Undergraduate
Medical Technology
Overview
Medical Technologists, or Clinical Laboratory Scientists, analyze human blood, tissues, and bodily fluids, or supervise the performance of thousands of types of medical laboratory tests using a wide variety of precision instruments. They may also conduct research and develop scientific methods to advance the study of disease processes. Medical Technologists exercise independent judgment, correlate test results, and interpret test findings. Physicians depend on Medical Technologists to produce reliable and valid results which may be used in determine the presence, extent, and possible causes of disease.
Employment prospects for medical technology, one of the fastest growing health fields in the past decade, are expected to continue to be excellent in the coming decade. In fact, our program has a nearly 100% success in job placement and in passing licensure exams. The majority of Medical Technologists find employment in hospital laboratories. Medical Technologists may specialize in several different areas, including clinical chemistry, blood banking, hematology, microbiology, immunology, urinalysis, and toxicology.
USF offers a BS degree in Medical Technology, which includes three years of study on campus and a fourth year of internship at one of three participating hospitals: Tampa General (Tampa), Bayfront Health (St. Petersburg), and St. Vincent's Medical Center (Jacksonville).
Medical Technology Academic Advising
Acceptance into the hospital internships is competitive and is not guaranteed. Students who are not accepted are offered the option of completing an alternative degree program, including the B.S. Degree in Biomedical Sciences and applying to hospital internships independently. Talk to an advisor for more information.
Cristina Yelvington and Hillary Campbell (ChemAdvise@usf.edu) are the Academic Advisors for the USF Medical Technology Program. To make an appointment, please see the online scheduling system found on the Chemistry Undergraduate Advising Page website.
International Students
If you are an International student attending USF on a student visa, you MUST be authorized to work in the United States in order to be eligible for the MET Internship. Once you arrive at USF, it is critical that you apply for a Social Security Number (usually obtained based on seeking on-campus employment). If you are admitted to the MET Internship and are not authorized to work in the US or have not obtained a Social Security Number, you may not be able to complete the MET Internship and degree.
RELATED WEBSITES TO EXPLORE
Career information:
Occupational Outlook Handbook
ExploreHealthCareers.org Clinical Laboratory Scientist/Technician
Training, Accreditation, and Certification information:
American Society of Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS)
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)
NAACLS Accredited Programs
American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP)
Some Potential Employers of Medical Technologists:
Florida Hospital Jobs
Careers at Moffitt Cancer Center
Shriners Hospitals for Children Career Center
BayCare Careers
LabCorp Careers
Genzyme Genetics
Mayo Clinic Jobs
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Orlando Health