"We are extraordinarily pleased and very proud of the accomplishments of our program graduates,” said Marcia Kilsby, Andrews University Department of Clinical and Laboratory Sciences chair. Considering the latest news from the department, it isn’t hard to understand why.

One hundred percent of the August 2004 graduating class passed the American Society for Clinical Pathology medical technologist certification exam. Graduates may now use the initials MT(ASCP) after their name to show proficiency in their field.

The mean score for the Andrews graduates was higher than the national mean for all applicants and greater than the mean for participating universities.

Nine students from five different countries made up the class that graduated with the Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science (BSCLS)—formerly called Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology—and passed the MT(ASCP) exam.

Since accreditation in 1989, the program has graduated students from 55 different birth countries. “We are recognized as one of the most international and diverse CLS (Clinical Laboratory Science) programs in the United States,” said Kilsby.

The degree qualifies students to work within the field of clinical diagnostic testing. “Seventy percent of medical decisions are based on diagnostic testing,” Kilsby noted, highlighting the relevance of the field to the medical world. “For years, all of our graduates seeking employment in the field have been offered jobs, often with sign-on bonuses. There is a national shortage of certified individuals. Government projections predict that the need will grow,” said Kilsby.

Despite its obvious academic successes, the Andrews CLS department feels its mission transcends traditional academics. The program has a very definite mission. Kilsby said, “The faculty has dedicated this program to Seventh-day Adventist Christian education in the area of clinical laboratory health care.”

Bjorn Karlman, University Relations student newswriter