Pre-Medical Lab Science
Start your journey to becoming a medical lab scientist.
Take Prerequisites Courses.
University of Nebraska Lincoln offers the classes you need to apply for a medical lab science program. See the list below for a brief overview of required prerequisite courses.
Get Experience.
Start building your shadowing and volunteer hours to be a more competitive medical lab science school applicant. Don’t forget to keep track of your hours!
Talk to an Advisor Each Semester.
There’s a lot of coordination and planning that needs to happen to make sure you do everything you need before professional school. The Explore Center’s advisors are here to help you navigate this journey. Meet with an advisor today to get a personalized pre-medical lab science plan!
Pre-Medical Lab Science Roadmap at UNL
Medical Lab Science Prerequisite Classes
Depending on the school you plan to attend, you may need additional prerequisite courses. Meet with an advisor for more information.
Typical Medical Lab Science School Requirements
Biology – 2 semesters
Microbiology – 1 semester
Molecular Biology or Genetics - 1 semester
Immunology - 1 semester
Chemistry – 2 semesters
Upper-Level Chemistry – 2 semesters
Math or Statistics – 1 semester
English – 1 semester
What to Take at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Some classes require prerequisites. Meet with an advisor for help planning your courses.
Biology – LIFE 120/120L & LIFE 121/121L
Microbiology – BIOS 312/314
Molecular Biology or Genetics – BIOS 206
Immunology – BIOS 443
Chemistry – CHEM 109A/L & 110A/L or CHEM 113A/L, 114, & 221L
Upper-Level Chemistry – CHEM 251/253, 252/254, 221, or BIOC 401/401L, or 431/433
Math or Statistics – MATH 101, 102, 103, 106, or 107, or STAT 218, ECON 215, EDPS 459, or PSYC 350
English – ENGL 150, 151, 254, or 354
The above course recommendations fulfill the entrance requirements for the UNMC Medical Laboratory Science Program.
Other Notes:
- GPA: You must get at least a “C-“ in each of the pre-requisite courses.
- Community College Credit: UNMC accepts up to 66 credit hours of credit from a community college; 11 credit hours must be taken at a 4-year school.
- Math Requirement: Some required science courses, like chemistry, require math as a prerequisite. See your pre-health advisor for math placement information.
- AP/CLEP: Accepted for non-science pre-requisite courses.
Suggested Sequencing
Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
Semester 3 | Semester 4 |
Semester 5 | Semester 6 |
Extracurricular Involvement and Activities:
Pursuing Pre-Medical Lab Science requires more than just coursework. Your extracurricular activities, employment, and healthcare experiences like shadowing and volunteering will contribute greatly to your success in this field. See your pre-health advisor in the Explore Center to plan extracurricular activities that will prepare you for this program.
Application and Admission
Application: To apply to UNMC’s Medical Laboratory Science program, apply online at
unmc.edu/alliedhealth/education/mls/admission/apply.html.
Entrance exam: There is no entrance exam required.
Additional admission requirements: Three letters of recommendation are required. Shadowing and direct observation of clinical labs is highly recommended. UNMC also requires an interview. For additional application details, see unmc.edu/alliedhealth/education/mls/admission/apply.html.