Affiliates of the Montana Medical Laboratory Science Programs

Whether you are finishing the fourth year of a 3+1 or the fifth year of a 4+1 program, MSU and UM have several options available for the clinical internship. Through a network of affiliated programs, students can tailor their internship with the help of a program director (link to program director page). As a rule, students need at least a 2.7 cumulative GPA in order to qualify for an internship, although provisional admission is sometimes granted. Application is made during the autumn semester of the junior year (3+1 students) or the autumn semester of the senior year (4+1 students).

Affiliated internships available to MSU and UM students:

Montana Medical Laboratory Science Training Program

(Accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS))

• About the Program
• Applicant Evaluation Form 
• Application Form
• Background and Drug Test Policy

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Laboratory Science Program - Spokane, Washington

University of North Dakota (UND) Medical Laboratory Science Program - Grand Forks, North Dakota

Note: The UND affiliation is only available to MSU-Billings students. MSU and UM students must apply directly to UND for admission to the program.

Internships available at non-affiliates (for 4+1 students only):

4+1 students can find additional internships by using the NAACLS search engine

Finance Your Internship

• Montana State University Financial Aid
• Montana State University-Billings Financial Aid
• University of Montana Financial Aid

A critical need

Medical Laboratory Scientists must complete a year of clinical education to fulfill national certification standards as set forth by the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP). Because the number of private hospital-based medical technology training programs is at an all time low, many qualified applicants have difficulty finding an internship. This trend is occurring in spite of an increased need for medical technologists nationwide. In fact, many hospitals are experiencing high turnover rates among their medical technology staff and have difficulty hiring replacements.

The remedy

MSU and UM have developed a Montana Medical Laboratory Science Training Program for 20 interns each year. Both schools are also affiliated with the University of North Dakota Medical School (UND) and Providence Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, WA, to provide clinical internships to students in 3+1 or 4+1 programs. Following the internship, students take the national certification exam from ASCP and are licensed as medical laboratory scientists.

Financial arrangement

The cost of this program is regular in-state or out-of-state tuition for the credit hours, plus a per-semester lab fee. Payments are made directly to UM or MSU. Financial aid is pursued by the student through the financial aid office at each institution. Private loans are also available from various financial institutions for the MLS clinical training.

Enrollment

An application to the internship of choice is required of the applicant. Application materials are available by clicking the internship links above. To apply, the student must possess a minimum science and overall cumulative GPA of 2.8. Students with lower GPA’s will be considered and may be admitted on a provisional basis. Students are screened for placement by an admission committee. Students need to provide the completed application, an official transcript(s), at 1-3 letters of recommendation, and a personal statement detailing their reasons for wanting a career in medical technology. The deadline for submission of application materials is October 22 (UND), August 1 and February 1 (Providence Sacred Heart) and Mid-October (Montana Medical Laboratory Science Training Program). Submit all materials to the Medical Lab Sciences Program Director at each institution. Enrollment will be denied to individuals with a felony criminal record.

Clinical experience

At UND and Montana Programs, four months of coursework are done at the UND or MSU campuses (mid-May through August), followed by clinical rotations for eight months at a hospital of the student's choosing (choices range from regional hospitals in Montana to the Mayo Clinic). Providence Sacred Heart internships are done in their entirety at their hospital located in Spokane, WA.

Career versatility

The post-baccalaureate program offers excellent flexibility for UM medical technology graduates. A student desiring a career in medical technology can apply to the UM program or other clinical internships abroad. Alternatively, students can use their bachelor’s degree as a step towards careers in physical therapy, medicine, biomedical research, or graduate school.