All courses within the Medical Laboratory Science program are taught solely in English, including written and spoken information and assignments.
INTRODUCTION TO THE LABORATORY
Students are oriented to the program, profession, and VUMC. Students receive presentations to review important information they will need to utilize during the program, such as anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, and immunology. The focus of this course is to give them the basic skills and knowledge they will need to progress in the program.
CLINICAL CHEMISTRY
Clinical Chemistry explores biochemical constituents of body fluids, including physiology and pathophysiology. Emphasis is placed on the analytical methods of the laboratory. This includes the study of the principles, operation and maintenance of laboratory instrumentation, and quality control and quality assurance tools.
URINALYSIS
Urinalysis assesses the physical, chemical, and microscopic properties of urine. Emphasis is placed on laboratory procedures, morphological findings, and the correlation of test results to disease states. The course also introduces students to renal anatomy and physiology.
SPECIAL CHEMISTRY
Special Chemistry includes endocrinology and toxicology. Students explore physiology, pathophysiology, detection, and signs and symptoms related to hormones and their disease states. Toxicology covers therapeutic drugs, illicit drugs, volatiles, pharmacology, and pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
HEMOSTASIS/THROMBOSIS (Coagulation)
Coagulation studies the interaction of blood vessels, platelets, coagulation factors, and fibrinolytic system. Emphasis is placed on the laboratory procedures used in the diagnosis and management of various bleeding and thrombotic disorders.
HEMATOPATHOLOGY
Hematopathology studies diseases and disorders that are found in and affect blood cells and hematopoiesis. The course will focus on flow cytometry and other techniques used to diagnose leukemia and lymphomas, such as immunofixation, isoelectric focusing, and protein electrophoresis.
PARASITOLOGY
Students learn about the life cycles and diagnostic stages of clinically significant parasites, focusing on the etiology and infective stages. Laboratory procedures for detecting and differentiating parasites are emphasized, including microscopic characteristics and molecular methods of detection and identification.
HEMATOLOGY
Hematology involves the study of maturation, morphology, and function of blood cells and their role in disease processes. Emphasis is placed on both manual and automated laboratory procedures, blood cell identification, and the relationship of cells with specific diseases such as anemia, leukemia, lymphomas, and reactive processes.
MOLECULAR
This course is the study of human and infectious agents' DNA, RNA, and chromosomes as they relate to normal and pathophysiology. Emphasis is placed on basic molecular theory, basic and advanced laboratory procedures, and the correlation of test results to disease states.
IMMUNOLOGY (Immunopathology)
Study of the immunological response in infections and autoimmune diseases, the characterization of lymphocyte populations in neoplasms, and abnormal immunologic responses.
MICROBIOLOGY (Bacteriology/ Mycology)
Microbiology focuses on bacteria and fungi that infect humans. The course includes the laboratory identification of bacteria and fungi using conventional biochemical methods as well as rapid systems, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and evaluation of clinical specimens for evidence of infection.
IMMUNOHEMATOLOGY (Blood Bank)
Immunohematology studies blood group antigens and antibodies and their significance in transfusion therapy. This course includes donor selection, laboratory procedures for processing and selecting blood products, identification of blood group antigens and antibodies, blood storage procedures, quality control, transfusion practices and related complications, and component therapy.
BODY FLUIDS
Body fluids studies the normal and abnormal cells found in body fluids aside from urine and blood, including serous, spinal, and synovial fluids. Students learn about normal and pathophysiology, how to identify poor collection procedures, and how to correlate results with disease processes.
SEMINAR
A variety of topics are covered in Seminar, including management and supervisory skills, laboratory operations, educational methodologies, research skills, regulatory issues, quality assurance tools, career planning, and reviews of technical material.