On April 30, 2025, the Master of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) program at PCOM Georgia received initial accreditation from the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). This accreditation is valid for five years, the maximum duration granted to programs with initial accreditation status.
The recognition follows a comprehensive evaluation process conducted by NAACLS, the primary accrediting body for educational programs in the clinical laboratory sciences. The review assessed the program’s curriculum, faculty, resources, and student outcomes to determine compliance with nationally recognized standards.
“I am extremely proud to have been a part of the initial development and subsequent accreditation of this new program,” said program director Karen Giddens, MS, MLS(ASCP).
PCOM began the needs assessment for the MLS program in mid-2020. As a consultant, Giddens developed the initial curriculum and initiated the application process for the NAACLS accreditation in September 2021. She later accepted a full-time appointment as program chair in November 2021.
Giddens noted the profession is experiencing shortages at alarming levels worldwide due to rapid growth in laboratory diagnostics, increased retirement of the experienced workforce, and limited educational opportunities to train new graduates to fill these vacancies.
“PCOM is proud to contribute to the profession by providing graduates that fill the vacancies across the southeast,” Giddens said.
Graduates of NAACLS-accredited programs are eligible to sit for nationally recognized certification examinations, which are often required for employment in clinical laboratory settings. The accreditation affirms that the MLS program provides students with the academic and practical foundation necessary to pursue professional certification and enter the workforce as competent laboratory practitioners.
The MLS program, offered through PCOM’s School of Health Professions and Sciences, emphasizes clinical training and applied laboratory skills, supported by faculty with expertise in diagnostic and biomedical sciences. Launched in 2022, the program offers pre-professional and post-professional degree options. The five-year accreditation is in effect through April 30, 2030, after which the program will undergo a review for continuing accreditation.
“This has been a long-awaited reward for us,” Giddens added. “I am proud to be a part of the PCOM community, producing high-quality graduates armed with the knowledge, skills, critical thinking, and professional behaviors to function in an array of laboratory settings.”
© 2025 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
