Biomedical Laboratory Sciences | School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Move into an in-demand and rewarding career in the Biomedical Sciences.

About the Program

The George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences offers several baccalaureate degree completion programs that focus on biomedical science:

1) Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS)
2) Molecular Diagnostic Sciences (MDS)
3) Clinical Embryology and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)

Program Information

Why Choose a Biomedical Science program?

Employment projected to grow 7 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations.
Current workforce shortage, making them highly, in-demand fields.
Exciting and wide range of career options (see career options below).
Excellent foundation for those wishing to progress to advanced degrees or health professions, such as medicine.

Why Should I Choose GW?

Programs designed with working professionals in mind.
Eligible to take certification exams upon program completion.
Faculty are board certified and experienced subject matter experts in their field.
Complete a professional program at an accredited, prestigious university that can give you not only a degree, but a career.
Be highly prepared to pursue advanced education when you graduate.
Rolling admissions Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Scholarships available to those that meet award criteria. Please refer to our website for more information.

How are these programs offered?

Hybrid (Blended) Track: This track has online and on campus requirements. Students need to reside in or temporarily relocate to the D.C. area and have completed an associate’s degree or have a minimum of 24 transferable college credits. Blended programs provide 100% of didactic (lecture) courses online, in-person labs at the GW Virginia Science and Technology Campus (VSTC) in Ashburn, VA, and experiential learning in the form of clinical practica at approved diagnostic laboratories in your geographic location.
Fully Online Track: Only available for MLS and MDS programs. The fully online option is for individuals that have Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) certification through ASCP, AMT, or AAB. This program provides 100% of didactic (lecture) coursework online with practicum experience in the student’s local area. All didactic (lecture) courses are conducted online in a flexible, asynchronous format.

To succeed in any of these programs (hybrid or fully online tracks), students should be self-disciplined, self-directed, and able to manage their time effectively.

What Will I Learn?

Upon successful completion of the program, learners will be able to:

Explain the methods of collection, transport and handling of various specimen types for diagnostic analysis.
Apply the principles of highly-complex, laboratory procedures to perform diagnostic analyses.
Correlate laboratory data and quality control data to assess patient test results.
Apply knowledge of laboratory science principles as they relate to human disease diagnosis.
Comply with laboratory safety regulations and regulatory policies.
Apply ethical decision-making to issues related to clinical laboratory practice.

Career Options and Salary

When you graduate from these programs, you’re prepared to work as a laboratory scientist in:

Diagnostic hospital or private laboratories
Public health laboratories
Research institutions
Law enforcement agencies
Reference laboratories
Fertility laboratories
Biotechnology firms
Pharmaceutical companies
Government agencies

Laboratory Scientists in these areas earn between $55,000 and $88,718 a year, based on experience, location and certification.

Am I a good fit for a biomedical laboratory science career?

These GW BSHS programs are robust programs for undergrads who recognize the impact and opportunity that diagnostic laboratory testing has in the future of healthcare. The curriculum will ensure that graduates will be prepared to pursue an advanced degree beyond the baccalaureate if they so choose. Students who excel at science-based coursework and are passionate about the importance of laboratory testing as it relates to medical science and disease diagnosis are a good fit for this program.