Medical laboratory science is a very diverse program, creating a variety of options for graduate school and your career!
medical laboratory science
Medical laboratory science professionals are diagnostic detectives providing physicians with the data necessary to diagnose, treat, monitor and prevent illness in their patients. They use sophisticated biomedical instrumentation, (microscopes, and chemical and cell analyzers) to perform laboratory testing on blood and other body fluids. They provide laboratory data that aids in the diagnosis of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and bacterial infections to name a few.
The Medical Laboratory Science program offers the following:
The program prepares students to become certified phlebotomists, medical laboratory technicians and/or medical laboratory scientists. Students in the program build the skills and experience to become leading clinical laboratory professionals. They train to use a range of high-tech instrumentation and equipment. They also develop essential skills in analysis and clinical decision-making, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance.
The mission of the Medical Laboratory Science Department is to graduate competent and ethical clinical laboratory professionals with the knowledge and the skills for career entry. It is also the department's mission to prepare graduates for leadership roles in the clinical laboratory and professional organizations and to instill an understanding of the need for maintaining continuing competency in a rapidly changing and dynamic profession.
WHY CHOOSE medical laboratory science AT UAA?
Program boasts a 100% job placement rate for medical laboratory scientists and technologists over the last three years.
Conduct clinical lab testing and practice using high-tech equipment in the student lab.
Learn from experienced faculty while working with certified health care professionals.
The program is fully accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.
NEWS & Stories
In January 2026, students from the College of Health showcased their public health research at the Alaska Public Health Association Summit’s annual poster session. Their projects spanned topics ranging from food security to environmental contamination, contributing valuable insights that help shape the evolving conversation around Alaska’s public health landscape.
Almost half of UAA students have experienced food insecurity. UAA offers several resources to combat hunger and food insecurity, including the Seawolf Food Pantry, which supplies non-perishable foods, as well as three-day emergency food support.
Dr. Corrie Whitmore, an associate professor in the Division of Population Health Sciences, and her team at UAA’s Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services are celebrating the recent publication of a new article. The paper, which was published in the Dec. 2025 issue of Nursing for Women’s Health, offers a framework and actionable strategies for nurses to improve communication and patient experience in discussions around substance use and contraception.
School of Social Work Assistant Professor Amana Mbise and ISER Research Assistant Professor Nathan West are exploring the relationships that Black barbershops play in men's health. Their community-based research prioritizes the lived experiences of the men they talk to, and is revealing how barbershops function not just as grooming spaces, but as social and cultural hubs.
As a neonatal nurse practitioner at Providence Alaska Children’s Hospital and adjunct faculty member for the UAA School of Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice alumna and graduate student hooding ceremony speaker for the fall Class of 2025 Stacy Brunquist weaves education into everything she does — training new caregivers, guiding parents learning to care for their newborns, and sharing knowledge with professionals from Utqiaġvik to Sitka.
Medical laboratory professionals are the cornerstone of clinical diagnostics, providing answers towards discovery and treatment of disease. The Medical Laboratory Science and Technology programs at UAA provide a strong academic and laboratory-based education aligned with industry standards in clinical microbiology, hematology, chemistry, and molecular diagnostics. Graduates from our program have successful careers in hospital based clinical laboratories, research laboratories such as the CDC, and post-graduate education including medical school and physician assistant programs. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding the exciting world of laboratory medicine.
-Grace Leu-Burke, MSCLS, MLS (ASCP)
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Contact Us
Phone: (907) 786-4346
Email: uaa_medicallabs@alaska.edu
UAA School of Allied Health
Allied Health Sciences Building
3500 Seawolf Drive, AHS 148
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Mailing Address
UAA Medical Laboratory Science
3211 Providence Drive, AHS 148
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
