Medical Technology Program
Bachelor of Science in Biology
Area of special interest: Medical Technology

What is Medical Technology? Medical technologists serve as technical assistants to pathologists, performing clinical laboratory procedures helpful to physicians in the determination of the nature, course, and treatment of disease. A Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with emphasis in Medical Technology at FMU is awarded after successful completion of 124 credit hours of classroom and laboratory work. A cooperative program with McLeod Regional Medical Center allows the student to become a medical technologist in 4 years, if the student completes his/her clinical studies during the senior year (the "3 + 1" option). Students may alternatively elect to first obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, with the appropriate prerequisites, and then apply to the Medical Technology program for their clinical year of study (the "4 + 1" option). This option would require 5 years of study.

Application to this program must be made during the student's junior year (for the 3 + 1 option), and acceptance is on a competitive basis. For more information about Medical Technology at FMU contact the Program Director, Dr. Larry McCumber, by email: lmccumber@fmarion.edu or phone: 843 661 1401.

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY 3+1 OPTION

REPRESENTATIVE SCEDULE FOR BIOLOGY MAJORS WITH EMPHASIS IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY AND A CHEMISTRY MINOR:

Freshman Year:

Fall

Spring

Course

Sem. Hours

Course

Sem. Hours

English 112

3

English 200

3

Math 111

3

Math 112

3

Biology 105 and lab

4

Biology 106 and lab

4

Chemistry 101 and lab

4

Chemistry 102 and lab

4

Total Credits

14

Total Credits

14

 

Sophomore Year:

Fall

Spring

Course

Sem. Hours

Course

Sem. Hours

Biology 311 and lab

4

Biology elective

4

Chemistry 201 and lab

4

Chemistry 202 and lab

4

Math 114

3

History (200 level)

3

Computer Science 150 or 190

3

Speech Comm.

3

Social Science elective

3

Art 101, Music 101, or Theatre 101

3

Total Credits

17

Total Credits

17

 

Junior Year:

Fall

Spring

Course

Sem. Hours

Course

Sem. Hours

Biology 401 and lab

4

Biology 407 and lab

4

Political Sci. 101 or 103

3

Humanities elective

3

Physics 215 and lab

4

Literature

3

Chemistry 203 and lab

4

Social Sci. elective

3

Total Credits

15

Physics 216 and lab

4

 

 

Total Credits

17

 

Senior Year:

Fall

Spring

Course

Sem. Hours

Course

Sem. Hours

Biology 495

15

Biology 496

15

Total Credits

14

Total Credits

14

TOTAL HOURS Required for Degree: 124


A Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with emphasis in Medical Technology at Francis Marion University is awarded after successful completion of 124 hours, including the following:

1. A minimum of 94 semester hours, including the General Education Requirements and the following courses:

Biology - 24 semester hours
General Biology (105, 106); 8 hours
Microbiology (311); 4 hours
Immunology (407); 4 hours
Genetics (401); 4 hours
Biology Elective; 4 hours

Chemistry - 16 semester hours
General Chemistry (101, 102); 8 hours
Organic Chemistry (201, 202); 8 hours

Chemistry Minor (or Second Collateral) - 4 (or 12) semester hours
Quantitative Analysis (203); 4 hours

(or Second Collateral, 12 hours)

Mathematics - 9 semester hours
Math (2 courses from 111, 112, 180 or higher); 6 hours
Statistics (114); 3 hours

Physics - 8 (or 12) semester hours
Physics 215, 216 (or 200, 201, 202); 8 to 12 hours

Computer Science - (CS 150, 190); 3 hours

2. McLeod affiliation:

Francis Marion University is currently affiliated with the School of Medical Technology at the McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, South Carolina. A limited number of FMU students will be admitted to the McLeod program on a competitive basis, upon application during the junior year.

Students will be admitted only if:
a. they have completed 3 academic years (or the equivalent) of undergraduate study including all of the General Education Requirements;
b. they have a minimum GPA of 2.6 in their biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer science courses;
c. they have a 2.5 overall GPA.

3. Completion of a 30-hour clinical curriculum (Biology 495 and 496) in the Medical Technology program, as approved by FMU.

Biology 495 and 496: Internship for fifty-one weeks at McLeod Medical Center, integrating classroom lectures and practical laboratory experiences. Students receive hands-on experience in each department of the clinical laboratory. Schedules are rotated to give students several weeks to learn the basic techniques of each department. Credit will be given for the following courses:

MT 405 - Clinical Hematology; 4 credit hours
MT 410 - Clinical Hemostasis; 2 credit hours
MT 415 - Instrumentation and Methods; 2 credit hours
MT 420 - Clinical Chemistry; 4 credit hours
MT 425 - Clinical Microbiology; 4 credit hours
MT 430 - Mycology, Parasitology, and Virology; 3 credit hours
MT 440 - Clinical Microscopy; 2 credit hours
MT 450 - Immunohematology; 4 credit hours
MT 455 - Clinical Immunology; 3 credit hours
MT 460 - Medical Laboratory Systems; 2 credit hours

TOTAL 30 credit hours

A student can complete the requirements for the degree to become a medical technologist in four years. The student is then eligible to take the National Certification Exam from the ASCP or NCA.