Clinical Laboratory Sciences

Program Description
Students in the Clinical Laboratory Sciences Program are trained to become Clinical Laboratory Technicians (CLT's) and provide clinical information to physicians, pathologists, researchers, and other healthcare providers by conducting a variety of tests on various specimens submitted to clinical laboratories. CLT’s perform general tests in all laboratory areas such as blood banking, chemistry, hematology. Immunology, and microbiology. CLT’s perform laboratory testing in many clinical settings such as hospitals, reference laboratories, clinics, and bioscience industry.  The Clinical Laboratory Sciences Program includes certificate and associate degree pathways.

Program Accreditation

The college is seeking program accreditation for the Clinical Laboratory Sciences program through the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) located at 5600 N. River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL  60018 or phone number 773-714-8880.

Employment Outlook
The program provides education and training for employment in various medical and bioscience laboratories. According to regional salary survey information, Clinical Laboratory Technicians earn approximately $14-$22 per hour. National certification as a Clinical Laboratory Technician is currently required by most employers.

Program Cost
The cost of the certificate program, not including prerequisite courses, is approximately $4,300 which includes tuition, course fees, books, and drug screening costs. 

Program Schedule and Length
The fifteen-month program begins in January and ends in late March. Hybrid courses with student labs are scheduled on Fridays from 8:00am - 4:00pm on the Phoenix College campus during the first spring and fall semesters. The clinical rotations are scheduled during the summer months and late fall/second spring semester at various local laboratories.  The clinical rotation sites are scheduled by the school, and the clinical rotation schedule typically average 20 hours per week during day shift hours, on a Monday-Friday schedule.

Program Mission Statement
The Clinical Laboratory Sciences program delivers quality instruction to develop highly skilled and ethical laboratory services providers.  We are committed to professional growth, lifelong learning, and service to the community.

Program Goals

1. Provide an educational program that meets the standards of the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) and promotes successful attainment of national certification.

2. Educate and train students who will demonstrate ethical and professional conduct in all professional endeavors.

3. Establish a curriculum to meet the needs of the clinical laboratory sciences community, serves the needs of a cultural diverse community, and ensures clinical experiences provide access to current trends and technology.

4. Promote professional and personal excellence among students, faculty and staff, and encourage lifelong learning.

5. Provide respectful, innovative, and active learning opportunities facilitated by faculty current in teaching methodologies and innovative instructional technologies.

For more specific program information, please select a category for the list on the right.

Additional information to a specific question may be found at the FAQ's.

 "The CLS program at Phoenix College made it possible for me to reach my career and educational goals while continuing to work full time and have a balanced life.  It has been an incredible experience and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to move into this field, whether it is your first degree or you already have your associates or even your bachelors degree.  The instructors and program director are all wonderful people and make this experience worth it."   Aubrey Nava, Clinical Laboratory Sciences student, December 2008