June 15, 2021
East Texas Baptist University’s clinical laboratory science program has achieved recommendation for accreditation with the National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). NAACLS provides international accreditation and approval of educational programs in the clinical laboratory sciences and healthcare-related disciplines. The NAACLS Accreditation process is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
“I am thrilled not only with the new accreditation but even more so with the fact that we are making Christ-Centered Clinical Lab Science education accessible in Healthcare at such this critical time in our nation’s history,” ETBU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Thomas Sanders said.
Accreditation involves a process of external peer review, in which NAACLS grants public recognition to education programs that meet established education standards in clinical laboratory science disciplines. ETBU’s clinical lab science program prepares technician-level clinical laboratory professionals to complete advanced laboratory coursework in preparation for national certification at the scientist level.
“This program is a completely online bridge program that allows Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLTs) who have graduated from associates’ degree programs, as well as those who have completed military MLT training, an opportunity to complete their B.S. degree so they can sit for the Medical Laboratory Scientists (MLS) exam,” Dr. Colleen Halupa, Dean of Online Education and Associate Professor of Clinical Lab Science said. “This provides a career track that allows these students to attain better wages and move into management positions.”
All accredited programs are required to submit a self-study and host a site visit in the cyclical review process. Accredited programs are eligible for a maximum award of ten years. East Texas Baptist University’s program received the maximum accreditation period allowable for new programs at five years.
“To meet the need of rural communities, ETBU’s program uses a combination of virtual skill assessment and a competency assessment process where student skill levels are assessed at laboratories where they live; no specific number of training hours is required,” Dr. Halupa said. “In addition, ETBU has pursued affiliation agreements with local laboratory facilities in the East Texas/Western Louisiana area to assess any skills that may not be performed at smaller laboratories to ensure students can successfully complete this program.”
Visit www.etbu.edu/cls to learn more about East Texas Baptist’s clinical laboratory science program.