To me, this may be the most important subtopic in this book not only for the
students who want to choose a career in any of the two but to the general public
and employers of labour both government and private who have used the word
interchangeably when advertising for job vacancies.
May, I categorically state that I am an insider who have passed through the two
courses and the curriculum because I mistake them to be the same the way
students and the general public do today.To the students the two courses are
good but it is better to learn now and make your choice earlier to avoid the
mistake I and many other students have made because it is said that you learn
from the mistake of others for you may not live long to do all the mistakes
yourself. Now let’s digest the differences.
FACULTY/SCHOOL
Medical Laboratory Science is a Medical Science course studied in university or
College of Health Sciences only. In the university, it is studied in the College of
Medicine under the Faculty of Health Sciences. Medical Laboratory Assistant and
Technicians are trained in the College of Health Sciences while Medical
Laboratory Scientist are trained in the universities.
NOTE Non of the Medical Laboratory Science professionals are trained in the
Polytectnics as many Polytechnic graduates and students of Science Laboratory
Technology claim to belong to the Medical Laboratory Science Profession as one
can only mistake them to be the same if one does not belong to medical/health
profession or has not been admitted to study any of the course.
Whereas, Science Laboratory Technology is studied in the faculty of Biological or
Natural Science in the universities and under the school of science in the
polytechnics, graduates of Science Laboratory Technology from the polytechnic
are called Technician while their counter part from the universities are called
Laboratory Technologist.(NOTE No medical here)
COURSES OFFERED AND DURATION
The courses offered by medical laboratory science students include Medical
Biochemistry, HumanAnatomy, Human Physiology, Haematology, Pharmacology,
Medical Microbiology and Parasitology public Health and Epidermiology etc. The
duration of study for medical laboratory Assistant and Technicians are 2 and 3
years respectively, hence the duration of study for medical laboratory scientist is
5 years in the university leading to the award of Bachelor of Medical Laboratory
Science (BMLS) degree plus 1 year internship programme and 1 year NYSC making
a total of seven years (7) training.
While the course offered by students of Science Laboratory Technology are pure
and applied Chemistry, Microbiology, Physics, Electronics, Photography, Plants
and animal taxonomy etc. The duration of study in the polytechnic is 2 years
National Diploma and 2 years leading to the award of Higher National Diploma
(HND), while those in the university is 4 years leading to the award of B.Tech
(Bachelor of Technology) degree plus 1 year National Service (NYSC) making a
total of 5 years training
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
The entry requirement for candidates seeking to study medical Laboratory
Science in the universities are good cut off mark from Unified Tertiary
matriculation examination and Post-UTME plus 5 credits pass in WAEC, SSCE or
NECO,GCE ordinary level obtained at not more than 2 sittings from English
language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Also holders of HND/BSc
in relevant courses are offered admission through direct entry to 200 level.
Whereas, the admission requirement for students of science Laboratory
Technology are credit pass from English language and Mathematics and three
other credit pass from other science subject from either Physics, Biology, Agric/
Health Sciences, Chemistry, Technical drawing, Metal or Wood work, Basic
electricity, Further Mathematics and fine Art obtained in not more than 2
sittings from WAEC, SSCE, NECO, GCE O level in addition to getting the required
mark from Unified Tertiary matriculation examination and Post-UTME. Also
candidates with OND/HND in relevant discipline are given direct entry admission
to the universities.
COUNCIL/REGULATORY BODY
The council that regulate medical Laboratory practice in Nigeria is called Medical
Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) is a Federal government statutory
regulatory agency established by the ACT 11 of 2003 as a parastatal of the
Federal Ministry of Health.It broadly charged the council with the responsibilitie
s of regulating Medical Laboratory Services, through registration and licensing of
Medical laboratories as well as practitioners, mandatory inspection, monitoring
for quality improvement, accreditation monitoring and evaluation as well as
certification of laboratory test kits and reagents. The Act further empowers the
council to regulate the training of Medical Laboratory Scientists, Technicians and
Assistants as well as registration, regulation, Licensing and Accreditation of
Medical Laboratories in public and private health institution.It has the national
secretariat in Abuja and the Registrar/Chief Executive is Professor Anthony
Emeribe.
While the council that regulates Science Laboratory Technology practice in Nigeria
is known as The Nigeria Institute of Science Laboratory Technology (NISLT) was
established by Act 12 of 2003 of the National Assembly and made a parastatal
of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.The core mandate of the
Institute is to “Advance Science Laboratory Technology profession”. The institute
is to ensure through its registered members effective and efficient management
and administration of institutional and industrial laboratory in Nigeria. The
institute is also required to conduct research in all areas of science and
technology. The vision is to cause rapid technological development of the nation
through science laboratory technology and also to sustain science and technology
delivery through efficient, productive and ethical science laboratory practice in
institutional, research and private laboratories throughout the country. The
institute have a Multi Purpose Science Laboratory (MSL) at its secretariat in
Ibadan, Oyo state that is equipped to provide an efficient laboratory services for
the general public, Scientist, researchers, industries, farmers, exporters and
student and hence assisting in science practical instructions and training of both
secondary and tertiary institution and serve as a centre for training and
retraining of technologists in some special area of science and technology.
SPECIALIZATION
Medical Laboratory Science has both undergraduate and graduate specialty in
the following disciplines
a. Medical Microbiology and Parasitology
B.Virology and Mycology
C.Public Health and Epidemiology
D.Histopathology and Cytopathology
E.Chemical pathology or Clinical chemistry
F.Haematology and Blood group
G.Serology
H.Immunology etc.
Whereas Science Laboratory Technology have the following specialties
1. Applied Biology and Microbiology
2. Applied Chemistry and Biochemistry
3. Physics and Electronics
JOB DESCRIPTION/OPPORTUNITIES
Graduates of Medical Laboratory Science can take up job in teaching and
specialist hospital, Primary health centres, research and private health centres,
private establishments and quality control or reference laboratories, public
health laboratories, forensic and law enforcement laboratories. Their graduates
can be self employed by establishing their own diagnostic/research laboratories.
While graduates of Science Laboratory Technology can work in environmental
health institution where they may involve in food analysis to protect public
health or water industry where they can be involved in water analysis.They can
work in secondary school and tertiary institution as science teachers or help in
biology or chemistry laboratories as technologist.They can also establish research
laboratories for food and water analysis for public health protection.
Having pinpointed the major different between the two. This will help students
and parents or guardian in making career. Meanwhile, this is very important
area in this book because if the universal health coverage or vision 202020 should
be attained, the health sector and Science and Technology should be diversified
and division of labour should be properly encouraged. This means that it will be
barbaric and misplacement of professional priority for some employer of labour
especially in the Ministry of Health to advertise for Medical Laboratory job and
put qualification as a laboratory technologist or the issue of posting of Corps
members who read Microbiology, Science Laboratory Technology and Biochemistry
for service (NYSC) or industrial training in the clinical laboratory or the self
acclamation of graduates of the three discipline mentioned above as Medical
laboratory Scientist is not only seen as professional impersonation but sabotage....
source:Emmanuel Ejike Udaya. AMLSN e-learning facebook

if u offer slt with microbiology option u must offer epidemiological and public health,mycology,blood grouping serology virology bacteriology staining technique so dont mention saboteur on the cause of ur word and i feel everyone should put hand on deck to see to d development of health sector and not discriminative because of protecting certain profession. Ganiyu AISLY

if u offer slt with microbiology option u must offer epidemiological and public health,mycology,blood grouping serology virology bacteriology staining technique so dont mention saboteur on the cause of ur word and i feel everyone should put hand on deck to see to d development of health sector and not discriminative because of protecting certain profession. i see the way u detect science laboratory technology keep putting every blame on them yet some of u with private diagnosis center put ur trained person to run test for u , l feel u should know the scope of the technologist and stand on to assist where necessary not to discriminate that is how d sector can grow