It was earlier subsumed under Department of Biological Sciences as an option leading to the award of Higher National Diploma (HND). However, the first B. MLS graduands were admitted in 1980/1981 academic session. In the same period a historic upgrade of the status of the Institution from College of Science and Technology to University of Science and Technology by the then Rivers State Governor, Chief MelfordOkilo took place.
Since August 6, 1980 when the College of Science and Technology was upgraded to a University, the Department of Medical Laboratory Science was sited along with other departments in the Faculty of Science. Since then, the department has been running a 5 – year programme leading to the award of a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (B.MLS) degree in three options: Chemical Pathology, Medical Microbiology and Haematology and Blood Transfusion Science and later Histopathology and Cytology option was added. At the 100 level, our students are taught basically on foundational (service) courses, in 200 level, introductory aspects of Medical Laboratory Science covering the aforementioned options are delivered and at 300 to 400 levels, students are taught all aspects of Medical Laboratory Science as of a general nature and at the 500 level, specialization (as in options) is introduced.
The department receives service courses mainly for our year 1, 2, and 3 students from various departments especially within the faculty of science such as Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Animal and Environmental Biology, and Plant and Biotechnology Science as well as from the Entrepreneurial Centre and department of Management in the Faculty of Management Science and the College of Medical Sciences.
In addition to the Bachelor’s degree, the department also offers Postgraduate courses leading to the award of Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degrees in Chemical Pathology, Medical Microbiology and Haematology and Blood Transfusion Science. Currently the Undergraduate and Postgraduate students’ enrolment figures stand at 496 and 55 respectively. These figures are expected to rise with the increase in demand for higher education in the country.
There are five laboratories in the department: Chemical Pathology Laboratory, Medical Microbiology, Haematology and Blood Transfusion Science, histopathology and cytology and the postgraduate (Molecular and Genomic) laboratory on the chemistry building. These laboratories are reasonably furnished and equipped for students’ use and research. There are eleven high level Technical staff (Medical Laboratory Scientists). Other supporting intermediate and junior Laboratory staff (Medical Laboratory Technicians) are needed for effective running of our laboratories.
The department has produced many graduates who have excelled in their various areas of specialization within and outside the country. It is my honest prayer that we continue to work harder towards upgrading the Department to a Faculty status.
