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Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Chemistry for Medical Laboratory Science

Assist Physicians in More Precise Diagnoses

The George Washington University’s (GW) online Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Chemistry for Medical Laboratory Science is designed to provide the knowledge and hands-on skills you need to become a certified technologist in clinical chemistry.

You’ll learn how to use chemistry to evaluate patient health, study DNA, and examine tissue, along with developing laboratory procedures that help physicians make earlier, more precise patient diagnoses and determine treatment.

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Quick Facts

19

total credits

ASCP C

Qualify for the ASCP Chemistry exam

1 year

average duration

Accreditation and Rankings

  • Fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
  • #62 Best National University*

* The U.S. News & World Report – 2023 Rankings

Program Highlights

  • 100% online coursework, no visits to campus required
  • Qualify to sit for the ASCP Technologist in Chemistry (C) exam*
  • The certificate consists of 19 credit hours and can be completed in 1 year
  • Applicants with clinical laboratory experience may be eligible to waive individual clinical practicum requirements

Curriculum

The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Chemistry for Medical Laboratory Science consists of five, three-credit courses and concludes with a four-credit practicum. Applicants with clinical laboratory experience may be eligible to waive individual clinical practicum requirements.

You will explore immunology and serology, clinical biochemistry, molecular diagnostics, and laboratory management and put your new skills to work in a real-world environment.

You can complete this program in as little as one year and qualify to sit for the ASCP Technologist in Chemistry (C) exam.

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Program Outcomes

You will complete the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Chemistry for Medical Laboratory Science ready to:

  • Apply principles of traditional and molecular laboratory procedures to perform diagnostic analyses
  • Correlate laboratory data and quality control data to assess patient test results
  • Apply knowledge of laboratory science principles as they relate to human disease diagnosis
  • Maintain a safe work environment
  • Comply with laboratory safety regulations and regulatory policies
  • Apply ethical decision-making to issues related to clinical laboratory practice

Who Is the Ideal Student for This Program?

Clinical chemists are strong critical thinkers and can handle tasks that require precise manual dexterity. They work well under supervision while performing routine tests and research to develop new testing methods. They pay great attention to detail to help detect human and mechanical errors, like incorrectly recorded results, and work diligently to resolve those errors or problems during testing.

This certificate program is best for those who have successfully completed a bachelor’s degree, typically in a science such as biology, chemistry, or microbiology, and want to pursue the laboratory science profession without completing another bachelor’s degree. There will also be a clinical rotation requirement in your geographical area to complete this program.

Career Outlook

Clinical chemists can work in a variety of laboratory settings:

  • Hospital laboratories or clinics
  • Manufacturing laboratories
  • Commercial or reference laboratories
  • Pharmaceutical companies

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an increase in the aging population will lead to a greater need to use laboratory procedures to diagnose medical conditions, such as cancer or type 2 diabetes.

Overall employment of medical laboratory technologists and technicians is expected to grow 11% from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations, with a median salary of $52,330 per year.1

Admission Requirements

To be accepted into this program, you must have:

  • Completed application
  • Cumulative and Science GPA of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale
  • Bachelor’s degree
  • Resume/CV
  • Personal statement
  • One letter of recommendation
See All Requirements

Tuition Details

The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Chemistry for Medical Laboratory Science program at GW consists of 19 credit hours. Please find the cost per credit hour and total estimated program costs here.

Note: Tuition rates are subject to change and additional fees may vary by program. Please call at (844) 386-7323 for more information.

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Meet the Program Director

Cliff Cymrot, MLS (ASCP), MT (AAB), MT (AMT), MHA,
Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) Program Director

Cliff Cymrot is the current Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) program director and has more than 10 years of experience in combined teaching and clinical laboratory practice.

In addition to his program director duties, Cymrot teaches a range of courses within the MLS program, both online and face-to-face, such as Hematology I and II, Clinical Microbiology I and II lab, Immunohematology lab, Clinical Biochemistry I and II lab, and Molecular Diagnostics lab.

Prior to his arrival at GW, Cymrot worked as a medical laboratory technician at a medium-sized, 200-bed hospital in upstate NY. He is a member of the D.C. chapter for the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science, American Medical Technologists (AMT), and the American Association of Bioanalysts (AAB). He also holds certifications in ASCP, AMT, and AAB in medical laboratory science.

In 2010 he earned his BS in Medical Technology from the University of Cincinnati. He was then promoted to medical technologist and soon after began working as an adjunct instructor for SUNY Orange teaching Microbiology for Health Professionals, Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, and Certification Preparation. In 2014, he earned a master’s degree in Health Administration.

Frequently Asked Questions

As you explore an online program at the George Washington University, our dedicated staff is here to support you. If you have a question we don’t cover here, request more information or call 844-386-7323.

Visit our FAQ page

Sources:

  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019 September 4). Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved February 20, 2020, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/clinical-laboratory-technologists-and-technicians.htm

* Since each state may have different requirements for licensure, each student is encouraged to contact their state’s regulating agency and review these requirements prior to beginning any degree program. States requiring licensure may require extended duration of practicum experiences, additional academic courses (outside the student’s program of study), etc. These additional requirements may require you to take a course or courses outside of GW.

In particular, New York and California have additional requirements for state licensure. Both NY and CA require extended times for practicum rotations. Please also be aware that the fully online post-baccalaureate certificate programs do not meet the student lab requirement for NY state licensure. Also, for those applying to the fully online post-baccalaureate categorical certificates in hematology, microbiology, blood banking, and chemistry, the state of New York does not provide licensure for categorical certification (e.g., Technologist in Microbiology, Technologist in Blood Banking, etc.). We recommend that students who live in New York or California or plan to relocate to New York or California do research to determine the NY and CA licensure requirements.

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)
5600 N River Road, Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018-5119