Medical Laboratory Science Training Program

The MLS Training Program is full time and in person. Students are expected to attend in person at all scheduled times unless otherwise specified, and are off on holidays recognized by Mass General Brigham.

Didactic Training Block (7 months)Location: Mass General Brigham MLS Program Laboratory
221 Longwood Ave., EBRC 420-421
Boston, MA 02115
Hours: Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 4 PM

Clinical Training Block (3 months)
Location: Assigned Mass General Brigham clinical affiliate (see Clinical Affiliates)
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8-hour days. Start times vary by site.

Sample Program Schedule

During the first seven months of the program, students begin developing the foundational knowledge, technical skills, and professional behaviors required for entry-level practice as medical laboratory scientists. The didactic training block is delivered through an integrative, competency-based curriculum that aligns with NAACLS entry-level competencies and prepares students for supervised clinical training. Instruction includes a combination of:

• Online lectures that introduce laboratory theory, testing principles, methodology, and disease correlation across the major disciplines of clinical laboratory science
• In-person case-based learning sessions that connect theory to patient scenarios, reinforce clinical decision-making, and strengthen critical thinking and data interpretation skills
• Competency-based laboratory sessions in a dedicated student laboratory with small-scale clinical instrumentation, where students practice essential testing techniques, apply quality control principles, troubleshoot common laboratory issues, and demonstrate readiness for clinical rotations

Students also receive instruction in laboratory safety, quality assurance, laboratory mathematics, professional ethics, communication, professionalism, and introductory laboratory operations to support their transition into the clinical environment.

MLS.4000 Introduction to Medical Laboratory Science & Laboratory PracticeAn introduction to the clinical laboratory and the foundational practices used across every discipline. Topics include laboratory safety, patient confidentiality, specimen collection and processing, pre- and post-analytic variables, laboratory mathematics, and professional ethics. In the laboratory, students build core bench skills in microscopy, pipetting, solution preparation, and phlebotomy,
including venipuncture technique and order of draw.

MLS.4100 Clinical Immunology & SerologyAn introduction to the fundamental concepts of immunology, including the cells, molecules, and tissues of the immune system and how immune responses are initiated, carried out, and regulated. Students apply these principles through serological methods and antigen-antibody reactions used to diagnose infectious and autoimmune diseases.

MLS.4120 Molecular Diagnostics
An overview of molecular biology and the clinical application of molecular techniques used to diagnose and manage human disease. Topics include specimen collection and handling, nucleic acid extraction and purification, direct and amplified nucleic acid testing, Southern blot analysis, and semi-automated and automated methods. Students perform hands-on laboratory activities and interpret clinical molecular data.

MLS.4130 Laboratory Management & Quality
An introduction to the managerial, educational, technical, and administrative practices of the clinical laboratory, along with the ethical issues laboratory professionals may encounter. Students examine total quality management, including the processes and responsibilities involved in maintaining quality laboratory services.

MLS.4200 Clinical HematologyA study of normal and pathologic hematology, with emphasis on hematopoiesis, blood cell components, and morphology. Topics include the analysis, classification, diagnosis, and monitoring of blood cell disorders. In the laboratory, students perform routine hematology procedures, including cell counts, cell identification, and recognition of abnormalities in the peripheral blood.

MLS.4210 Clinical Hemostasis
An accelerated, in-depth study of normal and disordered hemostasis, with emphasis on routine and advanced coagulation testing. Students gain experience with key methodologies and instrumentation and use case-based reasoning to correlate laboratory findings with clinical presentations. The course emphasizes result interpretation, quality assurance, and the role of the medical laboratory scientist in hemostasis testing.

MLS.4300 Clinical Chemistry
A detailed study of the biochemical substances and processes essential to human health and disease. Topics include carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, heme derivatives, electrolytes, acid-base balance, endocrinology, vitamins and nutrition, therapeutic drug monitoring, and toxicology, along with analytical methodology, instrumentation, and laboratory automation. Laboratory exercises focus on test performance, quality assurance, data interpretation, and correlation of results with disease.

MLS.4310 Urinalysis & Body Fluids
A study of the analysis and interpretation of urine and other body fluids. Topics include renal anatomy and physiology, urine formation and composition, chemical and microscopic urinalysis, and the analysis of cerebrospinal, pleural, synovial, and peritoneal fluids. In the laboratory, students perform urinalysis and body fluid testing with an emphasis on quality control, safety, result interpretation, and troubleshooting.

MLS.4400 Clinical Microbiology I
An introduction to the principles and diagnostic methods of clinical microbiology, with a focus on bacteriology. Students study the clinical significance of commonly isolated pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria and perform the laboratory procedures used for routine identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

MLS.4410 Clinical Microbiology II
A continuation of clinical microbiology, with a focus on mycology, parasitology, and virology. Students learn the taxonomy, life cycles, clinical significance, and laboratory identification of pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungi and parasites, along with virus structure and the association between viruses and clinical disease.

MLS.4500 Clinical Immunohematology
A study of the principles, techniques, and clinical significance of major blood group antigens and antibodies. Topics include compatibility testing, antibody screening and identification, donor selection, transfusion therapy, record keeping, and quality control. In the laboratory, students perform ABO and Rh typing, red cell antigen identification, antibody screening and identification, direct antiglobulin testing, and crossmatching.

The clinical training block is a three-month supervised experience in a Mass General Brigham affiliated hospital laboratory. Each student is assigned to a single clinical site for the entire block. Site placements are determined by the Program Director and Clinical Coordinator based on academic performance, geographic location, and the best fit between the student and the site's learning environment.

Students attend their assigned site for 8-hour days, with start times varying by site. Working under the guidance of medical laboratory scientists, clinical preceptors, and other laboratory professionals, students apply their didactic knowledge to real patient testing and laboratory operations. Students complete rotations in each of the major laboratory disciplines: Chemistry, Hematology & Coagulation, Immunohematology, Microbiology, and Urinalysis.

During each rotation, students must meet defined competencies across three domains:

• Technical skills: performing laboratory testing accurately and safely, operating and maintaining instrumentation, troubleshooting common issues, and applying quality control principles
• Knowledge and critical thinking: evaluating results, recognizing abnormal and critical values, correlating laboratory findings with clinical information, and resolving problems appropriately
• Professional behavior: demonstrating accountability, ethical conduct, effective communication, teamwork, and respect for patients, colleagues, and the laboratory environment

Student performance is evaluated throughout each rotation, and students must successfully complete all clinical competencies to be eligible for graduation.

Clinical rotations take place at Mass General Brigham affiliated clinical laboratories. Each student is assigned to one affiliate for the full three-month clinical training block, and placements are determined by the Program Director and Clinical Coordinator based. Clinical affiliates include:

Brigham and Women's Hospital
75 Francis St., Boston, MA 02115

Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital
1153 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Cooley Dickinson Hospital
30 Locust St., Northampton, MA 01060

Harbor Medical Associates
541 Main St., Suite 114, South Weymouth, MA 02190

Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114

Newton-Wellesley Hospital
2014 Washington St., Newton, MA 02462

Salem Hospital
81 Highland Ave., Salem, MA 01970

Wentworth-Douglass Hospital
789 Central Ave., Dover, NH 03820

MLS.4600 Clinical Practicum I: Clinical Hematology & Hemostasis
Supervised clinical training in the core hematology and hemostasis laboratory at an affiliated site. Students gain hands-on experience with hematology and coagulation instrumentation, quality control, instrument maintenance, result interpretation, critical value reporting, and troubleshooting.

MLS.4610 Clinical Practicum II: Clinical Chemistry & Urinalysis
Supervised clinical training in the chemistry and urinalysis departments at an affiliated site, including rotations through the core chemistry laboratory and a specialty chemistry laboratory when available. Students gain hands-on experience with chemistry instrumentation and methodologies, quality control, instrument maintenance, result interpretation, critical value reporting, and troubleshooting.

MLS.4620 Clinical Practicum III: Immunohematology
Supervised clinical training in the blood bank at an affiliated site. Students gain hands-on experience with blood bank techniques used to identify antigen-antibody interactions and interpret serologic and clinical data used to select and prepare safe blood products for transfusion.

MLS.4630 Clinical Practicum IV: Clinical Microbiology
Supervised clinical training in the microbiology department at an affiliated site. Students rotate through the bacteriology laboratory, gaining experience isolating and identifying clinically significant bacteria and performing susceptibility testing, and complete an additional rotation in the TB, mycology, parasitology, or virology laboratory.

The MLS Training Program is led by a dedicated team of certified medical laboratory scientists and educators who bring clinical laboratory experience directly into the classroom and student training laboratory.

Jennifer Nicoloro, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM
Program Director and MLS Educator

Brieanne Braga, BS, MLS(ASCP)CM
MLS Educator

Rawia Mohammed, MS-HPEd, MBA, MLS(ASCPi)CM, PMP, PMI-RMP
MLS Educator

Karry Muzzey, BS, MLS(ASCP)CM
MLS Educator

Mass General Brigham clinical laboratory medical directors, supervisors, and senior medical laboratory scientists, along with clinical pathology residents from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, provide supplemental lectures in their areas of expertise.

Graduation Requirements
Students must successfully complete the entire program to graduate and be eligible to sit for the ASCP BOC exam. To graduate, students must:

• Pass all courses in the didactic training block
• Pass all courses and competencies in the clinical training block
• Complete a comprehensive capstone project
• Pass the program exit examination

Acceptable performance is determined by each student's academic, practical, and professional performance throughout the program. Academic progression criteria and standards for program completion are outlined in the Program Policies section of the MLS Student Handbook.

Exit Examination
After successfully completing both the didactic and clinical training blocks, students take a cumulative, comprehensive exit examination. The exam follows the ASCP BOC format and consists of 100 multiple-choice questions to be completed within 2.5 hours.

Students must score 70% or higher to pass. Students have two opportunities to achieve a passing score, and any repeat attempt must be taken within seven days of the initial exam.

Upon successful completion of all program requirements, graduates are awarded a certificate of completion.

Accreditation and CertificationThe program is NAACLS accredited, and graduates are eligible to sit for the ASCP BOC exam in Medical Laboratory Science through Route 1.

Certification is a voluntary process. The program encourages all graduates to seek
certification within 12 months of graduation.

The MLS Student Handbook is reviewed and updated annually and contains all program policies, procedures, and student expectations, including academic progression, professional conduct, clinical training, and graduation requirements.

MGB MLS Program Handbook