Curriculum and Clinical Experience
This 45-week preceptorship provides a comprehensive curriculum of theoretical knowledge and direct clinical experience in medical laboratory science. The course content and presentation encourages excellence, independence, and confidence in the application of skills, clinical theory, and problem solving within a carefully crafted program which guides students to distinction as highly-qualified, competent, entry-level technologists. Each course includes the didactic rotation of in-depth lecture series and corresponding student lab sessions, followed by the clinical rotation supplying over 720 hours of direct clinical experience including substantial involvement with instrumentation and quality control, along with direct supervised experience from specimen procurement through result reporting. The listed course credits are suggested guides and are not awarded by UPMC Chautauqua; refer to the affiliated college/university catalog for the distribution of credits awarded for the following courses.
Graduation / Certificate of Completion
After successfully completing the program a graduate is awarded a Certificate of Completion and is ready to take a national registry examination to become certified as a Medical Laboratory Scientist.
The final course grade for each individual clinical course is determined from practical, academic, and attitudinal assessments in each discipline during both Rotation I: Didactic and Rotation II: Clinical, and from the final exam for each course.
Didactic Rotation Grade
Clinical Rotation Grade
Course Final Exam
Final Course Grade
40%
50%
10%
100%
Grading Scale
The UPMC Chautauqua program utilizes the following grading scale. All grades reported to a student’s college/university are given in numerical values allowing each college to access its own letter grade and quality points according to its policy.
Rotation I exams, practicals
and overall Rotation I scoreRotation II rotation tests/quizzes
- Rotation II final exams and practicals
- Overall score for each Rotation II rotation
- Overall score for each internship course
Percentage (%)
93 – 100
90 – 92
87 – 89
83 – 86
80 – 82
77 – 79
75 – 76
< 75
Letter
A
A –
B +
B
B –
C +
C
Failing
Quality Points
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
2.7
2.3
2.0
0.0
Percentage (%)
93 – 100
90 – 92
87 – 89
83 – 86
80 – 82
77 – 79
70 – 76
< 70
Letter
A
A –
B +
B
B –
C +
C
Failing
Quality Points
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
2.7
2.3
2.0
0.0
COMPLETION CRITERIA
A student must satisfy all of the following criteria in order to receive a Certificate of Completion from the UPMC Chautauqua Medical Laboratory Science Program. Receiving a Certificate of Completion is not dependent upon the student completing or passing any external certification or licensure examination.
- 75% (or above) overall in Rotation I: Didactic courses combined.
- 70% (or above) on the written FINAL EXAMINATION of each Rotation II: Clinical departmental rotation.
- 70% (or above) on the PRACTICAL EXAMINATION(S) of each Rotation II: Clinical departmental rotation.
- 70% (or above) in overall level of performance in each Rotation II: Clinical departmental rotation (quizzes, exams, evaluations, etc.).
- 70% (or above) overall in each Medical Laboratory Program course (see Curriculum and Course Description).
- Complete all aspects of academic courses and clinical rotations according to established criteria and policies.
- Be competent in all routine procedures and techniques and meet the established Career Entry-Level Competencies, further indicated by obtaining 70% (or above) on all cognitive, psychomotor and affective domain evaluation line items.
- Meet all financial obligations to UPMC Chautauqua and its Medical Laboratory Science Program.
A student who does not meet the Completion Criteria at anytime during the program year or performs at a level of competence inconsistent with the welfare of the patient will be placed on probation or may be immediately dismissed from the program.
Career Entry-Level Competencies
The UPMC Chautauqua Medical Laboratory Science Program is a quality preceptorship guiding its students to the following career entry-level competencies. The role of the professional Medical Laboratory Scientist demands knowledge and skills as a scientist and a keen awareness of his/her vital role in the health care team and in service to the patients.
The curriculum of the UPMC Chautauqua Medical Laboratory Science Program is designed, through the acquisition of knowledge and practical experience, to expect its graduate to obtain the following career entry-level competencies: