UB Programs At-A-Glance

Medical Technology

Department of Biotechnical and Clinical Laboratory Sciences

School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
26 Cary Hall
South Campus
Buffalo, NY 14214-3005

Phone: 716.829.3630
Fax: 716.829.3601
Web: www.smbs.buffalo.edu/cls
Email: DOHERTYL@buffalo.edu

Paul J. Kostyniak
Chair

Robert L. Klick
Program Director

Leah Doherty
Undergraduate Program Advisor

About the Department

The Department of Biotechnical and Clinical Laboratory Sciences was created almost 40 years ago as the Department of Medical Technology. Since that time, the Program in Medical Technology has been accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). Graduates of the program are eligible to take the national certification examinations offered by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) and the National Certification Agency (NCA).

Degrees Offered

Undergraduate: B.S.
Graduate: M.S.

About Our Degrees

Medical technology, also known as clinical laboratory science, deals with the diagnosis and treatment of disease. It is a field of applied biology and chemistry and is appropriate for students interested in the delivery of health-care services. The course of study is interdisciplinary, drawing heavily upon the resources of both the natural sciences and the health sciences faculties. Generally medical technologists perform complex medically-related laboratory tests--chemical, biological, bacteriological and microscopic.

Acceptance Criteria

Completion of all prerequisite science and math courses (some exceptions considered).
Minimum GPA of 2.0 overall.
Minimum GPA of 2.0 in prerequisite science and math courses.
Submission of a departmental application and a current copy of UB DARS report to the department.

Acceptance Information

Application deadline is February 15. This date may be extended based on space availability. Applications are available at the department office, 26 Cary Hall, South Campus, or online at http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/cls. Thirty-five full-time students are admitted each fall semester; part-time study is also available.

Degree Requirements

See the Undergraduate Catalog.

Transfer Policy

Transfer students must first be accepted by the university and must complete an application from the Office of Admissions and submit official transcripts. These documents must be received at the university well in advanced of the program application deadline of February 1. These dates may be extended based on space availability. Upon university admission, the evaluated transcripts are sent to the program for further review.

The program in medical technology has transfer agreements with SUNY/Morrisville, Niagara County Community College, and the medical laboratory technology program at Erie Community College North, and prerequisite course equivalencies have been established. Students with an A.A.S. in medical laboratory technology are encouraged to have their transcripts evaluated by the program. Students from other institutions should contact the undergraduate program advisor for prerequisite course equivalencies. Course descriptions and syllabi may be required in order to establish equivalencies.

Courses from other institutions may not be used to satisfy any upper-division program course requirements.

About Our Courses

The curriculum for the program in Medical Technology is very structured. Students spend three academic semesters at the university taking program courses covering the areas of biochemistry, immunology, instrumentation, clinical chemistry, microbiology, blood banking, hematology, coagulation, parasitology, mycology, urinalysis, biomolecular techniques, medical genetics, education and management. The last semester of the senior year is spent in guaranteed rotations in area hospital laboratories with which the program has affiliation agreements.

The typical size of lecture classes for required program courses is 25-60 students, with a smaller number in each associated laboratory section. Hospital rotations usually have an instructor/student ratio of 1/1.

Teaching assistants (TA's) in required program courses assist professors in laboratory teaching and preparation. Some may present several lectures in their specialty. All teaching assistants are required to have weekly office hours for student assistance.

Suggested introductory courses:


For course descriptions, please see the Undergraduate Catalog.

About Our Faculty

The program in Medical Technology is ranked among the top 15 medical technology programs in the nation in terms of faculty research productivity. Faculty research interests include the areas of measurement of oxidative stress, methods evaluation protocols, environmental pollutants and disease outcomes in humans, carbohydrate immunology, cellular and molecular biology of erythropoiesis, and organ and tissue donation. The faculty also excels at teaching and has received several student, university and state-wide teaching awards. The undergraduate advisor schedules individual advising meetings on the South Campus by appointment only.

Special Academic Opportunities

Internships

Hospital internships completed during the final semester of the senior year are a guaranteed part of the program. Placement is made by the clinical education coordinator. Below is a listing of hospital and clinical affiliates.

  • Catholic Health System
  • Erie County Medical Center
  • Kaleida Health System (Buffalo General Hospital, Women’s and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, Millard Fillmore Health System)
  • Roswell Park Cancer Institute
  • Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System
  • Wyoming County Community Hospital, Warsaw, NY


Research experience

Opportunities to work with faculty on research projects are available to students in the department through MT 499 Independent Study.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available from the national, state, and local chapters of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS). Students must be members of the organization. The Sara Marie Cicarelli Memorial Scholarship is available to a full-time student entering the senior year of the program. The Mary Cecina Riforgiato Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a senior upon completion of the program.

Extracurricular Activities

Every fall semester the department hosts an introductory pizza party for all faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students.

An awards banquet is held in the spring semester to recognize graduating seniors.

See the UB Student Association.

Complementary Programs and Courses

  • Biochemical Pharmacology
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science
  • Management Science and Systems
  • Foreign language

Advising Information

Credit is given based on individual advanced placement courses and is now only accepted as Pass credit. Students must have a 4 or 5 on the AP exam for the course to be counted in place of a prerequisite.

Career Information

Opportunities for medical technologists are extremely varied, and employment is available in both the public and private sectors.

Career Choices

  • Graduate school: Scientific specialty, forensics, computer science, business
  • Hospital or private laboratories
  • Instrument manufacturers
  • Laboratory manager
  • Management or regulatory affairs
  • Professional school: Medical, dental, chiropractic, optometry, veterinary, physician’s assistant
  • Research or industrial laboratory careers
  • Sales or technical representative
  • Scientific writing or editing

Links to Further Information About This Program