Health Sciences - Medical Technology/CLS
Clinical Training
Application form
Letter Of Reference form
Health Status Assessment form
Clinical Training
The senior (professional) year for Clinical Lab Sciences/Medical Technology consists of twelve months of education and practical training which is offered through the combined resources of the university and our clinical affiliates. The Summer Session consists of 10 weeks of classes at UWM. Practical training takes place at the clinical sites to which students are assigned. Lectures by faculty and staff will be given on campus Wednesday afternoons for Clinical Lab Sciences/Medical Technology and Biomedical Sciences submajors. The average instructional time of the student is approximately 40 hours a week, including time spent on campus and practical work in the clinical site.
Admission Criteria
Admission to the clinical phase of the UWM Clinical Laboratory Sciences Program is based on:
1. Completion of a minimum of 90 semester hours of course work, including all required courses and General Education Requirements of UWM, and
2. An overall minimum UWM grade point average (GPA) of 2.5, and
3. A minimum GPA of 2.5 in the specified science courses:
- Chemistry: 102, 104, 221, 341, 342, 501
- Bio Sciences: 202, 203, 260, 383
- Clinical Lab Sciences: 301-305, 427, 428, & any other CLS courses taken, and
4. A minimum grade of C in all junior level science courses.
PLEASE NOTE: The Program will attempt to place all students who meet the above criteria, but can not guarantee that every student will be placed in a clinical rotation. The number of students placed in clinical rotations depends on the number of clinical positions available. Students with the highest science GPA's will be given first priority. Students will be contacted regarding their eligibility for clinical placement prior to the start of the spring semester.
In the event that more clinical positions are available than students requesting placement, a student with a GPA between 2.0 & 2.5 may be conditionally accepted for a clinical rotation. Each student will be reviewed on an individual basis and must have approval from the CLS faculty and the Clinical Education Coordinator(s).
Application Process
Students must complete the following steps in the application process:
1. Complete the Medical Technology application form and return it to the College of Health Sciences Student Affairs Office (Enderis 810) by December 1.
2. Submit an autobiography along with your application form describing yourself, your accomplishments, any work experience including health care, why you have chosen the Clinical Laboratory Sciences as your profession, and your future goals. It should be one page, double-spaced on 8.5 x 11 paper.
3. Contact the three people whose names you listed on the application form as references and ask them to send a form Letter of Reference to the Program Director by January 1:
Cindy Brown, M.Ed., MT (ASCP), CLS (NCA)
Program Director
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Department of Health Sciences - Enderis Hall 463
P.O. Box 413
Milwaukee, WI 53201
References may employers, teachers, TA's clergy, or other qualified individuals, excluding relatives and friends. CLS faculty may not submit a reference.
Review Of Applicants
The College of Health Sciences Student Affairs Office and the CLS Program Diector will review all application files in January to verify that all the admission criteria have been satisfied and the files are complete. Letters of acceptance or rejection will be sent to all applicants prior to Semester II.
Tours Of Clinical Affiliate Sites
Tours of all the clinical affiliate sites will be scheduled in January or February. Participation in the tours is mandatory.
Interviews with Clinical Education Coordinators
Some of the Clinical Education Coordinators will conduct interviews at UWM with the applicants in March & April. Applicants are strongly encouraged to interview with each of the Clinical Education Coordinators.
Clinical Placements
Upon completion of the interviews, students will submit a list ranking all the clinical sites in order of preference. Each Clinical Coordinator will submit a list ranking students by preference. These lists will be submitted to the UWM CLS Program Director. Final decisions on assignments are made by CLS Program. Clinical assignments will be posted at the start of the summer session. Clinical placements are subject to change up to the time that training begins. Eligibility is conditional in that the students must complete the required coursework and obtain a minimum grade of 2.0 in all of the CLS courses.
Important Information
Make an appointment in October with the College of Health Sciences Student Affairs Office (414.229.2758) to review your transcripts and go through a degree audit to ensure that your academic records are in order.
A physical examination to assess health status is required prior to starting the professional clinical training. Health Status Assessment forms should be submitted to the CLS Program office, Enderis 411.
The clinical affiliate sites require students to have health insurance while in the clinical rotation.
Drug screens and background checks may also be requested by the clinical affiliate site.
Limited employment during the Summer Session is recommended.
Rotation schedules, vacations, and other time off are matters which are decided individually by each clinical site. The University academic calendar does not apply.
Students are expected to register for classes at UWM in the usual fashion at the beginning of the Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters of the senior year. University fees will be charged.
Essential Functions of the Clinical Laboratory Scientist
Essential functions represent the essential non-academic requirements that all Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) students must master to successfully participate in the CLS Program and become employable. All CLS students and are expected to:
Possess sufficient vision to easily read charts, graphs, instrument panels and printouts.
Discriminate colors in order to identify reagents, media, stained cell preparations and physical properties of various body fluids, as well as, delineate fine details of cellular structure and morphology when using a microscope.
Read, write, and communicate in the English language to facilitate effective communication with patients, physicians and all other members of the health care team.
Possess sufficient hearing ability with or without auditory aids to understand the normal speaking voice and discern audible instrument alert signals and timing devices.
Demonstrate sufficient manual dexterity to perform such required tasks as: performing phlebotomy safely and accurately; operating delicate instruments; manipulating tools; handling small containers of potentially biohazardous specimens (one by one-half inch); utilizing sample measuring devices; and adequately focusing and manipulating a microscope.
Mobility to traverse about the laboratory and/or institution corridors, (minimum width: 3 feet).
Demonstrate sufficient psychological stability to be able to effectively problem solve and to react effectively in stressful situations. Must be able to recognize emergency situations and take appropriate action. In general, the student must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his or her intellectual abilities.
Note: Corrective devices and reasonable accommodations may be utilized to satisfy these Essential Functions.
