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Learn More about Mayo Clinic's Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) Program

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Learn More about Mayo Clinic's Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) Program

Medical laboratory science graduates: Where are they now?

Diversity and inclusion

Our department takes deliberate steps to create an environment that ensures the success of all learners. We believe that diversity and inclusion helps us to achieve our time-honored commitment to attract, develop, and retain the next generation of health care professionals to pursue Mayo Clinic's three-shield approach of excellence in patient care, education, and research.

We are proud of the breadth of diversity among our students and graduates and want to share their stories with you.

Aimable Hakizimana

Aimable Hakizimana

  • Program graduate, now a medical technology II at Mayo Clinic
  • Featured in Mayo School of Health Sciences Connections magazine, page 17
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Stella Menuba

Stella Menuba

  • Program graduate, now a technical specialist I at Mayo Clinic
  • Featured profile in DLMP This Week
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Josh Yang

Josh Yang

  • Program graduate and now a technical specialist I at Mayo Clinic
  • Featured profile in DLMP This Week
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Advancement opportunities for medical lab scientists

Abundant career opportunities are available for individuals with training and certification in medical laboratory science. Graduates may seek employment in a medical/clinical laboratory setting, the public health sector, or may elect to apply their skills in the biotechnology industry or in sales and marketing.

Medical laboratory scientists are highly sought after, and our program graduates have a 100% employment rate. Graduates may seek employment in a medical/clinical laboratory setting, the public health sector, or may elect to apply their skills in the biotechnology industry or in sales and marketing.

Career tracks

The Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology's (DLMP) mission is to provide the highest quality laboratory and pathology services to the patients, physicians, and others we serve. At one of the largest laboratories in the world, more than 5,000 people work in more than 100 specialty laboratories and perform millions of tests each year.

Once you enter the field of medical lab science at Mayo Clinic, there are several advancement opportunities from which to choose:

Development technologist track

The development technologist track is designed for technically skilled technologists with several years of experience in the clinical laboratories. These technologists generally have honed their skills on routine diagnostic assays and are able to use those skills as a development technologist. In the Development Track, technologists spend their time developing new tests using either commercially available kits or Mayo Clinic-developed assays. They also develop and apply new technologies to existing tests. Individuals with the Development Track are also involved in writing scientific papers and presenting findings at local and national scientific meetings.

Technical track

The technical specialist track has been developed to encourage individuals to utilize their knowledge and expertise in such areas as computer systems, education, instrumentation, physician extenders, and quality assurance.

Professional opportunities in this track: Technical Specialist I and II and Technical Specialist Coordinator III.

Education track

The education track is designed for those individuals who have developed strong teaching and training skills in the clinical laboratories. In the Education Track, these specialists teach students, train employees, and design schedules and curriculum.

Professional opportunities in this track: Education Specialist I and II and Education Program Coordinator.

Quality track

The quality track is designed for individuals with outstanding attention to detail, record keeping, and analytical skills. Our quality specialists lead individual laboratory audits and inspections by national accrediting agencies.

Professional opportunities in this track: Quality Specialist I and II.

Management track

The management track is designed for those individuals who have developed strong skills at the bench and are interested in the "big picture" of leading a diagnostic laboratory. Individuals within this track develop a new set of skills, including skills that allow them to bridge the gap between the technical and the business sides of laboratory testing.