Medical Technology
TEC 307Phone: 601.266.4908
Fax: 601.266.4913
Mailing Address
The University
of Southern Mississippi
Medical Technology
118 College Drive #5134
Hattiesburg, MS 39406
medtech@usm.edu
PROGRAMS
The Master of Science
in Medical Technology degree programs seek to provide the student
with skills and knowledge for professional enhancement. Graduates
of the programs may be candidates for positions as laboratory managers,
education coordinators, college or university medical technology
faculty members, laboratory computer specialists, research laboratory
technologists, departmental supervisors, etc. The programs are structured
to provide the student with an area of specialization or expertise.
The Department of Medical Technology offers two programs leading to the master's degree in Medical Technology. One program is for individuals who possess certification as a medical technologist from a recognized national certifying agency. This certification is an entrance requirement.
The second program is for individuals who do not hold certification as a medical technologist from a recognized national certifying agency. This program includes a medical technology practicum that allows the individual to become eligible to sit for a certification examination. Certification from a recognized national certifying agency is an exit requirement.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
For both programs, in addition to meeting the general requirements
of the Graduate School and university as stated in the Graduate
Bulletin, the applicant must submit scores from the GRE and
three letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation should
be from persons qualified to assess the applicant's readiness for
graduate study and should be sent to the department. Students admitted
will receive either regular or conditional admission, as described
in the Graduate Bulletin. Students admitted on conditional
basis must make a grade point average of at least 3.00 on the first
nine (9) hours of course work numbered 500 or above or on all course
work taken while completing this nine (9) hour requirement). These
courses will be designated by the graduate department faculty. Regardless
of previous college experience, if English is not the native language
of any student, evidence of English proficiency must be provided
prior to admission into the graduate program. The MTELP (Michigan
Test of English Language Proficiency) requirement is "Proficiency
II" and is preferred by the department. Alternatively a TOEFL
of 550 may be accepted. In addition, a score of 4 ("functional
language skills") must be earned on a fluency test administered
by the English Language Institute. This fluency test is specifically
designed to determine listening and speaking skills with respect
to situations and language expected during the practicum phase of
the program.
To receive maximum consideration, graduate applications for the fall semester should be received by the department by April 15, and applications for the spring semester should be received by November 1.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
A minimum of thirty (30) semester hours of course work, excluding
hours awarded for thesis, is required for the thesis option. A minimum
of thirty-six (36) semester hours of course work is required for
the non-thesis option. In addition, individuals who do not hold
certification at admission must complete a practicum of forty-six
(46) hours. A minimum of eighteen (18) semester hours must be in
courses numbered 600 or above. The courses should interrelate and
be directed toward an area of emphasis. An area of emphasis such
as microbiology, chemistry, hematology, immunology, management,
or education will be chosen by the student, and all course work
designated and approved by the student's graduate committee during
the first semester of the program. Students selecting the thesis
option are required to write a thesis under the direction of a Medical
Technology department faculty member on a subject approved by the
student's graduate committee. The student's graduate committee is
composed of a chair and two members recommended by the department
chair and appointed by the graduate dean. Courses in which a student
receives less than a "C" will not be counted toward the
degree. A student may not have more than two practicum courses and
two other courses with a grade of "C" or below. Upon completion
of coarse work, all students must pass oral and written comprehensive
examinations. Additionally, student selecting the thesis option
must successfully present an oral defense of the master's thesis.
Students must have at least a 3.0 GPA to graduate.
Non-major masters students must obtain permission of the instructor to register for MTC 502, 502L, 504, 504L, 506, 506L, 515. Registration for practicum level courses is limited as described in the Graduate Bulletin.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Essential functions, the nonacademic standards that a student must
be able to master to participate successfully in the program, are
as follows:
Essential Visual and Observation Skills for Medical Technology
The Medical Technology student must be able to:
- observe laboratory demonstrations in which biological (i.e., body fluids, culture materials, tissue sections, and cellular specimens) are tested for their biochemical, hematological, immunological, microbiological, and histochemical components.
- characterize the color, odor, clarity, and viscosity of biologicals samples, reagents, or chemical reaction products.
- utilize a clinical grade binocular microscope to discriminate among fine structural and color (hue, shading, and intensity) differences of microscopic specimens.
- read and comprehend
text, numbers, and graphs displayed in print and on a video monitor.
recognize alarms.
Essential Motor and Mobility Requirements for Medical Technology
The Medical Technology student must be able to:
- perform laboratory testing adhering to existing laboratory safety standards.
- perform moderately taxing continuous physical work, often requiring prolonged sitting or standing, over several hours.
- travel to assigned clinical laboratory Practicum sites.
- reach laboratory benchtops and shelves, patients lying in hospital beds or patients seated in specimen collection furniture.
- grasp, hold, transport, utilize specimens, reagents, hazardous chemicals and equipment in a safe manner as needed to perform laboratory testing.
- obtain patient specimens in a timely, safe, and professional manner (e.g. perform phlebotomy).
- use laboratory equipment (e.g. pipettes, inoculating loops, test tubes) and instruments to perform laboratory procedures according to established laboratory guidelines.
- use a computer keyboard
to operate laboratory instruments and to calculate, record, evaluate,
and transmit laboratory information.
troubleshoot and correct basic equipment malfunctions.
Essential Communication Requirements for Medical Technology
The Medical Technology student must be able to:
- read and understand technical and professional materials (i.e. textbooks, journal articles, handbooks, and instruction manuals).
- follow oral and written instructions independently.
- clearly instruct patients regarding specimen collection.
- demonstrate sensitivity, confidentiality and respect when speaking with patients.
- communicate clearly, accurately and tactfully with faculty members, student colleagues, staff, and other health care professionals orally and in a recorded format (writing, typing, graphics, or telecommunications).
Essential Intellectual Requirements for Medical Technology
The Medical Technology student must be able to:
- comprehend, measure, calculate, reason, integrate, analyze, evaluate, correlate, problem-solve and compare.
- recognize abnormal laboratory results (e.g. patient and QC) and take appropriate action.
- demonstrate critical-thinking and judgment skills appropriate to a given situation.
- independently prepare papers, prepare laboratory reports, and take paper, computer, and laboratory practical examinations.
Essential Behavioral Requirements for Medical Technology
The Medical Technology student must be able to:
- organize work and perform multiple tasks within given time constraints and under stressful conditions while maintaining the ability to communicate clearly.
- be able to manage the use of time and be able to systematize actions in order to complete professional and technical tasks within realistic constraints.
- possess the emotional health necessary to effectively apply knowledge and exercise appropriate judgment.
- be able to provide professional and technical services while experiencing the stresses of task-related uncertainty (i.e., ambiguous test order, ambivalent test interpretation), emergent demands (i.e. "stat" test order), and distracting environment (i.e., high noise levels, crowding, complex visual stimuli).
- be flexible and creative and adapt to professional and technical change.
- recognize potentially hazardous materials, equipment, and situations and proceed safely in order to minimize risk of injury to patients, self, and nearby individuals.
- adapt to working with unpleasant biologicals.
- support and promote the activities of fellow students and of health care professionals. Promotion of peers helps furnish a team approach to learning, task completion, problem solving, and patient care.
- be honest, compassionate, ethical, and responsible. The student must be forthright about errors or uncertainty. The student must be able to critically evaluate her or his own performance, accept and act on constructive criticism, and look for ways to improve (i.e., participate in enriched educational activities).
- show respect for individuals of different age, ethnic background, religion, and/or sexual orientation.
- exercise independent judgment and accept responsibility for own work.
In addition, the student must follow all established policies and procedures of the program and clinical affiliate sites.
Certain disabilities may limit employment opportunities. Moreover, immunocompromised individuals may put themselves at personal risk due to exposure to infectious agents that occur in all aspects of the laboratory.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
Low interest loans, scholarships, and college work study monies
are available to graduate students. For more information, contact:
Financial Aid Office, 118 College Drive #5101, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406-0001,
(601) 266-4774.
When available in Medical Technology, university assistantships are awarded to full-time students and entail one-half time of teaching or research assignment. Tuition is currently waived for assistantship holders. All students are automatically considered for an assistantship. Inquiries regarding assistantships should be sent to the department.
INFORMATION AND
CORRESPONDENCE:
For additional information, consult the current Southern Miss Graduate
Bulletin or write to:
Department of Medical Technology, The University of Southern Mississippi,
118 College Drive #5134, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001, (601) 266-4908, e-mail: medtech@usm.edu.
