Department of Medical Laboratory Science

The department of medical laboratory Sciences operates within the college of Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS) in Adigrat University. The college was established in October 2012 GC to address national and international health policy demands to fulfill the critical need for trained health professionals across the nation. The department, then after, was established in 2016 with 36 generic first batch students envisioning producing competent and qualified laboratory professionals through quality education, community-based research activities, community services, and leadership. Currently, the department is actively engaged in teaching-learning activities, impactful research collaborations, problem-based learning methodologies, and comprehensive training whereby students are gaining hands-on practical experience in Adigrat Comprehensive Specialized Hospital.  

The department boasts a robust team comprising 22 academic staff, 4 laboratory technical assistant staff, and 1 senior computer laboratory assistant. Those professionals bring diversified expertise in areas such as Hematology and Immuno-hematology, Immunology, Medical Microbiology, Medical Parasitology and Entomology, Clinical Chemistry, Quality assurance specializations, molecular diagnostics, and laboratory management.  Moreover, the department has 1 PhD candidate, 6 Assistant Professors, 15 Lecturers, 4 Laboratory Technical Assistants, 1 Assistant Lecturer, and 1 chief computer laboratory staff.

To support its educational mission, the department of Medical Laboratory Sciences is equipped with skill laboratory and demonstration programs.

Mission

• The mission of the undergraduate program is to train MLS students equipped with basic knowledge of laboratory medicine, capable of serving the community and improving human health.

Vision

• To be a ranked and most prominent interdisciplinary education and research center in laboratory medicine in East Africa by the year 2030

Strategic goals/objectives

1. Qualified medical laboratory science practitioners to work in health institutions, higher institutions, research institutions and industries.
2. Graduates capable of developing and promoting the medical laboratory profession for human good.
3. Competent medical laboratory science practitioners to meet the human power needs of various health and health related institutions.
4. Graduates equipped with skills to utilize classical and advanced laboratory techniques in clinical diagnosis of human disease (in both clinical and public health laboratory settings).
5. Graduates who can test and analyze tissue, blood, and other biological specimens collected for the purposes of criminal and other legal investigations.
6. Graduates who can participate in identifying and solving the community problems in various health perspectives.
7. Graduates with managerial, supervisory and quality assurance responsibility.
8. Competent practitioners who can maintain the professional code of ethics.

Core competencies

The program (Medical Laboratory Sciences) has the following core competencies:

1. Provide comprehensive Medical/Clinical Laboratory services: This competency includes the knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary to deliver comprehensive medical laboratory services, covering patient identification, specimen collection, processing, and storage, as well as laboratory solution preparation. It also involves applying various test principles and methods for disease detection, diagnosis, and monitoring, using precise methodologies and automated technologies, ensuring quality assurance, and interpreting, reporting, and archiving test results.
2. Provide comprehensive Public Health Laboratory services: This competency includes knowledge, skills, and attitudes for identifying microorganisms and their products in food, water, and beverages. It covers the safety and quality of water and beverages, sources of pollution, and bacteriological investigations. Additionally, it involves understanding disease outbreaks, epidemiology, and surveillance.
3. Apply Laboratory quality management and safety: This competency includes the knowledge, skills, and attitude required to understand and apply quality assurance principles, interpret quality control data, and document control charts and graphs. It involves practicing quality assurance in routine laboratory activities, preparing standard operating procedures in all laboratory disciplines, and managing laboratory data while adhering to safety precautions.
4. Work in supply chain management program: This competency includes the knowledge, skills, and attitude required for forecasting, selecting, and procuring laboratory equipment and supplies, as well as managing inventory, storage, and distribution.
5. Participate in regulatory and accreditation system: This competency includes the knowledge, skills, and attitude required to participate in laboratory accreditation, assess product quality, forecast national laboratory workforce needs, and design and evaluate laboratory standards for health facilities.
6. Implement professionalism and ethical code of conduct: This competency involves understanding ethical principles in healthcare, including relevant laws in medical laboratory sciences, both locally and globally. It covers interpersonal relationships, confidentiality, privacy, and the responsibilities of laboratory professionals. Additionally, it includes knowledge of the patients’ bill of rights, the Ethiopian code of ethics, good laboratory practices, professional advocacy, and the importance of compassionate and respectful behavior.
7. Involve in research, education and training: This competency involves the knowledge, skills, and attitude to assist in and conduct research, contribute to the development and evaluation of new diagnostic technologies, teach at higher education institutions, train laboratory staff, and engage in continuous professional development.
8. Lead and manage the health care system: This competency involves the knowledge, skills, and attitude needed to participate in leadership, management, and governance within the healthcare system, as well as planning, directing, and supervising laboratory personnel. It also covers managing the resources necessary to run medical laboratories within the healthcare system.