Please advice

Another important thing is, you have to have been certified by ASCP after 2003. If not, you will have to retake the ASCP test. This makes it a bit harder for the older MTs who were ASCP certified before 2003 coming from different states to CA.

Hey there guys:

It looks like Texas Tech has these courses as part of their program:
Clinical Chemistry, Clinical Microbiology, Advanced Hematology, Advanced Microbiology, Clinical Immunology

As somebody stated above, their 2+2 BS CLS degree did not meet the CA education requirement and the requirements are listed above. I don't know why that person's education did make the cut, but heres some other information:

1) A California CLS school lists that local MLT (med lab technician not technologist) program courses could be used to satisfy pre reqs (clin chem for quantitative analysis and clinical microbiology for medical microbiology). If you do not have these pre req's, then it seems like Texas Tech's courses could also be equivalent for the education requirements. I will have to check with the LFS of CA on this..

2)However, I emailed another program director in texas because they also offered something online, and she mentioned that her students were not able to get a CA license because their hospital lab rotations were not a full year. Texas tech provides 6 weeks of hospital lab rotations. For comparison, SFSU does 40 weeks rotations + 1 semester lecture/lab and SJSU does 12 month rotations with 1 day per week lectures.

Reference: "2).Graduating with a BS degree in another science with an additional year as a CLS trainee"

Issue: SFSU only has 40weeks of rotations (10 months) and Texas Tech has 6 weeks (2 months. This may be a problem. I'm definitely going to call the LFS and figure this out.

Maybe the problem is the rotation time. Alex, please let me know if you call the LFS. I am accepted by Loma Linda, but the tuition fee is very expensive, and it will take me 2 years. I will email the LFS to ask about it. The information in the link below is not enough and I do not want to waste my time and money.
www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/lfs/Pages/ClinicalLaboratoryScientists.aspx

Katrina in Oakland, California said: Maybe the problem is the rotation time. Alex, please let me know if you call the LFS. I am accepted by Loma Linda, but the tuition fee is very expensive, and it will take me 2 years. I will email the LFS to ask about it. The information in the link below is not enough and I do not want to waste my time and money.
www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/lfs/Pages/ClinicalLaboratoryScientists.aspx

Katrina, the texas tech program will not do then. 6 weeks is not enough time to rotate for the CA CLS license. You need at least a year. Loma Linda's last year is a full year. It may cost alot but you can get private loans to pay for it and just get a per diem job after you graduate to help pay for the school loans.

With that said, Loma Linda is your best bet now. It is a good program.

Actually 6 weeks of CLS rotations is a joke. I had 13 weeks of just my Chemistry rotation. How can you call yourself a generalist with just 6 weeks of rotations? I can see why the pay may not be as good in Texas if that is the basis for CLS training.

Would a year or so of experience working in hospital lab post-graduation in lieu of undergrad clinicals be sufficient to get licensure in CA? Jec1182 mentioned that (s)he has ~1.5 years experience, and still can't find employment in CA. That doesn't quite make any sense.

Hi CLS 48,
Thanks a lot. I emailed to LFS. I know that 6 weeks is not enough for CLS training. It is a new program in Texas Tech so maybe they do not think about it. Loma Linda is urging me to register, and I will think about it carefully. Thanks again for letting me know.

One peice of the puzzle is that a committee formed within the LFS/Department of health for california has been urging for a change to accept all NAACLS approved programs due to many qualified out of state people getting rejected based off of a 30 year old policy. This is what I've been reading from their meeting minutes and agendas, and I suspect there has been more discussion on this but I wasn't able to download the meeting minutes from June 09 since they haven't been drafted (they work extremeeely slow!)

I personally can't afford what Loma Linda is charging. I might as well complete one pre req this coming semester and the remaining one in January 2010 so I can finally apply to a CA school. Its very difficult to find certain medical microbiology because it and its subsitutes are only offered once a year it seems :-(

Update: LFS won't accept that program for a CA license. The clinical externship needs to be a year...

Rightfully so. 6 weeks is really not enough. Alex, you'd basically get stafford and private loans to cover your loma linda tuition so it doesn't have to come out of pocket. It's a really good school and if it helps any, when you apply to hospitals, it is a well known program and it may give you an edge over other CLS candidates.

ALEX and/or KATRINA,

Why not try for CSUDH? I will be starting there this coming fall semester (if my financial aid/loans kick in). I know it does not have the glamour of Loma Linda, but at least its loads cheaper. Plus, from my research it is not a bad school or program to be attending. Of course, I have never taken anything in a CAL STATE UNIVERSITY before let alone a CLS program, but I am hoping that they will have all the same stuff as LOMA LINDA'S program minus the cost. Anyway, something to think about...

Hi CLS-HOPEFUl,

It seems that applicants must complete two semesters in residence prior to beginning the clinical training, and it is difficult to get in the program. How much does the tuition cost? Can you tell me more about your status? I know it is late for this summer semester in CSUDH.
Thank you,

I'm not looking for any prestige while looking for a CLS program. I really don't think I need an edge to get employment after being licensed because it seems employers will take almost anyone breathing as long as they have a CLS license and are average applicants.

Loma linda is a $30.000 program plus $20,000 for 2 years of relocation. It is 1 year longer than comparable schools within my area (SFSU is 1hr commute, SJSU is 5 minutes away) and $50,000 more expensive (both schools offer 1k/mo via internship to pay for 10k tuition). Enough said..

I can't complete the TWO last pre-reqs for a CA trainee license and SFSU/SJSU requires applications 1 year before starting. At this rate it will take me 3 years to finish a training program while I could have been finished next year from an out of state program which is NOT accepted by CA. It seems SFSU/SJSU/UC Davis/ Local hospitals are the better option out there, but I'm just starting to become jaded because of the whole process. I'm 26 and if I can get a chance to start a career elsewhere (unrelated gov job, CHP, public water utility) I'll take it.

Anybody know if Oregon or Washington have more lax training requirements?

True it can get expensive. You'll probably owe 80K coming out of Loma including all your living expenses.

However, as you said you're wasting time. Loma is 2 years and you're done. You can try Oregon or Washington but be prepared to make $20 an hr starting whereas in the bay area you can start at $34 hr easily.

Katrina, Dominguez hills is a good program but you have to apply to get in first and you're just a regular student, and then apply to the program. Recently, I heard is been getting more competitive because people with masters and other science degrees are trying to become CLSs there due to the higher pay. You'd probably finish in 3 years or more depending if you can get the classes, and if you're accepted to the rotation phase of the program.

It's up to you. I personally didn't want to wait around 3 years since I already had my bachelors. Loma Linda's program is a fast 2 years and you're done. Granted you'll have student loans but say you owe 60K, you'll be paying about $300 a month for 15 years. When you're making $3400 a month single after taxes (that's about $31 per hr), or $4000 month if you're married, $300 is not that bad. Plus if you work an extra day a week, your take home pay after taxes could easily be over $5000. If you don't have too much expenses, you could easily pay $2K a month on your loan and wipe that out in a few years or less. Not only that, northern CA pays more so all those figures above would be increased. So you see financially, Loma Linda isn't that bad.

Hi CLS 48,

I did a research about CLS program in Dominguez and I know that I cannot get in. I am tired of waiting. I think I will go for Loma Linda. Thanks.

Katrina in Oakland, California said: Hi CLS 48,

I did a research about CLS program in Dominguez and I know that I cannot get in. I am tired of waiting. I think I will go for Loma Linda. Thanks.

Hi Katrina,

I know you have made your choice but just to give you more information about CSUDH:

Yes, you do have to be accepted first into the school, which is 2 years for the post-bacch program. But I believe getting accepted into the school is the easy part. Getting into the internship year is the hard part. Anyway, 1st year you are crunching out all the CA CLS required pre-reqs. Now, if you have a science bachelors degree already, this would help greatly. I know for me, for my upcoming 1st year, they waved a lot of those pre-reqs since I already took them at UC Riverside. My bachelor's is in Microbiology so I already took stuff like virology, parasitology, mycology, etc.

Now when you are ready for your internship year, you are basically competing with everyone else. I talked to my advisor, and she told me last year they accepted 30 people for med tech interships and about 3-4 for cyto tech internship. It is competitive and I too was very worried about it. If your grades are around 3.3-3.5, you should be fine (at least that is what the director/advisor for the program told me over the phone). If you can raise your GPA during your 1st year, even better. Add that to the letter of Recomms. you need to turn in, plus the interview, and hopefully with some added prayer and luck, you are chosen. CSUDH allows me to attend school, but save money because even though Carson City its a good drive away from me,at least I don't have to pay for rent. Anyway to save money helps.

TO ALEX FROM SAN JOSE, CA,

I know how you feel, I researched all those schools up north too, PLUS tried to see if I qualify for other gov. lab jobs. I too am 25 years old and for me, I need to get a move on in my chose career path.

CLS48 in California said: True it can get expensive. You'll probably owe 80K coming out of Loma including all your living expenses.

However, as you said you're wasting time. Loma is 2 years and you're done. You can try Oregon or Washington but be prepared to make $20 an hr starting whereas in the bay area you can start at $34 hr easily.

Katrina, Dominguez hills is a good program but you have to apply to get in first and you're just a regular student, and then apply to the program. Recently, I heard is been getting more competitive because people with masters and other science degrees are trying to become CLSs there due to the higher pay. You'd probably finish in 3 years or more depending if you can get the classes, and if you're accepted to the rotation phase of the program.

It's up to you. I personally didn't want to wait around 3 years since I already had my bachelors. Loma Linda's program is a fast 2 years and you're done. Granted you'll have student loans but say you owe 60K, you'll be paying about $300 a month for 15 years. When you're making $3400 a month single after taxes (that's about $31 per hr), or $4000 month if you're married, $300 is not that bad. Plus if you work an extra day a week, your take home pay after taxes could easily be over $5000. If you don't have too much expenses, you could easily pay $2K a month on your loan and wipe that out in a few years or less. Not only that, northern CA pays more so all those figures above would be increased. So you see financially, Loma Linda isn't that bad.

Thanks for the info. CLS48

CSUDH does not cost as much as LL, but add my upcoming loans for this CLS program, plus my undergrad stuff, I might be slapping that 70K loan amount number. Makes me feel better that as a CLS in CA, paying all that back will not leave me feeding off ketchup packets at Mcdonalds (some charge for those now a days..believe it or not).

Hi CLS HOPEFUL,

Dominguez is ver far from my home, so I need to pay rent. CLS program in Dominguze also takes me 2 years, but the important thing is I am not sure to be accepted for the internship part and it may wastes my time. Moreover, hospital rotation in Dominguez is limited, like Medtech internship or cyto internship... I will not have a chance to study all subjects. All things count a lot.

Katrina,

One thing at Dominguez is that you will be just at one hospital for the whole year of rotation. You will rotate into chemistry, hematology, blood bank and microbiology, but just in one hospital. At Loma Linda, you have the chance to rotate through at least 3 and maybe 4 hospitals so that you get a feel about how different labs are run.

I think this is important because for myself, each lab I worked or trained at had a different atmosphere, different attitude, and even different setup in how specimens are received and transported to the departments and run. It will help you decide what kind of CLS job you'd like.

Has anyone taken Online Quiz on State Laboratory Law for California? Do the question come from the Tutorial: Basic California State Laboratory Law or is there any extra material to study? Please let me know if anyone has information.
Thanks

Daniel in Houston, Texas said: Kj,

Thanks for the info as well. Come to think of it, I did find out that the Methodist Hospital here in Houston has a similar program, but they only admit so many people every year. I did apply and was accepted to UT MD Anderson's program, but it's a 2-year tract, and I will only end up with a second Bachelor's degree. Texas Tech Health Science Center's program offer a 12-month, 2nd Bachelor's degree tract, and the didactic part of the program is offered online.

I'm trying my luck on Texas Tech, and I'm really hoping to make the cut.

Hi Daniel, I am an undergraduate student currently working on a BS degree in Chemistry. I am hoping to get into the CLS/MLS bachelor program in MD Anderson after completing my BS in Chemistry. Could you tell me more about the school and the program? I heard that it was really hard to get into the program. Somebody told me that there were two interviews before getting accepted. Do working and volunteering experiences matter? I don't make really good grades and only had a few years of part-time working as office clerical. Would it affect my chance to getting into the program? How many recommendation letters did you have to get accepted?
I really would like to know more about the details. Thanks.

Hi CLS48,

Thanks for the info. But exactly what is considered as a 'CLS trainee'? Do you need to simply be enrolled in a CLS certificate or 2nd Bachelor's degree program for a year and take CLS-specific classes, or do you need 1 year's worth of clinical internship on top of the didactic part? Also, I wonder if there are any stipulations on how long ago you've taken the required classes in order to get credit for them.

Thanks!

CLS48 in California said: If getting that certificate allows you to become MT(ASCP) then it shouldn't matter when trying to get a job since you already have a bachelors. Loma Linda is very expensive. If you don't mind moving to Texas and if the tuition is much cheaper, you'll be making the same amount of money either way so I'd go with Texas Tech University.

Hi CLS48,
I had a question about LLU CLS-BS program. I'm currrently attending San Bernardino Valley College and taking prereqs to transfer to LLU's CLS program. I wanted to know what makes (made you) a good candidate for acceptance into the program. Do they accept all students who apply that meet requirements or do they have a competitive applicant pool. Could you state your gpa, and grades you recieved in your courses? In addition, do they require or even look favorable on applicants with HC exp. (like being a Phlebotomist). Lastly, what are the steps for being certified for CA-CLS? I looked at other threads and someone mentioned a 1 year rotation to qualify for licensure for the state of CA, or something like that? if so does LLU's program have the rotation in there program? and is there a difference in MT certification and CLS cert? if there is which one is better and what do emplyers prefer? (both prehaps)?? Thank You in advance....