS593, see the document “Instructions and Procedures for Internship” for details. These units must be completed under the supervision of a faculty member who either is tenure/continuing status eligible, or is tenured/holds continuing status. Exceptions to this supervision must be approved by the Graduate College.

Core Science Courses (12 Units)

Required:
CBIO/PATH 515 Basic Human Pathology  (4 units)

Choose 8 (or more) units from the following:
BIOC 568                   Nucleic Acids
MATH 509c                Statistics for Research
CPH 576A                  Biostatistics for Public Health
CPH 576B                  Biostatistics for Research
PLP/MCB 528R         Microbial Genetics
MIC/VSC 595a           Critical Evaluation of Scientific Literature
MCB 572                    Cell Systems

Plus Courses (12 Units)

Choose 12 units from the following courses. You may take courses from the UND graduate program for transfer, but note that additional costs may apply.

BNAD 510     Business Fundamentals for Scientists
ENGR 512a    Management of Technology I
ENGR 512b    Management of Technology II
LAW 664        Biotech Startup Co: Law, Science, and Business Issues*
ENGR 567      Financial Modeling for Innovation

MLS online distance education from the graduate program at University of N. Dakota

A UA student can apply to UND’s graduate school as  a “non-degree” student, and then sign up for any of the courses.  The non-degree application would be filed with UND and credits transferred to UA.
CLS 501 Quality Assurance in the Clinical Laboratory. 2 credits.
CLS 505 Financial Management of the Clinical Laboratory. 2 credits.
CLS 508 Leadership and Conflict Resolution in the Health Sciences. 2 credits.
CLS 509 Laboratory Education Methodologies. 2 credits.
CLS 517 Health Administration for the Clinical Laboratory Professional. 2 credits.

Electives (3-6 Units)

Choose 3-6 units from the following list or any units listed above in the “Core Science” and “Plus course” lists. You are encouraged to choose courses from one of the different emphases (Infectious Disease Diagnostics, Cancer Pathology, Toxicology). The courses that work for each emphasis are marked with an * in the appropriate column.

• ID = Infectious Disease Diagnostics Emphasis (Key contact Donna Wolk, Natalie Whitfield)
• CP = Cancer Pathology Emphasis (Key contacts Lisa Rimsza, Monika Schmelz, Margaret Briehl)
• Tox = Toxicology Emphasis (Key contact: Leslie Boyer)
• Courses marked UND are offered via distance education from the University of North Dakota.