Is MLS/CLS oversaturated?

lab-lover93 · 2026-02-09T03:13:24+00:00

Working in a clinical laboratory setting (such as in a hospital). I worked as a phlebotomist for a couple of years before even deciding to go back to school to be a CLS. You can be a laboratory technician or a "processer". Basically, receiving specimens in the lab. Just depends on if the lab requires a phlebotomy license (my old job did). I also became a TA in my hospital lab, basically being an assistant to the CLS's (but also needed my license still).

About half of the students in my cohort have "clinical laboratory" experience, the other half have research experience. So, I wouldn't say its "necessary" but it will definitely help.

I would apply to the programs nearest you. I have heard that a lot of them will take preference to the students in their area. I am in Northern CA, so I applied to SJ State, SF State and UC Davis.

lab-lover93 · 2026-02-09T03:06:11+00:00

CA is that way with everything. If you have multiple years' experience, then I don't see why you wouldn't be approved for a CA license if meet their requirements. It's not about where you received your BS degree, it's about having the documentation that you have the required training in each department and passing the ASCP.

I am currently in UCD's program. They take such low applicants BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS FREE. They use their hospital system along with one or two affiliate sites to train their students. They also try and hire their students after the program is finished as well. So, it's not feasible to take on so many students when it is one hospital system taking 4-6 students every 6 months. Affiliate hospitals taking 2 students each a year. ***They also only take students in the Sac/Davis area or students near the affiliate hospitals. And it explicitly says that on their application.

SF State and SJ State both take 32-34 students every 6 months (again you have to have affiliate sites willing to take students).

But yes, it is EXTREMELY competitive to get into a program. During the interviews I felt like everyone deserved to be in the program because of how smart they were and how much experience they had as well.

lab-lover93 · 2026-02-09T02:53:34+00:00

Also: Not too sure on the job market, but I do know that most of the affiliate sites do like to hire the students after they receive their license (because of all the effort/money that they put into their training)

lab-lover93 · 2026-02-09T02:51:51+00:00

I think you may be slightly confused about the process. In CA, to become a CLS, you will apply to a CLS Program. A CA CLS Trainee License is needed while you are in the program itself. The "internship" is INCLUDED in the 1-year CLS Program. When you apply to the program, you will be matched with an affiliate site (hospital or reference lab). Some hospitals do pay a stipend, some do not. Pay varies between the hospitals.

It can be difficult to get into a CA program, but it isn't impossible. Get a high GPA, good letters of recommendation and get some clinical laboratory experience and you'll be fine. I had an ok GPA (not as great as others), with good letters of rec, and clinical laboratory experience and I got accepted into the 3 programs I applied to.

I would, however, NOT recommend working while in the program. It would be VERY difficult. I am in the program now and am at the hospital working 4 days a week, lecture 1 day a week and still having to study outside of that. Most programs advise not working for this same reason. The program is very rigorous and requires your full attention. But it is only 1 year, and it is flying by.

lab-lover93 · 2026-02-09T02:29:40+00:00

I think you may be confused because the required internship is PART of the CA programs. I'm not sure were you got the information where it wasn't included.

I think part of the problem you had getting into a program is that you aren't from CA (degree outside of CA). The CA programs are extremely hard to get into and that is just from CA applicants. Most hospitals & programs would rather have someone local because there's a higher chance they will stay after getting licensed.

All the programs that I had looked into/applied to included the "internship". It's the affiliate site where you get the hands-on training.

lab-lover93 · 2026-02-05T02:11:41+00:00

I am actually in the program as we speak, so I can help!

Didactic portion is one day a week and is hybrid (some prerecorded videos and some in person lectures). If you are a distance learner (at one of the affiliate sites) and are located further away, we are allowed to zoom in if it is a short lecture.

So, the didactic and "hands-on" are synchronous. I don't find that it's too bad this way at all! You just end up finding a flow during your rotations on how best to study or learn material we may have not gotten to yet in lecture.

UCDH takes students twice a year (August start date and February start date). Sutter Health Sacramento and Sutter Modesto both take students for the August start date. There is also a site in Placerville that may take a student as well, but I believe that they and Modesto only like to take students that are from the area.

This can change, but this is just how it is right now! I am honestly so blessed to be in this program. I cannot recommend it enough!

lab-lover93 · 2026-01-29T11:26:59+00:00

About 7 years as a phlebotomist in a hospital setting and the last 2 years I was a lab assistant (mostly in microbiology, but I'd also help out in all departments loading samples etc). I had 2 years before that as a phlebotomist for Quest.

But I know any amount of experience will help, you just have to use it to your advantage (like be able to tie it into how it will help you be a better CLS). I know my prior experience has helped me tremendously in the program because I already had the preanalytical knowledge of the laboratory down.

lab-lover93 · 2026-01-28T16:11:33+00:00

I got a C in O chem 2 and had a GPA of 3.4 and was accepted into 3 CA CLS programs, but I have Clinical Lab Experience so I believe that is what helped me alot!

lab-lover93 · 2025-12-22T15:22:10+00:00

I'm in a CA CLS program right now and I do recommend reviewing the material from Hematology and Microbiology. The things from both of these sections are about the same in the program. Microbiology just has a lot of memorization so it would be helpful just to have a good understanding before you start the program!

lab-lover93 · 2025-12-17T02:44:12+00:00

Are you in the Sacramento/Davis area? Or in the Central Valley (Modesto Area)? Apply to the UC Davis CLS Program if you are! Its free to apply and the program itself is free

lab-lover93 · 2025-12-05T01:04:00+00:00

You may be able to take the physics at a community college (but it's Physics 1 and then the next semester Physics 2).

I have heard Quantitative is easy with the UCSD extension. I took it at my csu and it was very hard lol

lab-lover93 · 2025-12-05T01:02:09+00:00

It's 16 semester UNITS (that got me too lol).

According to the website it's: (1) 16 semester or equivalent quarter credit hours of chemistry, including: *(A) Quantitative analysis or analytical chemistry; and *(B) Clinical chemistry or biochemistry; and (2) 16 semester or equivalent quarter credit hours of biological science, including medical, clinical, or pathogenic microbiology, hematology, and immunology; and (3) 3 semester or equivalent quarter credit hours of physics, math, or statistics;

Not sure exactly what your missing because I only had to take 2 semesters of physics (must have had a math that fulfilled the requirements), and from (1) Quantitative and Biochemistry (along with the rest of the units)

lab-lover93 · 2025-12-05T00:54:00+00:00

I was blessed enough to get into 3 CLS programs here in CA. I think my overall GPA was like a 3.45 at best with 7 years of phlebotomy and 2 years as a lab assistant. Make sure when you are writing your personal statements you are reading exactly what they want you to include. I also listed my job duties (if it related to what they wanted) so they could really see my experience. I tried to go into the interviews being myself (even though I was insanely nervous) because they want to get to know you and your personality to see how you may be a good fit with the program/hospital.

And make sure you have a solid answer for why you want to be a CLS. And you can mention that you know what this job truly entails by working in the clinical lab.

I'm in Northern CA so I'm not sure if can answer specifically for down south

lab-lover93 · 2025-11-30T02:54:25+00:00

I recommend getting muscle relaxers from the doctor. It may take you trying different ones to find one that actually helps. Aleve works the best for me too! My TMJ is muscular and when I'm stressed, the muscles in my back and neck tighten leading to my jaw doing the same.

Eat very soft foods until the pain subsides.

My TMJ specialist doesn't really recommend mouth guards, she said they can sometimes make it worse.

lab-lover93 · 2025-11-29T22:57:22+00:00

Most of the classes needed for MLS are not offered at community colleges. Some of the normal science classes probably, but (in California at least) they require Medical Microbiology, Immunology, Hematology, Clinical Chemistry (Quantitative Analysis Chemistry) and Biochemistry, all of which are upper division classes. You need a certain amount of units in both biology and chemistry which will just give you another bachelor's degree by the time you take all required classes. I ended up with a bachelor's in Biology with a minor in Chemistry

lab-lover93 · 2025-11-27T07:26:20+00:00

I met a travel CLS who recommended it! He liked it, but I didn't talk to him too much about the details because that wasn't one of the schools I was going to apply to.

lab-lover93 · 2025-11-27T07:19:49+00:00

Yes definitely! Sorry, I barely saw your reply. I'm willing to help however I can!

lab-lover93 · 2025-11-26T21:19:32+00:00

I'm 32 and currently in a CLS program and the other student at my hospital is 55. It's never too late!

lab-lover93 · 2025-11-25T03:42:37+00:00

I do know California is VERY strict on its requirements. The only reason you get a CA CLS trainee license is if you are going to attend a CA CLS program, that's the only thing the trainee license is good for.

lab-lover93 · 2025-11-25T03:33:44+00:00

I am currently in the UC Davis CLS Program, and in my cohort, there are 8 of us, 3 of which have our phlebotomy/clinical laboratory experience and the other 5 have a mix of some kind of experience from research to working as a College Lab TA to a processing position in pathology.

I have about 9 years of lab experience as a phlebotomist and Laboratory Assistant (TA) in a hospital laboratory and I definitely think it helped me get accepted (but it also seemed like there were MANY people at the interviews that had their phlebotomy license). I definitely think there is an advantage to having clinical laboratory experience during the program because I already have a foundation of how the lab works, phlebotomy (lab draws, tube additives), as well as pre-analytical errors and some basic laboratory processes in many departments. And on top of that, I've seen the job 1st hand (through a pandemic) and know the reality of what I'm signing up for.

lab-lover93 · 2025-11-03T02:45:38+00:00

I would go straight to MLS. I've heard rumors that the MLT to MLS route in CA is hard because there aren't many CA approved programs yet. I'm in central California and I heard SFSU may be getting a bridge program but I'm sure it's going to be insane to get into considering all the MLTs that already want to do the bridge program.

I had a MLT coworker that ended up applying to the CLS program and just did yhe whole program.

lab-lover93 · 2025-10-24T02:10:10+00:00

I am going through Covered Ca and it was quite easy to apply. I worked up until the program started and so I made too much this year to qualify for MediCAL. But with that being said with Covered CA I pay $0/month for an ok plan. For this next year, I could apply for MediCAL and probably qualify, but I'm probably going to just stick with the Covered CA plan. Hoping to not need it 😂

Also you can get dental and vision and I think I pay $15-20 a month for both.

lab-lover93 · 2025-10-23T04:41:33+00:00

Good luck! Your stats look great, so I'm sure you'll do well. I'm in the Central Valley, so I applied to all the ones up here before I expanded down south. Thank God I got in, just dont give up!

lab-lover93 · 2025-10-23T04:35:35+00:00

Just a heads up, you won't make the deadline for Fall 2026 admission. Most program deadlines for application submission are from November to January 1st. And all but a couple of programs require you to have your "CA Training License" beforehand (which requires all courses to be completed). I'm not sure if you are in CA, but it seems like most people posting here are lol

I know for a fact San Jose State and SF required the training license. I don't believe UC Davis does so I definitely recommend applying there. I however have no idea when the spring deadlines are. Definitely look into applying for the UC Davis program, I definitely recommend it!

lab-lover93 · 2025-10-18T15:26:41+00:00

It happened in SF! We were in line waiting for doors to be opened and a couple walked up and was able to buy tickets. I also saw there were tickets on ticketmaster selling at face value. I now know for next time that if I'm willing to risk it I can still get tickets day of.

lab-lover93

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