Clinical Laboratory Technologists
Student Academics Life
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execute the tests that are
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responsible for an estimated
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70% to 80% of all diagnostic treatment decisions made by physicians.
B i omed i cal Techn ology
Path ways
B achelo r o f S c i e n ce i n
Biomedical Technology Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences’ Biomedical Technology program, with its licensure-eligible concentration in Clinical Laboratory Sciences (CLS), is designed to appeal to students with the curiosity and investigative drive to explore the many facets of human health. Students in the Biomedical Technology program have a variety of options, depending on their personal interests. You may elect to forego the CLS concentration to pursue a course of study that emphasizes research and technology, earning what one faculty member describes as a “cutting-edge biomedical sciences degree.” The Clinical Laboratory Technologist concentration prepares you to perform a full range of laboratory analyses that are essential for the > www.acphs . e d u
diagnosis and treatment of disease within the fields of human and veterinary medicine, forensics, drug development and research. You may also choose to pursue a five year bachelor’s/ master’s degree program in Biotechnology-Cytotechnology. This program prepares you to perform microscopic examinations of human cell samples in order to diagnose cancer and other diseases in their early states, thereby enhancing the chances for successful treatment.
The combination of your classroom instruction with training in laboratory applications and discovery is ideal for pursuing opportunities in fields such as Health Biometrics, Molecular Technology and Environmental and Medical Toxicology. Students in the Biomedical Technology program are also well prepared for opportunities in research, graduate school and medicine. If you elect to concentrate in Clinical Laboratory Sciences or pursue the master’s program in Cytotechnology, you will supplement your classes with work in health care settings to position yourself for an exciting and rewarding career as a health care or laboratory professional. According to the American Society for Clinical Pathology, the national vacancy rate today for clinical laboratory technologists (sometimes referred to as medical technologists) is 10.4%. For cytotechnologists, the figure is approximately 7%. A 2009 article in the Wall Street Journal indicated that a lack of qualified candidates results in hospitals taking as much as a year to fill some of these job openings.
Facult y Pro file
Hassan El-Fawal, Ph.D. For Dr. El-Fawal, the decision to dedicate himself to academia and research was a natural choice, since both of his parents and several members of his family were/ are academicians or health professionals. During Dr. El-Fawal’s distinguished academic career, he has developed curricula and taught in programs as diverse as Laboratory Science, Physical Therapy, Communication Disorders, Toxicology, and Oriental Medicine. Since being named Chair of the Department of Health Sciences, Dr. El-Fawal has combined his unique background with those of other members of the department to enhance existing programs and introduce entirely new programs, all with the intent of making ACPHS, in his words, “a pioneer in biomedical education.”