Mission
The purpose of the Clinical Laboratory Science Programs is to provide varied and rich educational experiences that foster the theoretical knowledge and technical skills necessary for graduates to provide quality laboratory services in accordance with nationally accepted standards.
The programs provide fully integrated associate and baccalaureate degrees that allow students to enter and exit the two levels with a minimum of repetition. The associate degree level provides educational experiences resulting in the basic theoretical knowledge and technical skills necessary to function as medical laboratory technicians. The baccalaureate degree level builds upon the foundations provided by the associate degree level to provide comprehensive and in-depth educational experiences necessary for the decision making and problem solving required for function as medical laboratory scientists.
In accordance with the mission of the university, educational experiences include opportunities for critical thinking, effective and logical communication, and use of current technology and other resources to allow students to expand and apply their knowledge.
Philosophy
Clinical laboratory personnel must have certain characteristics in order to be functional health professionals, aids to society, and personally fulfilled. Clinical laboratory professionals must have the theoretical knowledge and technical skills necessary to provide quality care consistent with nationally accepted standards. Embodied in this expertise is the ability to adjust to changes required by medical advances, newly developed technologies, and changing needs of society. Additionally, clinical laboratory professionals must be capable of communicating with colleagues, other health care professionals, patients and their families, and society in general.
Clinical laboratory professionals should be cognizant that good health care is the right of every individual. Pursuant to this, clinical laboratory professionals must strive for continuing competence and integrity in all endeavors. As an integral part of society, they should also be willing to lend their expertise to professional and public groups, striving to improve the quality of health services for all.
In addition to professional activities, each individual clinical laboratory professional should be encouraged to maximize personal potential and social awareness. Complete and balanced personalities are grounded in knowledge and participation in activities consistent with one's individual interests and talents. Likewise, as citizens, all persons should be concerned with the needs and potential of the communities in which they live and of the world in general.
Finally, individuality and competence combine to enhance one's sense of self-worth and self-confidence, which are desirable traits both personally and professionally. Individuality is also a desirable adjunct to professional competence by enabling the clinical laboratory professional to approach problems creatively. The competencies developed by these programs embody this philosophy and should help the students to develop professional competence while avoiding restriction of their obligation for personal development and social awareness.
In order to develop clinical laboratory professionals possessing these qualities and competence, the faculty is committed to an educational process which is conducive to learning yet challenging to the individual in accordance with his or her own abilities.
This process is characterized by faculty who clearly define their expectations of students; who provide appropriate guidance, direction and resources to enable students to meet and even go beyond these expectations; and who fairly measure and evaluate students’ progress. Additionally, the faculty recognize and accept responsibility to serve as effective role models so that the foundations of the profession will have meaning and relevance for students.
Students, as adults and partners in the educational process, must accept responsibility for their own learning, recognizing that their teachers may only facilitate this process and serve as a resource. Students must also recognize that every course of action, professional or personal, have a consequence for which responsibility must be accepted.
Program Rigor
The CLS Program at ASU-Jonesboro is very rigorous, and the faculty have high expectations of each student. Not all students who begin our BS or AAS degree programs maintain the minimum academic performance to continue and graduate from the program. Others may face obstacles related to finances, relationships, or other personal issues that prompt them to put their education on hold. Regardless the reason for not finishing the degree program, our 3 year (7/1/2014 - 6/30/2017) average graduation rate is 64% for AAS students and 90% for BS students.
