Clinical Microbiologist Scientist Program

The UCLA Center for the Health Sciences was established in 1954 as an adjunct to the then newly formed UCLA School of Medicine. The Hospital has grown to become a large complex of facilities that includes the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and its outpatient clinics, Neuropsychiatric Institute, Jules Stein Eye Institute, Marion Davies Children's Center, the Brain Research Institute, the Gonda Center among others, a 24-hour, 7-day a week Emergency Room Level I Trauma Service and a 250-bed community based facility at the Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital.

The Westwood Hospital complex is located on the south border of the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles and is adjacent to the community of Westwood. The Santa Monica Hospital complex is located off Wilshire Boulevard, in Santa Monica.

The Clinical Laboratories serve the entire health system complex. The Clinical Laboratories are abundantly equipped for both automated and manual methodologies. Clinical Microbiology is an off-site, separately licensed laboratory.

Training Program

The Limited License Training Programs are under the jurisdiction of the Clinical Laboratories and are part of the Allied Health Training Programs of UCLA Health. The content and educational emphasis of the Programs is directed by the section Faculty. The training programs are approved by the California Department of Health Services, and include practical laboratory experience and didactic lectures given by directors of laboratory sections, consultants, and experienced technologists.

The primary goal of this program is to train qualified individuals for eligibility and licensure as Clinical Microbiologist Scientists by the state of California. Qualified individuals who successfully complete this program will be prepared for written examination in the limited license specialty as administered by the American Society for Clinical Pathology [ASCP Website] and eligible for limited licensure as a Clinical Scientist by the State of California under qualifications requirements for licensure as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist as provided in California Code or Regulations (CCR), Title 17, Section 1031.

We provide scientific background, individual training and supervised performance of laboratory tests.  Interpretation and troubleshooting skills are emphasized, followed by competency evaluation and documentation.  The laboratory experience, didactic lectures and conferences are supplemented by self-instructional materials, e.g., tapes, slides.

Practical laboratory training involves rotation through the following departments:

A teaching coordinator in each sectional rotation will evaluate the student's performance and capabilities. Both written and practical examinations will be given at regular intervals to test laboratory performance and didactic knowledge. Failure to maintain an acceptable standard of performance of 80% may result in dismissal.

Limited License trainees are employed by the UCLA Heath System as a Clinical Laboratory Technologist Apprentice and are provided with all employee benefits.

Selection for this position will be based solely on merit, without discrimination for non-merit reasons such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, politics, sexual orientation, age or membership or non-membership in an employee organization.

Application

The application window begins January 1 through March 1 of each calendar year for a July program start date.

The items listed below constitute a complete application:

1. Complete an application to the program before the application deadline listed on the form. [Application Form] 
2. Documentation of baccalaureate or higher degree in microbiology which includes coursework in medical or pathogenic microbiology / bacteriology or equivalent major which includes at least 25 semester (38 quarter) units in microbiology including medical or pathogenic microbiology / bacteriology.  [CDPH LFS website]
3. A letter of intent, including a statement of your reasons for applying and long term career goals.
4. A current resume / CV listing education, previous employment, and (2) reference letters.
5. Official Transcripts
6. Obtain a valid Clinical Microbiologist Scientist Trainee License issued by California Department of Public Health Laboratory Field Services prior to the interview process. The Online application for CLS Trainee licenses available on the CDPH LFS website.   
7. Commit to training for 40 hours per week for 52 weeks as outlined in the training schedule.

Note: International applicants will need to provide educational transcript evaluations completed by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) and/or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). For other information regarding licensure in the State of California, please review the California Laboratory Field Services website. The above material should be mailed to the contact person below.

Contact Information 

Hubert Clark, M(ASCP)
Director, Microbiology and Immunoserology
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
UCLA Health Clinical Laboratories Brentwood
11633 San Vicente Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90049
[email protected]
Phone:  (310) 794-3551
Fax:  (310) 794-2765