Medical Laboratory Sciences
The degree that leads to a fast paced, impactful career in the medical field!
Medical Laboratory Science is the “hidden profession” that saves lives every day! Over 75% of clinical decisions are based on the laboratory tests performed by Medical Laboratory Scientists. If you love working in a laboratory setting and want to have a direct impact on patient care, the MLS major is a great fit for you!Medical Laboratory Scientists work behind-the-scenes, processing laboratory tests that doctors count on to correctly diagnose, monitor and treat patients. The Medical Laboratory Scientist is responsible for interpreting and communicating critical patient results to the physician.
Your B.S. in Medical Laboratory Sciences will provide you with an extensive background in the basic biological sciences, including anatomy and physiology, immunology, microbiology, biochemistry and parasitology.
Faculty at Lakeland Regional Health (LRH)
The faculty at LRH include:- Amber Cochran, PhD(ABD), MPH, MLS(ASCP) - Program Director and Clinical Liaison between FSC and LRH
- Theresa Ohrmund, MBA, MLS (ASCP)CM, CIC, SSGB - Director of Laboratory Services at LRH
- Emilia Marrero-Greene, M Ed, MT(AAB), M(ASCP) - Instructional Faculty
- Jessica Jones Orge, MT (AAB), MLT/PBT/DPT (ASCP), CPI (NCCT) - Instructional Faculty
- Magnus Olsson, MS, MLS(ASCP) - Instructional Faculty
Why choose Medical Laboratory Sciences at FSC?
Earn your Certification
Our curriculum follows the strict guidelines set by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). This provides you with exceptional preparation for the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) national certification exam and licensure within the state of Florida.
LRH Partnership
A major part of your curriculum includes taking classes at our local hospital with professionals at LRH. In your final year, you will be full time at LRH where you will spend time in each clinical lab for extensive training.
Hands on Experience
Beginning in the first semester, students gain valuable laboratory, skills-based and critical thinking experiences at FSC. In advanced courses, students work with MLS professionals in state-of-the-art clinical labs at LRH, where 9 million lab tests are performed each year.
Unique experiences
Students observe professionals in clinical settings, learn and practice technical skills in teaching labs, and apply basic theory to real cases in clinical areas such as Chemistry, Hematology, Urinalysis, and Microbiology. In their senior year, students are assigned a preceptor to master skills in a wide variety of laboratory settings at LRH, including the main campus, the free-standing emergency room, and the cancer center.
Employment and career opportunities
Students have the opportunity to work as laboratory assistants while enrolled in the program. More than half of our graduates have accepted MLS positions within the LRH health system. The median annual salary for certified entry-level laboratory professionals is $76,648. The expected growth rate for MLS professionals is 9% - three times the national average. The MLS profession provides security, a comfortable salary, guaranteed employment, and many advancement opportunities to include administrative, educational, and specialties within the clinical laboratory departments.
Meet Gaven Tryon, MLS major, class of '25
Gaven enrolled at FSC as a Marine Biology major, but soon switched to MLS. In addition to his academic pursuits, Gaven was a member of the FSC men’s ice hockey team, serving as an assistant captain, and held executive board positions, including vice president, in his fraternity, Sigma Chi.
Gaven Tryon
What first attracted you to MLS major? Why did you think MLS was right for you?
What first attracted me to MLS was getting to experience the clinical lab at Lakeland Regional Health through a tour hosted by FSC. This tour allowed me to see all of the different instruments and tests that are performed in the clinical lab. I knew that MLS was right for me when I learned about the variety of work opportunities available to MLS graduates. Once you become an MLS, you are able to work in the various departments of the clinical lab (hematology, coagulation, chemistry, serology, urinalysis, etc.), and you are also able to work in specialty departments, such as microbiology and blood bank.
What is the most exciting or rewarding aspect of the program?
The most rewarding aspect of the program was during my clinical rotations. During our rotations through the different departments of the lab, we were able to apply our knowledge and the procedures that we had learned about during our classes.
How is MLS different from other majors?
One way that MLS differs from other majors is in the variety of potential work opportunities. With an MLS degree you are able to perform laboratory testing in human medicine and veterinary medicine. There are also employment opportunities with the companies that are making the laboratory instruments.
What are your career goals, and where do you hope to use your training after graduation?
My career goals are to graduate veterinary school and become a large animal veterinarian. Even though I am going to school to be a veterinarian, I am still planning on maintaining my MLS license. Lab work is crucial in veterinary medicine and the training I received from the program is going to be extremely helpful during my time in veterinary school and as a practicing veterinarian.
Update:
Gaven was accepted into veterinary school and is now attending Midwestern University in Arizona. He was also accepted into a Racing Industry Veterinary Student Externship Program designed to provide prospective veterinarians with exposure to, gain experience in, and develop networking opportunities in equine veterinary medicine within the racing industry.
National Accreditation
Florida Southern College Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS), is fully accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), with Five Years of Initial Accreditation. In addition, our Medical Laboratory Sciences Program is a licensed training program by the State of Florida.
Contact information for NAACLS
NAACLS
5600 N. River Rd,
Suite 720 Rosemont IL 60018-5119
Phone: 773.714.8880
Fax: 773.714.8886
Email: info@naacls.org
Outcomes Measures
We graduated our first class in the spring of 2021. Information on certification, graduation and attrition rates for the program are listed below.
| Academic Year (August – May) | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 | Three Year Average | NAACLS Benchmarks (averages) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board Certification Pass Rates | 50% | 100% | 67% | 78% | 75% |
| Graduation Rates | 67% | 100% | 100% | 90% | 70% |
| Attrition Rates | 33% | 0% | 0% | 10% | N/A |
| Placement Rates | 50% | 100% | 67% | 78% | 70% |
Note: Cohort size is directly proportional to the reliability and validity of benchmarks.
Featured Medical Laboratory Sciences Faculty
Nancy Morvillo
Medical Laboratory Sciences
The MLS degree is an allied health career opportunity for students interested in working in a clinical laboratory.
Medical Laboratory Scientists are healthcare professionals who perform chemical, hematological, immunological, histopathological, cytopathological, microscopic, and bacteriological diagnostic analyses on patient samples. Medical Laboratory Scientists commonly work in hospital clinical laboratories, commercial laboratories, for pharmaceutical, chemical, or biotechnology companies, and in research and teaching institutions.
This four year degree includes experience working in the clinical laboratories of Lakeland Regional Health, a major health care provider in central Florida. Students will begin taking courses at the Medical Center hospital beginning in their third year, before transitioning into a full time internship at Lakeland Regional Health during their fourth year.
Second Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences
Florida Southern College accepts applications from students seeking a Second Bachelor’s degree in select academic majors. Graduates from other 4-year accredited institutions of higher education (meeting university transfer eligibility requirements) in the United States who apply for admission to work toward a second bachelor’s degree must meet the regular requirements of the university and would apply as a Transfer student. Students must meet all transfer GPA requirements. A baccalaureate degree or higher from another 4-year accredited institution of higher education (meeting university transfer eligibility requirements) in the United States satisfies the General Education requirements for graduation.
Second Bachelor’s degree seeking students are great candidates for the Medical Laboratory Sciences program. Florida Southern College offers 2 year and 3 year paths to an MLS degree. To apply for admission to the MLS program, a second bachelor’s degree student must be admitted to Florida Southern College and meet academic criteria for admission to the program.
MLS Second Degree - 2 Year PlanMLS Second Degree - 3 Year Plan Full Academic Calendar
Clubs And More
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Medical Laboratory Sciences Program Details
AVAILABLE IN:
BS
Admission Requirements
All pre-certified MLS students are required to participate in clinical laboratory experiences at off-site locations. Each student is responsible for obtaining reliable transportation to the clinical laboratory sites. Students may be assigned laboratory rotations on weekends.
First-Years
All freshman applicants to Florida Southern Colleges full-time degree programs must submit the following information:
- A completed application form
- An official high school transcript
- Must have an SAT score of 1180 or ACT score of 24
- Academic recommendation
- Admission to the program is competitive, and a comprehensive review of application materials will determine admittance.
Transfers
Applying to Florida Southern as a transfer student is easy.
- A completed application form
- Personal statement
- All official college transcripts
- Overall college GPA of 3.0 for completed courses received as transfer credits.
- Completion of at least three prerequisite courses including BIO 1500, CHE 1111, and CHE 1112 all with a grade of C or higher.
- Social standing form
If transferring less than 19 credits, we also need your:
- Official high school transcript
- Must have an SAT score of 1180 or ACT score of 24.
Internationals
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Medical Laboratory Sciences Program Contact
Nancy Morvillo, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology
Department Chair
Nelson C. White Chair in the Life Sciences
Polk Science - 126
863.680.6240
Amber Cochran, Ph.D.(ABD), MPH, MLS(ASCP)
Program Director
Clinical Liaison between FSC and LRH
863.687.1100
