For more information contact:
Email: clsinfo@gwu.edu
Phone: (202) 994-3186

Clinical Laboratory Science Bachelors Program

Director's Welcome

On behalf of the faculty of The George Washington University (GWU) Program in Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS), I would like to welcome you. The CLS Program, which started here in 1942, has the distinct honor of being the oldest GW health science program! We are very proud of this, and of course, having been fully accredited since accreditation of medical technology programs started. We take pride in the role we play in continuing the excellence in clinical laboratory professionals. Our graduates are qualified to take any national certification examination and by their academic and clinical preparation to provide the support for diagnosis and research into human health.

The GW Clinical Laboratory Science Program’s curriculum supports the responsibilities of laboratory professionals; namely to perform, develop, evaluate, correlate and assure accuracy and validity of laboratory information; direct and supervise clinical laboratory resources and operations; and collaborate in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. The clinical laboratory professional has diverse and multi-level functions in the areas of analysis and clinical decision-making, information management, regulatory compliance, education, and quality assurance/performance improvement wherever laboratory testing is researched, developed or performed. Clinical laboratory professionals possess skills for financial, operations, marketing, and human resource management of the clinical laboratory. Clinical laboratory professionals practice independently and collaboratively, being responsible for their own actions, as defined by the profession. They have the requisite knowledge and skills to educate laboratory professionals, other health care professionals, and others in laboratory practice as well as the public.

Our program, which was a traditional “on-campus” program until 2002, moved to having all didactic instruction available through distance education. Therefore, individuals do not have to be located in Washington D.C. in order to attend. This aspect is beneficial in helping to alleviate the national shortage of medical technologists and assists many people who do not wish to leave their employment in order to advance in their careers. Courses are taught on-line, while students are able to complete their clinical requirements where they live; if they cannot, they have the option to come to Washington, D.C.

I hope you find all the information you need as you look deeper into the program requirements and wish you good luck in your career goals.

See Associate Dean Silver's welcome video