Our program strives to cultivate an inclusive student body

Meet Our Students

The University of Minnesota’s Medical Laboratory Sciences Program is one of the most ethnically diverse undergraduate programs on the University’s Twin Cities campus, with a student body that’s also more than 50 percent first generation.

Practitioners of health care who have similar backgrounds to the people they serve, contribute meaningfully to the cultural sensitivities and perspectives that promote better health care experiences and favorable outcomes.   The University of Minnesota’s MLS program provides a significant pipeline of highly qualified medical laboratory scientists whose skills, backgrounds and life experiences make health care more accessible for everyone.

Demographics of Incoming Students

  2017 2018 2019
Average Age (years) 24.5 23.6 25.97
Gender (F/M/O)% 68/32 68/32 75/24/1
Cum GPA 3.15 3.27 3.34
MN resident % 89 79 87
Ethnicity %      
  - Asian 29 17 20
  - Black/African American 25 4 8
  - Native American 2 -- --
  - Hispanic 5 2 3
  - White 39 77 69
Kristen Oldenburg

"Learning is a process and it definitely helps to have input from classmates. There's definitely a large community aspect in learning a lot of this material."

- Kristen Oldenburg

MLS student examines petri dish

"I would say it's the most exciting thing I've ever done. It's definitely adventurous. It takes your perspective of learning to a whole different level."

- Abdi Farah