Mission, Goals, & History

UNMC Mission

“We are Nebraska Medicine and UNMC.
Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.”

UNMC Medical Laboratory Science Program (MLS) Mission Statement

The UNMC MLS Program’s mission is to:

• Teach evidence-based, best laboratory practices using research-based educational methodologies;
• Impart an understanding of the laboratory’s overall impact in patient care outcomes;
• Improve educational outcomes by participating in research and scholarly activities;
• Mentor learners to develop professional behaviors and laboratory practices to become an effective and competent healthcare team member.

UNMC Medical Laboratory Science Program (MLS) Vision Statement

UNMC’s MLS graduates are healthcare team professionals who:

• Provide high quality laboratory information for optimal patient care;
• Develop, implement, and evaluate laboratory processes to improve outcomes;
• Demonstrate life-long learning to foster expertise in MLS theory and application;
• Actively advocate for the MLS profession.

UNMC Medical Laboratory Science Program (MLS) Goal Statements

Goals of UNMC’s Medical Laboratory Science Program are to:

• Graduate technically competent practitioners, who interpret, assess validity and correlate clinical laboratory data with available patient information;
• Instill the highest standards of performance and professional ethics in all graduates;
• Equip graduates with the tools that promote sound, independent judgment; successful problem-solving abilities; and essential educational and management skills;
• Graduate professionals who have the skills to actively educate others of the integral role of medical laboratory scientists in delivering quality patient care and actively advocate for the profession;
• Prepare graduates to pass national certification examinations;
• Promote effective communication with peers, other healthcare professionals, patients and the community;
• Support and mentor the development of professional responsibility to include life-long learning activities, teamwork skills, and the ability to adapt to and facilitate change.

Medical Laboratory Science History

The separately accredited medical technology programs at Bishop Clarkson Memorial Hospital, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and Nebraska Methodist Hospital combined their resources in a cooperative effort in 1968. In order to improve curriculum, increase opportunities for Nebraska residents to obtain a quality education and assure cost-effective education, these three programs continued their successful partnership for more than 30 years under the UNMC Division of Medical Technology. Each program maintained its own sponsorship, identity and accreditation, while all students in these 3+1 programs were enrolled as UNMC students, paid University tuition and received BS degrees from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

On October 1, 1997, the University of Nebraska Hospital and Bishop Clarkson Memorial Hospital signed an agreement to merge their health care activities into the Nebraska Health System. A new clinical affiliation agreement between the new system and UNMC academic programs assures continued support of clinical education of clinical laboratory science students. In May 1998, the Bishop Clarkson program ceased its separate accreditation and became integrated into the UNMC academic program for the incoming class of 1998-99. In May 2014, UNMC and The Nebraska Methodist Medical Technology Program ended their consortium agreement.

The Nebraska Health System chose to change their name in July 2003 to The Nebraska Medical Center. The former Clarkson Hospital structure is now referred to as the Clarkson Tower, and the former University Hospital structure is now referred to as the University Tower.

In the UNMC Clinical Laboratory Science Program, the programs participate equally in joint policy and decision making; recruitment, selection and admission of students; curriculum planning; a cooperative, combined lecture series for all students; evaluation systems, and common policies and procedures covering all aspects of the educational programs.

In 2004 the Division of Laboratory Sciences, comprised of the Clinical Laboratory Science program and Cytotechnology program, was created. Nebraska Medicine is a major clinical affiliate site of the UNMC program. Students who wish to obtain the major portion of their education in the greater Nebraska and western Iowa area may be assigned to a partnering affiliate site. In addition, our program has educational partnerships in surrounding states to provide affiliate clinical sites for students from those states.

February 29, 2016, a program name change was officially approved from Clinical Laboratory Science to Medical Laboratory Science Program.