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Essential Functions for Admission
Candidates for admission into the Clinical Laboratory Sciences Program must possess abilities, skills or attributes in five areas including: 1) observation, 2) communication, 3) motor, 4) intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative and 5) behavioral and social. Reasonable accommodation can be made for some handicaps in certain of these areas, but a candidate should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner. The use of a trained intermediary means that a candidate's judgment must be mediated by someone else's power of selection and observation, therefore, possibly compromising the independent abilities of the student. Each applicant must attest that he/she can meet the abilities and skills statements listed below before entry into the program.
1) Observation: The applicant must be able to participate actively in all demonstrations, laboratory exercises, clinical and or field experiences in the professional program component, to asses and comprehend the situation, and, where appropriate, the condition of all patients assigned for examination, diagnosis, and treatment.
2) Communication: The applicant must be able to communicate in English effectively and sensitively with clients in order to elicit information; describe changes; assess non-verbal communications; and be able to transmit information effectively and efficiently to patients, clinical instructors, fellow students, faculty and staff, and all members of the health care team.
3) Motor: The applicant must have sufficient motor function to perform basic and advanced laboratory test; manipulate pipettes, microscopes, laboratory equipment; and, where necessary, execute motor movements associated with specimen collection (i.e. venipuncture) in relaxed and emergency situations.
4) Intellectual/conceptual Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: The applicant must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize. Problem solving and interpretation of laboratory data are critical skills demanded of clinical laboratory practitioners which require all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, the applicant must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand the spatial relationships of structures.
5) Behavioral and Social Attributes: The applicant must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of the applicant's intellectual abilities; the exercise of good judgment; the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to care of patients; and the development of mature, sensitive ad effective relationships with instructors, classmates and all health care workers. Applicants must be able to tolerate taxing workloads, function effectively under stress, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interest and motivation are personal qualities which each applicant must