Technical Standards

The technical standards outlined below are the physical, cognitive and behavioral abilities required for students to successfully complete the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program.  These requirements must be met by all students, with or without reasonable accommodations, entering the program.

Students have the responsibility to self-identify as a person with a disability with a need for accommodation(s).  Students who have or believe they may have a disability requiring accommodation(s) should contact the UAMS ADA Coordinator at DisabilityServices@uams.edu  or 501-526-5641.

Essential Observational Requirements

The medical laboratory sciences student must be able to:

  • Manipulate a microscope and differentiate microscopic components of cells, tissues, etc.
  • Observe laboratory demonstrations of techniques and and procedures
  • Discriminate color reactions
  • Interpret text, numbers, and graphs displayed in print or on a video monitor

Essential Movement Requirements

The medical laboratory sciences student must be able to:

  • Move freely and safely from one location to another in physical settings of the student classrooms and laboratories, medical laboratories and healthcare facilities
  • Reach laboratory benchtops and shelves, free-standing laboratory instruments, patients lying in hospital beds or patients seated in specimen collection furniture
  • Operate laboratory equipment (i.e. pipettes, inoculating loops, test tubes) and adjust instruments to perform laboratory procedures
  • Perform delicate manipulations which require good eye-hand coordination
  • Travel to clinical laboratory sites for practical experience
  • Perform moderately taxing continuous physical work, often requiring prolonged standing and/or sitting, over several hours

Essential Communication Requirements

The medical laboratory sciences student must be able to:

  • Read and comprehend technical and professional materials (i.e. textbooks, journal articles, handbooks, and instruction manuals). Accurately convey information and interpretation of information using one or more means of communication (verbal, written, or assisted such as interpreter or TTY) to faculty, classmates, patients, physicians and other health care personnel in a professional, positive, and tactful manner
  • Follow verbal and written instructions in English in order to correctly and independently perform laboratory test procedures
  • Legibly record laboratory data
  • Independently prepare papers, prepare laboratory reports, and take paper, computer and laboratory practical examinations

Essential Intellectual and Conceptual Abilities

The medical laboratory sciences student must be able to:

  • Measure, calculate, reason, analyze, evaluate and synthesize information
  • Recognize emergency situations and take appropriate actions in a timely manner
  • Exercise critical thinking skills to solve problems
  • Exercise sufficient judgment to recognize and correct performance deviation
  • Participate in a variety of learning activities including but not limited to, classroom instruction; small group, team and collaborative activities; individual study; preparation and presentation of reports; application of theory to clinical practice, and use of computer technology

Essential Behavioral and Social Attributes

The medical laboratory sciences student must be able to:

  • Maintain patient confidentiality and to exercise ethical judgment, integrity, honesty, dependability and accountability in the performance of their laboratory responsibilities
  • Perform laboratory tests carefully while maintaining efficiency and organization
  • Maintain personal hygiene and wear garments appropriate to the work setting
  • Tolerate taxing workloads, function effectively under stress and adapt to changing technology and environments
  • Recognize potentially hazardous materials, equipment and situations and proceed safely in order to minimize risk of injury to patients, self and nearby individuals
  • Function as a supportive member of the health care team, maintaining highest laboratory standards in delivery of patient care