CLS Certificate Program

Overview

The Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) Training Program, offered by the Department of Biological Sciences, is a 12-month program that prepares graduates for professional practice in diagnostic medical laboratories. Completion of the program qualifies graduates to sit for the Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) certification examination administered by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and to apply for California Clinical Laboratory Scientist licensure issued by the California Department of Public Health – Laboratory Field Services (CDPH-LFS).

The program requires 52 weeks of continuous training. Students spend 32 hours per week training at affiliated clinical laboratories and 8 hours per week participating in formal coursework delivered online. 

Clinical Affiliates

Students who are admitted to our program will train on site at one of these hospitals. 

  • Adventist Health Bakersfield
  • Adventist Health Hanford
  • Adventist Health Lodi Memorial
  • Adventist Health and Rideout Marysville
  • Antelope Valley Medical Center in Lancaster
  • Bakersfield Memorial Hospital
  • Dignity Health Sacramento
  • Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz
  • El Camino Hospital in Mountain View
  • Enloe Medical Center in Chico
  • Fairchild Medical Center in Yreka
  • Feather River Hospital in Paradise
  • Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach
  • Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara
  • Kaiser Permanente San José
  • Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento
  • Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria
  • Mercy Medical Center in Redding
  • Mercy Medical Center in Merced
  • Natividad Medical Center in Salinas
  • Oroville Hospital
  • Ridgecrest Regional Hospital
  • Riverside Community Hospital
  • Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital
  • Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San José
  • St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton
  • Shasta Regional Medical Center in Redding
  • Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto
  • Stanford Healthcare ValleyCare in Pleasanton
  • Washington Hospital in Fremont

Note: Although we have trainee cohorts every Fall and Spring, some hospitals do not participate in each cycle. 

Approval and Accreditation

The San José State University Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) Training Program is approved by Laboratory Field Services (LFS), a division of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Graduates of the program are eligible to take the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) certification examination.

The program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)

5600 N. River Road, Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018-5119
Phone: 773-714-8880
Email: info@naacls.org
Website: www.naacls.org

Contact

Prospective applicants are encouraged to review the information available on this website, including the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section, before contacting the program. Many common questions regarding admissions requirements and program structure are addressed in these materials.

Additional program-specific questions may be directed to: cls-group@sjsu.edu