Published October 25, 2016
MONROE, La. — The University of Louisiana Monroe’s Medical Laboratory Science (MLS)
Program has received the maximum accreditation award of 10 years from the National
Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
The NAACLS Board of Directors’ award is based on the continuing accreditation review
process that included a site visit of the ULM MLS program in April of 2016. The NAACLS
site visit team noted the following areas of strength for the ULM MLS program: (1)
faculty commitment confirmed by comments from students, clinical liaisons, and advisory
committee; (2) financial and philosophical support from the healthcare community serviced
by the ULM program; (3) outcomes exceed benchmarks recommended by NAACLS and indicate
the effectiveness of the program to prepare Medical Laboratory Scientists, and (4)
the quality of the graduates and their preparation for the job market.
Dr. Eric Pani, ULM’s VP of academic affairs, noted that the accreditation renewal
reflects the high quality of the program and its success in building partnerships
with area hospitals and clinics.
“This program has been identified by many of the hospitals and clinics in the region
as very important to them since medical laboratory scientists are essential for quality
testing services,” Pani said. “I am very pleased that our program has continued its
accreditation. It speaks to the quality of the education our students receive, the
credentials of our faculty, and the important relationships we have with the professional
community in this area.”
NAACLS accreditation is a process of external peer review in which the agency grants
public recognition to a program of study that meets nationally established standards
of educational quality. Primary aspects of the NAACLS programmatic accreditation process
are: the self-study process; the site visit process; evaluation by a review committee;
assessment of review committee evaluation by the Quality Assurance Committee, and
evaluation by the Board of Directors. Evaluation is based on Standards, which are
the minimum criteria used when determining programmatic accreditation.
“The MLS faculty are extremely proud of the NAACLS accreditation award,” said Dr.
Debbie Wisenor, associate professor and MLS program director. “The ULM MLS program
is recognized for its quality curriculum and excellent outcomes while serving the
healthcare community by providing competent, entry-level graduates that fill a critical
need in medical laboratories. The support received from university administration,
community partners, and clinical affiliates have made the continuing success of the
medical laboratory science program possible.”
About the NAACLS
NAACLS is committed to being the premier international agency for accreditation and
approval of educational programs in the clinical laboratory sciences and related health
professions through the involvement of expert volunteers and its commitment to public
service.
