The Clinical Year
Admission
Degree and Certification
Courses
Faculty
Finances 
Additional Information

The Department of Pathology and the Dynacare - Tennessee Laboratories at the University of Tennessee Medical Center are the home for the Clinical Laboratory Science / Medical Technology of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK). The Medical Technology Program is a four-year degree program with the final year being spent taking courses given in the Clinical Laboratories of UT Medical Center.

The UTK Science-Medical Technology Curriculum is a 3 + 1 program which involves 3 years (98 credit hours) of study in the College of Arts and Sciences, plus 12 consecutive months of practical and didactic training in clinical laboratory science at UT Medical Center leading to a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in medical technology.

A 4+1 option also is available to graduates who have a BS degree with 16 semester hours of biology (including a microbiology course and immunology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (including general chemistry and either organic or biochemistry) and one math course.

The Clinical Year 
Much of the program resides in the new Clinical Core Laboratory which includes the sections of blood banking, clinical chemistry, blood gasses, and hematology/coagulation. Microbiology including virology, and clinical serology and immunology are housed in nearby modular buildings.

Educational activities consist of technical instruction, supervised participation in the working laboratory and a didactic program designed to supplement the student's theoretical background with an orientation toward clinical pathology. The program continues over a period of 50 weeks of 40 hours each.

Students will attend lecture sessions for 18 weeks after which they will rotate through the clinical laboratory sections of microbiology, immunohematology, chemistry, and hematology, including such subsections as endocrinology, serology, radiochemistry, cardiopulmonary function, parasitology, and hemostasis. Students are urged to attend local and state educational programs and professional society meetings.

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Admission Requirements and Procedures
Admission to the clinical year is at the discretion of the Admissions Committee of the Medical Technology Program at the UT Medical Center. Admission to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and completion of a pre-medical technology program in the College of Arts and Sciences does not assure admission the the clinical phase of the Medical Technology. Graduates who already have a BS degree, have been accepted to UTK, and are pursuing the 4+1 option are also not assured admission to the program.

The following application materials must be completed and returned to the program director of the Medical Technology Program before the application deadline: formal application (can be obtained from the Medical Technology office or the UTK Health Professions office), university transcripts, proposed course outline, and a degree audit report (DARS)[for those who are pursuing the 3+1 option]. A copy of the pre-professional evaluations must also be forwarded to the program director.

ALL students must make an appointment with the Arts and Sciences Advising Services to make arrangements for a pre-professional file.

A personal interview will be required of each applicant. All interviews are arranged by invitation from the Admissions Committee at UT Medical Center .

The Medical Technology Program at UT Medical Center admits 8 students annually in January. The deadline for application is May 1. Interviews will be held in June and admitted students will by notified by July 15.

All academic requirements as listed in the current catalog must be completed before entering the clinical year. The grade point average is a primary consideration in the selection of students. Other data is obtained from formal applications, personal interview, and letters of recommendation. Selection also includes consideration of traits such as initiative, self-motivation, dependability, reasoning ability, and leadership potential.

Students planning to apply for the clinical year should familiarize themselves with the activities and functions of the Clinical Laboratories and the role of medical technologists in order to provide themselves with a basis for a suitable and realistic career choice. Applicants must possess standard interpersonal communication skills, and sensory and motor skills as defined by the program. This information can be gained by visits to the clinical laboratories (by appointment), by acquaintance with practitioners, or by work experience.

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Degree and Certification
Upon successful completion of the clinical program, the University of Tennessee grants a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree with a major in medical technology to those students pursuing the 3+1 option. A certificate is awarded each graduate by the UT Medical Center.

Graduates are eligible to take the national certification examinations given by the American Society of Clinical Pathology for medical technology, or other national certifying examinations. After successful completion of a state-recognized national certification exam and verification of fact directly from the certifying agency, the State of Tennessee, through its Department of Public Health will issue the graduate a license.

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Courses
410-11 Microbiology (4,4)
This course consists of the study of laboratory testing involved in clinical bacteriology, mycology and parasitology. Emphasis is on pathogenic bacteria and fungi, their sources, methods of culture, the techniques of identification, and evaluation of antibiotic sensitivity. Gross and qualitative chemical examination of feces and methods of identification of protozoa and helminth parasites of man is included.

420-21 Clinical Chemistry (5,5)
The course covers the clinical aspects of biochemistry, including overview of principles and instrumentation with emphasis on practical laboratory application of analytical procedures, specimen collection and handling, significance of results, and quality assurance. Included in the subject matter is blood gas analysis, including radioimmunoassay, and analysis of blood and other body fluids for enzymes, hormones, and other constituents of clinical interest, utilizing both automated and manual techniques.

430-31 Hematology and Clinical Microscopy (4,4)
This course covers the principles, theories, and instrumentation related to qualitative and quantitative evaluation of cellular elements of blood and other body fluids, factors of hemostasis, quantitative chemical analysis of urine, and renal function studies. Emphasis is placed on microscopic identification of cells and the significance and correlation of laboratory data.

440-41 Immunohematology (3,3)
The subject matter is the theory and practice of blood banking, including erythrocyte antigens, and their normal and abnormal immunology. Emphasis is placed on the standard technical procedures used in blood typing, crossmatching, antibody detection, and the preparation of blood components for transfusion to patients. Safety, quality control, and quality assurance as they relate to blood banking are also emphasized.

450 Clinical Serology and Immunology (2)
The subject matter of this course includes the performance and interpretation of a broad range of clinical serological and immunological procedures with emphasis on principles and clinical correlation. A formal lecture series is included.

470 Orientation and Basic Techniques (1)
This course is designed to facilitate the transfer of students from the UTK main campus to the hospital environment and clinical laboratories. This consists of an introduction to medical terminology, medical ethics, and health team concepts. The course includes a study of basic techniques and procedures for the collection and handling of patient specimens, the principles of operation of many laboratory instruments, a review of laboratory mathematics, and an introduction to quality control procedures. Portions of this course extend over the entire clinical year.

480 Principles of Supervision and Education in Medical Technology (1)
This course consists of seminars in basic principles of management, supervision, and education theories and methods. A comprehensive examination covers the entire course.

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Program Officials and Faculty

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Finances
Students pay the regular tuition charged by the University of Tennessee and abide by all rules and regulations regarding tuition policies. No tuition is required by the Medical Center.

A nonrefundable enrollment deposit of $10 is required of each student. This deposit can be applied to the $25 entrance and materials fee which is due at the beginning of the clinical year.

Students must supply their own uniforms and white laboratory coat (optional). The laboratory provides the personal protective equipment used by the students within the laboratory. The cost of textbooks for the year is approximately $500.

Students who have been accepted for the clinical year may apply for scholarships offered by the medical technology professional societies, University Pathologists, PC, and the medical auxiliaries of the Knoxville Academy of Medicine and the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

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Additional Information
Additional information may be obtained from the following.

Dr. Jeff Becker
Walters Life Science Building, F339
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN  37996-0845
865.974.7263 
jbecker@utk.edu

Sharon Wierwille, Program Director
University of Tennessee Medical Center
1924 Alcoa Highway
Knoxville, TN 37920
865.305.9087
swierwille@utmck.edu

Mary Anne Hoskins Associate Director, Health Professions
220 Ayres Hall
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN  37998-0845
865.974.4483
mhoskins@utk.edu

American Society of Clinical Pathologists
P.O. Box 4872
Chicago, IL  60880
312.738.1338
http://www.ascp.org/

NAACLS
8410 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 670
Chicago, IL  60631
773.714.8880
info@naacls.org

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