The didactic portion of the program will take place at Sentara RMH in Harrisonburg. Clinical rotations will be offered at Sentara laboratories across the system. Students will have an opportunity to indicate their preference for the site of their clinical rotation.
Curriculum Guide
Clinical Education
- Students are under the direct supervision of the program director and education coordinator. Formal lectures on the theory of various laboratory tests are given by certified histotechnologists and physicians. Students spend time in a student laboratory, then rotate through all the departments in the histology laboratory.
- The School of HTL admits up to three students to the program starting each January and June. The program includes six months of lecture and student labs at the school facility in Harrisonburg, VA., followed by six months of rotation through all departments in the histology laboratory. Clinical rotation sites include Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital and Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
Grading System
- The grading system is as follows:
- A = 90-100%
- B = 80-89%
- C = 70-79%
- Below C = unacceptable grade
Requirements for Graduation
- Students must maintain a minimum of 70% on all course work.
- Graduation depends on the fulfillment of the following requirements: A cumulative average of “C” in the didactic portion, 80% or higher on the clinical rotation area, and a passing grade (70% or higher) on the comprehensive examination.
Certificates
- A certificate of graduation and a pin are awarded to each student upon satisfactory completion of the course in medical laboratory science.
National Certification Examinations
- Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible for certification by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists Board of Registry.
- NOTE: We will prepare you for the lab portion of the ASCP exam or any certification exam. We cannot change the non-lab (experience and/or undergraduate accreditation) requirement for any certification exam. We cannot guarantee that you will be able to sit for any exam.
Academic Affiliations
- The Sentara RMH School of Histotechnology is affiliated with:
- Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, VA
- George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
- Radford University, Radford, VA
- Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA
- Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, VA
Health Services
- Students are required to carry health insurance, including hospitalization, for the duration of the program. In the case of injury or illness during didactic courses or clinical rotation, health services are available to students in the Emergency Departments of the local Sentara hospital. The student’s insurance will be billed for all relevant charges. In the event of a potential blood borne pathogens exposure, the student will be evaluated by Sentara’s occupational health department and will receive testing and prophylaxis will be offered if appropriate at no cost to the student.
Holidays
- Classes are tentatively scheduled to begin the second week of January and the third week of June. Holidays include the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's.
Dress Code
- Students are required to dress in solid black scrubs while in class and on clinical rotation. Some Sentara hospitals may require students to wear burgundy-colored scrubs during clinical rotation.
Fair Practices in Education
- Sentara RMH School of Medical Laboratory Science does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, family responsibilities or political affiliation.
Accreditation
The Sentara RMH School of Medical Laboratory Science is accredited by the following:
National Accrediting Agency For Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS)
5600 N. River Road, Suite 720
Rosemont, Illinois 60018
Phone: 773-714-8880
NAACLS
NAACLS is not an accrediting organization recognized by the United States Department of Education.
The Sentara RMH School of Histotechnology has no branch locations.
The Sentara RMH School of Histotechnology is certified to operate by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.