Summary of Proposed Changes:

The proposed revisions maintain the core structure of the program and focus on select modifications to improve the student experience, ensure the program remains aligned with the current industry standards and allow a more streamlined delivery. This reorganization is supported by the two most recent UPR submissions as well as significant stakeholder feedback, which has demonstrated challenges for the MLS student population. The following key changes have been proposed:

Course changes:

• New required courses:
  • MLSC3501U – Clinical Simulation (Pathology)
  • MLSC3502U – Clinical Simulation (Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics)
  • MLSC4405U – Case Studies in Medical Laboratory Science
  • MLSC4203U – Professional Practice in the Core Laboratory
  • MLSC4202U – Professional Practice in the Microbiology Laboratory
  • MLSC4201U – Professional Practice in the Pathology Laboratory
  • MLSC3141U – Molecular Technology & Complementary Technologies
• Delete as required courses:
  • MLSC4111U and MLSC4112U
  • MLSC4121U and MLSC4122U
  • MLSC4131U and MLSC4132U
  • MLSC4220U and MLSC4221U
  • MLSC4210U and MLSC4211U
  • MLSC2140U
  • CHEM 1020U
  • Open Elective

• Program map changes
  • MLSC1010U and MLSC2130U moved from Yr 2 Sem 1 to Yr 1 Sem 2
  • MLSC3230U moved from Yr 3 Semester 1 to Yr 2 Semester 1
  • MLSC3200U and MLSC3220U moved from Yr 3 to Yr 2
  • MLSC3231U moved from Yr 3 to Yr 2
  • HLSC3910U moved from Yr 2 to Yr 3
• Increasing the simulated clinical practicum program elements and reducing the clinical practicum time from 25 weeks to 16 weeks (excluding student success week) to be more in line with industry changes and ensure the viability of future clinical practicum placement capacity within the program
• Changing pre-requisites and co-requisites concerning the above changes

See Appendix C for details

Ontario Tech University offers a Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) in Medical Laboratory Science. This degree is the first of its kind in Ontario and provides students with a unique academic pathway leading to a breadth of employment and graduate study opportunities. The Medical Laboratory Science program holds accreditation with EQUAL^TM (Accreditation Canada).

The faculty’s mission is to prepare highly skilled graduates who are committed to excellence, innovation, and evidence-based practice in a rapidly changing health care environment. Throughout the program there is an emphasis on collaboration, accountability, leadership and research as the foundation of evidence.

In recent years, modern health care has become increasingly dependent on complex laboratory tests. Medical laboratory technologists perform tests in all laboratory areas. The results of these tests aid in the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of disease. Increasing consumer and physician demand for diagnostic laboratory services and the anticipated Ontario population growth are excellent indicators of continued and growing employment opportunities for Medical Laboratory Science graduates.

Students learn fundamental knowledge and skills in biological, physical and health sciences. In the medical laboratory science- specific courses, students develop strong laboratory, interpersonal, analytical and problem-solving skills. Consolidation of these skills occurs during the fourth-year practicum.

When in the laboratories, students will work with all types of human specimens. It is important that applicants are aware of this aspect of the program. Competence in blood collection must be demonstrated prior to entering the first practicum semester in Year 4.

Medical laboratory professionals are dedicated to serving the health care needs of the public; therefore, the welfare of the patient is paramount. In order to meet this expectation on graduation, it is important that students considering Medical Laboratory Science realize there is an expectation throughout the program that they perform testing protocols within a pre- established time standard and meet the Canadian Alliance of Medical Laboratory Professional Regulators (CAMLPR) competencies so that they are prepared for the clinical environment.

Applicants with colour blindness should be aware that the ability to clearly differentiate colours is essential for working in a diagnostic medical laboratory.

Additional Information

1. Theory Courses:

Theory courses are offered in a predetermined sequence in semesters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the programs. Courses introduced in semester 1 provide the program's foundational concepts, including a generalized overview of key academic areas such as chemistry, human anatomy, general sciences, and mathematics. Courses offered in semester 2 build upon the concepts introduced in semester 1 and introduce foundational aspects of MLS practice. This introduction includes entry into foundational microbiology and an introduction to medical laboratory practice.

During semester 3, students begin to fully embrace MLS practice, including their clinical hematology, clinical biochemistry, and microanatomy courses. They will also have an opportunity to strengthen their general pathology skills by completing pathophysiology.

In semesters 4, 5, and 6, students will continue to immerse themselves in the theoretical aspects of MLS practice and increase their knowledge of the required skills and competencies expected as entry-level practitioners. This immersion will include select clinical simulation-based courses that replicate the clinical environment.

2. Labs:

Labs allow students to apply the knowledge they have learned in the theory courses within a simulated clinical environment. Under their professor’s direct supervision, students will have opportunities to practice and perform MLS skills to ensure they are prepared to enter the clinical setting. The program provides students with over 600 hours of dedicated MLS laboratory time to allow students every opportunity to enhance their theoretical learning in preparation for clinical practice.

3. Clinical Courses:

Clinical courses provide students with opportunities to integrate what they have learned in the classroom, laboratory, and simulation into their practice. Clinical experiences are a cornerstone of health science programs and have been well-established as central to the student learning experience. The program offers students 16 weeks of supervised direct clinical experience in all areas of MLS practice, ensuring attainment of the required competencies expected of future employers.

The medical laboratory science program was established in the early years of the University’s inception and has remained a mainstay of the of the Faculty of Health Sciences. The program has continued to train successful medical laboratory technologists and scientists for many years and has established a reputation as a leader in medical laboratory science, being one of only two degree-based programs in Canada, and the only one in Ontario.

While the program has been successful, there have been several well-documented opportunities for program improvement. These opportunities have been presented through several UPR iterations, student and faculty feedback, and through recent changes to the regulatory framework of medical laboratory science in Canada.

The rationale for these changes is therefore primarily born of the following key elements:

1. Undergraduate Program Review (2015, 2023)
2. 1. The expansion of simulation and technology-enhanced learning is at the core of the Ontario Tech vision. In the most recent 2023 UPR, it was noted by an external reviewer that, “The plan to further use simulation to allow for sign off of competencies is a strength of the program.” In recognition of the significance of simulation and the commitment to increasing simulation, the program review proposes expanding its simulation elements. This is congruent with an additional area of consideration within the 2023 UPR, which indicated a positive initiative to “Shift to using simulation to replace assessment of some competencies in the clinical environment.”
3. 2. In the 2015 UPR, there were two key recommendations which included those connected to space limitations and the structure of the program map. This was reiterated as a concern in the 2023 UPR, and it was noted that:

“The second major recommendation from 2015 was to stabilize and evaluate the program map. The program has continued to monitor the program map and make small adjustments. There are still some concerns about workload for students in the first semester of year 3, as noted by both the program and students.”.

The significance of the cognitive burden of students in medical laboratory science is a well-known challenge, as the program is academically challenging by nature, but the current program structure creates additional challenges that have negatively impacted student success. This MPM has carefully considered the workload of students and works to address these major concerns through a fundamental reduction in the maximum student contact hours in a given semester.

1. Student and Faculty Feedback
2. 1. The medical laboratory science program collects feedback from students through normal operational processes such as course surveys, program-level surveys, and through anecdotal interactions with students on a day-to-day basis. A cornerstone of the MLS program is the small program size and close working relationship of the faculty team, which allows for meaningful feedback regarding the program's structure. Detailed feedback has been collected over many years, and the key challenges are well known amongst students and faculty. Appendix E details the latest program-level feedback, which highlights the same concerns within the UPR. Feedback in Appendix F has been cataloged as those with a relatively neutral, positive, or negative tone.
3. Regulatory Shift and Growth Potential
4. 1. As was highlighted in the most recent MPM, in August of 2024, the Canadian Alliance of Medical Laboratory Regulators unexpectedly announced a decision to assume national certification examination responsibilities in most Canadian provinces (Quebec, Alberta, and BC are exempt), effective March 2026. In addition to the shift in examination services, CAMLPR has released revised “flexible pathway” competency profiles that fundamentally dictate the learning outcomes within medical laboratory training programs, which this new certification examination structure must adhere to.

One of the key differences between the CAMLPR and CSMLS profiles was the separation of molecular biology/diagnostics as an independent field of practice. The inclusion of a new field of practices presents an opportunity for differentiated growth for the MLSC program. All current MLSC programs in Canada presently train in 5 fields of practice. The proposed changes include a significant addition and collaboration between molecular biology and microbiology to allow Ontario Tech to explore certification within this new 6^th field of practice. While this is not yet fully realized as the CAMLPR changes have not been fully established, these changes position the program to meet the certification requirements, which may allow the program to become the only MLSC program to train students in 6 fields of practice and thus position graduates as leaders within the field.

Ensuring competency and employable technical graduates who can meet and exceed the expectations of professional practice in Ontario is fundamental to the mission of the University. These changes ensure our continued alignment with the expectations of employers, students, and the broader public who rely on our graduates for accurate and timely care.

The MLS faculty team is well-positioned to incorporate the proposed revisions and new courses. The current faculty complement includes both breadth and depth in faculty qualifications, experiences, research potential, and teaching capacity. The program team includes a combination of tenured, teaching, limited-term, and sessional faculty with considerable experience in research and medical laboratory practice as well as specialized fields.

No Substantial Increase in Human Resources is Required

Fundamentally, the proposed program revisions focus on the reorganization of the program courses to allow for a more conducive learning experience for students. While there is a reduction in clinical practicum that ultimately results in an additional semester of didactic training, the proposed revisions allow the course material to be spread out in such a way as not to require significant additional human resources.

The program currently operates with a practicum coordinator, and it is recommended that this course release structure remain in place, as the reduction of clinical time does not significantly reduce the workload associated with the placement and monitoring of students.

Of note, it is recommended that all clinical courses be allocated to the practicum coordinator to ensure effective program delivery and consistency. This reallocation does allow for some human resource reorganization to support the new simulation courses.

Program Rollout Considerations

Given the nature of the changes to the program revisions, the shift in delivery will necessitate slight temporary increases in sessional faculty to address any overlap occurrences within the program schedule.

Simulation Course Considerations

The increase in simulation within the program is a cornerstone of its ability to reduce its reliance on clinical practicum. Importantly, it must be emphasized that the program will require a minimum of 2 faculty members to be assigned to each new simulation course to ensure effective delivery. Simulation courses are by nature relatively demanding with respect to learning resources, learner needs, and preparation, and it is further recommended that each simulation course be additionally supported by Teaching Assistants as required.

As has been identified within the most recent MLS UPR and through faculty feedback, the program continues to experience challenges concerning its limited laboratory footprint.

“Physical laboratory space is a major challenge for the program, and the lack of a third dedicated lab results in challenges to maintaining high quality of laboratory education.”

Unfortunately, the proposed changes do not alleviate this challenge. Instead, the proposed changes add an additional need for physical resource requirements; specifically, to implement the changes proposed within molecular and microbiology space, the program requires additional access to BIT3075 given the specialized nature of microbiology and molecular biology equipment. While the program is positioned extremely well for increasing its simulation activities, it is presently limited in its access to BIT3075. Fundamentally, to implement the proposed changes, the MLSC program will require increased access to BIT3075 to ensure effective student learning.

Of note, many MLSC programs in Canada have dedicated microbiology laboratories, and the program remains one of the few without such physical plant capacity. This is contrasted by the program’s relatively unique position in having a dedicated MALDI-TOF instrument for training in clinical microbiology.

There are no major funding requirements for the proposed revisions outside of those related to normal laboratory course delivery. As previously noted, it is anticipated that there will be a temporary human resource need for the program rollout.

It is expected that there will be a slight increase in laboratory operations costs associated with the delivery of simulation courses. These will not be required until the 2027 academic year.

Of note, the proposed changes to the clinical practicum position the program to explore future increases in its enrollments through the potential of multiple clinical placement semesters (e.g., students may complete their clinical courses in any standard semester, thus alleviating pressure on clinical partners).

It is possible that through these revisions, the program can increase its future capacity from 48 students to 72. Of note, these increases would require additional sessional faculty to support laboratory sections.

Given that several of the proposed modifications are essential to ensure continued accreditation budgetary adjustments will be made to accommodate for the additional sessional costs and simulation preparatory needs during the transition period. Upcoming faculty hire[s] [retirement replacements – 1 TF currently in process] will also ensure that expertise in simulation is considered. Discussions have been ongoing with colleagues in FSci to support the need for additional space [BIT 3075] with the intent to enhance collaborative sharing of space and equipment while at the same time ensuring individual program needs are being met.

New Students: (Admitted Fall 2026)

• Not applicable for new students as these students will be subject to the revised program map.

Current On-Map Students: (Admitted before Fall 2026 and on-track)

• All current students will complete their program as previously published, and there is no potential impact. Students who fall off-map will be provided an option to switch to the new track similar to those students who are currently off-map (see below).

Current Off-map students: (Admitted before Fall 2026 and off-track)

• As most program changes involve a reorganization of current program courses, there is limited impact on off-map students in years 1-3 as they must still fundamentally complete all MLSc training courses. The primary impact on students revolves around the reduced clinical practicum and the introduction of simulation. In this case, students who are off-map and have been admitted to the program before Fall 2026 will be offered an option to transition to the new clinical practicum/program map schedule.
• The program coordinators will schedule a meeting with each off-map student to examine their program map and obtain consent to transition to the new map. An individualized program plan will be developed in consultation with the academic advising team to ensure there is no additional credit requirement burden on the student.
• Should a student not wish to transition to the new program map, their clinical courses will remain under the current 25-week structure and they will not be required to complete the new simulation courses or the case study course and they will be able to complete the program on the old program map (i.e., the student can complete the current 4^th year map). As obtaining a clinical practicum involves the same amount of preparation regardless of its length, this does NOT present a significant human resource challenge and can instead be managed through planning with the clinical coordinator.
• Given the shortened duration of clinical placement and the potential reduced financial burden on students associated with clinical practicum reduction, it is anticipated that all students will transition to the revised program map.

The program coordinators will schedule a meeting with each off-map student to examine their program map and obtain consent to transition to the new map. An individualized program plan will be developed in consultation with the academic advising team to ensure there is no additional credit requirement burden on the student. Information will also be made available for current students through the MLSc Course Hub and through email communication from the program directors to avoid confusion for current students.

Discussions with the Faculty of Science have been underway with respect to the utilization of BIT3075. In addition, the DPO of FHS and FHSc have been in contact regarding this change. Importantly, this change results in only a small reduction in the number of students who will participate in CHEM1020 as the MLSc student pool is relatively small (approximately 30-40 students annually).

The program review committee conducted 4 student focus groups with detailed summaries of the themes provided given in Appendix A. In addition, the program levied program level feedback provided through institutional research as well feedback received through the historical UPR documentation. Student feedback covering >5 years has been included.
Focus groups were held as follows:

• • March 28^th, 2025 - Year 1 Focus Group (2025 Entry)
  • March 27^th, 2025 - Year 2 Focus Group (2024 Entry)
  • March 26^th, 2025 – Year 3 Focus Group (2023 Entry) – Covid Impacted Class
  • April 3^rd, 2025 – Year 4 Focus Group (2022 Entry) – Covid Impacted Class

Prospective students have not been consulted, as these changes are in line with industry expectations and clinical competency profiles, which fundamentally dictate MLS program structure in Canada. However, in recognition of the importance of stakeholder engagement, the program conducted a focus group with PAC members on April 17^th, which examined the impact on potential incoming students.

n/a – The program is not fundamentally altered in a way that would impact EDI. There are no impacts to access identified.