Medical Laboratory Science

[LabDoc33]

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Alright, so I posted this in the non-traditional forum and received but one response. I was hoping to see some more opinions (hopefully from adcoms and docs). I'll be graduating with a degree in Medical Laboratory Science this spring and will be taking a gap year to do the rest of my prereqs/study for the MCAT in the winter.

For those who don't necessarily know what goes on we deal in the realm of hematology, chemistry (special chemistry and immunology), microbiology, and transfusion medicine. Basically what you get out of research, but in a diagnostic medical lab in a hospital.

I was wondering how adcoms viewed the profession. I mean literally we already know all the lab values, how to order them, what they mean, what type of specimen we need, etc. Tons of hospital hours and patient interaction if you are in a smallish hospital drawing blood.

Let me know!

 

[Patros]

Not an adcom, but I have many friends who "upgraded" from biochemistry to MLS (it was a specialty of biochemistry in my place).

I think if you have a high GPA, that would be pretty impressive because MLS was ruthlessly difficult from where I went. Not sure if adcoms would be aware of this though. However I will say that the most impressive part of MLS would be your clinical experience, so make sure you make it clear how this translates into a passion for medicine. Being a phlebotomist is a long way from being a doctor.

Also let me say that medical laboratory =/= research laboratory. You may run ELISAs in both, but one is healthcare-driven and the other is hypothesis-driven. So don't make it sound like you got out of diagnostic medicine what others would get from 2-3 years of research, because they are not the same! If you do have research experience, ignore this.

 

[Frostbite22]

Actually after I graduated college I went on to do a program in this and am currently working as a lab scientist in a hospital. I've been working full time for about a year and it has provided me with a fairly decent income and clinical experience. Not sure how adcoms will view it when I apply but it definitely let me see that I want to do more than just be part of hospital staff.

I'd say since you already have the degree you should find a job in it if you can.

 

[Lucca]

Med Lab is challenging work. The path here at my college is long (5 years) and requires a lot of technical work. It could be your bag, it could not. I would add the major into the category of "this has to be for you to be worth it as a premed".

Is there any game value out of it? Clinical experience but you could get that elsewhere. Stay away from it if that's all your hoping to get.

 

[swivelj]

I am currently employed as medical lab scientist working in a reference lab doing blood bank. I will say this I have had plenty of contact with pathologists/oncologist/clinical PhDs who were MLS at one time and were really supportive of our curriculum and me pursuing medical school. I've been doing this for 3yrs now and I'm really on the fence with how admissions will view it. I feel like our profession for the most part is extremely under the radar. Most people think I have an associates degree or I am a phlebotomist. Which I don't find insulting those are perfectly fine jobs/people....just proves my point.I do find it ridiculous that not all of our coursework is included in the BCM calculation. This again I think shows that our field is poorly represented in healthcare. I don't want to come of as bitter... I just wish more people in the admissions and healthcare field were more knowledgable about our coursework and clinical experiences, but I guess that's what a PS and interview are for.

Basically...I would not count on this giving you an edge over your traditional pre med counter parts if that's what your asking. I don't see how it could ever be viewed negatively by admissions, maybe just under appreciated?

 

[LabDoc33]

Yea that's basically the general consensus that more or less people don't know about us. Just frustrating since the major is extremely hard and you get tons of clinical hours. Granted I will absolutely need to obtain more patient contact hours and shadowing with docs etc. But you would think that all the behind the scenes magic we work with medicine might count for a lot more. Regardless, it'll be a nice supplemental career until I can get accepted to a medical school.

@Underu I agree it does not equal research. I have just used some of the technical skills I have learned in the program to develop some research.

 

[swivelj]

I think you made the right choice. I switched majors when I became more aware of the job market for a bio med major. When I told our dept. head my plans (also pre med advisor) he said I presented him with a huge moral dilemma, because he is supposed to advise everyone to graduate from his dept. but he thought my plan was actually what everyone should do because the process has become so competitive. I've made countless connections as well and built I nice network. So I know we all want to get to med school ASAP but give this career a chance as well you will soon find out that working the bench is the very bottom of where you can go. A lot of exciting things are happening with molecular diagnostics, and I've seen a few ambitious MLS holding very important jobs in hospital admin. While on rotations. My advice is give it a chance, make some money, and build a super strong app in the meantime.

 

[NorthernMav]

I was a MLS major. I am now accepted into allopathic medical school. From my experience, unless an ADCOM was a CLS (or MT), they are not going to care that much. It will certainly not overshadow poor grades or MCAT. They do not care that it was difficult. You can spin it as a unique experience in your personal statement and/or experience section. Nonetheless, it is a really great degree to have IMO.