MS in Laboratory Medicine

Program

The Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology at the University of Washington is the premier resource for education and research in basic and clinical laboratory science for the greater WWAMI region (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho). The Master of Science degree in Laboratory Medicine provides students with advanced training in laboratory management, scientific reasoning, laboratory practices, and provides opportunities for mentored research.  

Please note that this program itself does not qualify graduates to perform clinical laboratory diagnostic testing, or to obtain ASCP Board Certification. Students interested in obtaining ASCP Board Certification should consider the Medical Laboratory Scientist undergraduate training program. Applicants holding certification as Medical Laboratory Scientists (MLS(ASCP)) are welcome to apply to this Master's program, although such certification is not a requirement or prerequisite of admission.


For additional program information, see the MS in Laboratory Medicine handbook.

Funding Information

This MS program DOES NOT provide financial assistance. There is no stipend or paid TA or RA positions. If you are admitted to the program, you must be prepared to pay all costs associated with the program including tuition, living, and housing expenses. DLMP does have access to scholarship funds, but the availability of funds varies annually and can only be granted after you have started your studies. When funds are available you will receive a scholarship application to complete, and the scholarship committee will make award selections based on the application.

Information about tuition rates can be found here.

Here are some UW employment resources to look into as well: UW Jobs and Handshake. 

International Students, please be aware of any employment policies that may apply to your student visa. More information can be found here. 

Upcoming Information Sessions

Join us for our upcoming information sessions via Zoom. All sessions are at 4pm Pacific Time. Registration required; sign up for a session today. The MS Program Application Deadline is March 15th, annually.

November 7, 2024
December 5, 2024
January 2, 2025
February 6, 2025 

Graduate Curriculum

To complete the program at least thirty-eight credits are required, of which nine are thesis credits. The program requires a minimum of 2 years for completion.

Pathways and Areas of Research

DLMP combines the sophisticated testing and informatics capabilities of fully accredited clinical laboratories with the resources of an academic institution in its delivery of clinical and anatomical pathology services. The DLMP MS program admits students with undergraduate Bachelor of Science (BS) or in some cases, Bachelor of Arts degrees if basic science courses have been completed. The MS program serves students with BS degrees in Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) and also students with standard BS degrees in a biological field such as Biology, Biochemistry, etc. Within the field of Laboratory Medicine itself, there are several pathways that a MS student, particularly a student with an MLS undergraduate degree, might identify as an area for further education and training while in the MS program. In these instances, the MS student may seek to identify a pathway (and thesis mentor) in the first two quarters of the program. Selection of a specific pathway helps focus the student in a specialty area. The following six pathways are available for in-depth study:

  • Blood Bank/Transfusion Service
  • Chemistry/Immunology
  • Hematology/Coagulation
  • Microbiology/Virology
  • Genetics/Molecular Diagnostics
  • Informatics

Pathway focus is optional and dependent on what the student wants to accomplish in the MS Program. In addition to these pathways, many DLMP faculty have active, funded research programs on infectious, neurodegenerative, gastrointestinal, and renal and genetic diseases, including cancer. Thus, for some MS students, for example those with standard BS degrees, their area of focus might align with these research areas and faculty mentors. Faculty members and their research interests can be found on the DLMP Faculty page.

Core Requirements for All Pathways

  • BIOST 511 Medical Biometry I (4)
  • LAB M 502 Laboratory Medicine Grand Rounds (3 total, 1 per quarter)
  • LAB M 510 Laboratory Medicine Research Conference (3 total, 1 per quarter)
  • LAB M 520 Organization and Management in Laboratory Medicine (3)
  • LAB M 555 Critical Thinking and Research Design in Laboratory Medicine (2)
  • LAB M 601 Laboratory Medicine Internship in Teaching (3)
  • LAB M 700 Master's Thesis in Laboratory Medicine (9)

Career and Research Opportunities

A Master of Science degree in Laboratory Medicine & Pathology provides opportunities to work in the health profession including: laboratory management, administration, research, global health, consultation, education and industry. Graduates of our two-year program currently work for public, private and non-profit health agencies, educational institutions, the military, and the pharmaceutical industry.

MS Program Admission Requirements For All Applicants

  • BS degree in Medical Laboratory Science, or
  • Other BS degree in Chemistry, Microbiology, Biology, etc. or
  • BA degree in the biological sciences or has basic science courses complete
  • Unofficial transcripts submitted from all colleges/universities that you have attended. Please visit this link to learn about when to submit official transcripts
  • Achievement of a 3.0 grade point average in the last 90 graded quarter credits or the last 60 graded semester credits

  • English language proficiency (ELP) is required for graduate study at the University of Washington. Therefore, every applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency. Please see this link for details on the 5 ways proficiency can be demonstrated

  • Three letters of recommendation from relevant professionals
  • Submit a personal statement in the Graduate School online application, addressing the following specific prompts:
    • Please provide a bullet point list of the different research experiences you have had, indicate their duration, and provide a very brief description.These experiences may include summer research internships, academic year research, post-baccalaureate, and/or work-related experiences. Please include your total years of research experience at the end of the list. (1500 character limit)
    • What are your future goals, and why is obtaining an MS in Laboratory Medicine necessary to achieve them? (1000 character limit)
    • What pathways are you interested in specifically? Outline which faculty and research subjects that interest you in particular. (1500 character limit)
    • What do you expect to be challenging about graduate school? What strategies would you use to manage these challenges? (1500 character limit)
    • Is there any information pertinent to your application that you would like to add that was not covered in the previous questions? (1000 character limit)

Additional requirements for medical laboratory scientists (MLS/MT) or medical laboratory technicians (MLT) or with significant experience in a clinical laboratory:

Certification as a medical laboratory scientist in one's country of origin i.e., MLS or equivalent, or as an MLT or equivalent, or as a specialist in a clinical laboratory field is strongly recommended. Individuals not certified as an MLS in the United States are encouraged to seek ASCPi certification.

Additional suggestions for students with an undergraduate degree in a scientific field such as chemistry, microbiology or biology:

Ideal applicants will have significant research experience of approximately one year of work in a research laboratory.

Application Process

All prospective applicants must submit a complete application by March 15th for autumn admission. Eligible candidates may be invited for an in-person or video interview.

See the UW Graduate School Admission page for admission forms and procedures.

Academic Advising and Contact Information

If you need information about the program, please email at lmgrad@uw.edu with questions or to schedule an advising appointment via in-person, Zoom, email, or phone.

Graduate Program
Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology
Box 357110
1959 NE Pacific Street, NW120
Seattle, WA 98195-7110
Tel: 206.598.2162
lmgrad@uw.edu