The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston’s Medical Laboratory Sciences department plans to hold the Medical Laboratory Sciences Summer Immersion Program in 2026. This intensive one-week program will be offered to high school and early college students.

Program Structure

UTMB welcomes students to attend a week-long summer program highlighting the MLS profession as a viable career option. Thirty-two students will be accepted in 2026, based on their application, academic profile, and a written essay focusing on the student’s future goals and reason for interest in the summer program.

Students will work with program coordinators and instructors each day beginning at 9:00am. Lectures, hands-on laboratory procedures, and group activity learning will be conducted throughout the day, with special presentations from invited guests regarding career options over lunch. Content areas for lectures and laboratory procedures will include:

1. Laboratory safety
2. Laboratory skills and techniques – microscope, centrifuge, pipetting
3. Microbiology laboratory procedures
4. Hematology laboratory procedures
5. Chemistry laboratory procedures
6. Urinalysis laboratory procedures
7. Molecular Biology laboratory procedures
8. Blood Bank laboratory procedures
9. Disease detection case studies
10. Tour of UTMB labs
11. MLS careers

Applying to the Summer Immersion Program

Complete the program application

One letter of recommendation from a teacher/ counselor or supervisor must be sent directly via the portal. In addition, unofficial school/college transcript must be submitted by the applicant. All documents must be received by March 6, 2026

Testimonials

"The program has top notch resources and provide firsthand experience. You learn a lot in a short amount of time and we are exposed to different scenarios." (SIP participant, 2023)

"Very interactive, you will learn so much that isn’t taught to you in school and you get an in depth and up close look into the field." (SIP participant, 2023)

"I loved how informative the program was as we did several procedures, everyone I interacted with was kind, and all my questions were answered." (SIP participant, 2023)

"I gained hands-on experience with laboratory techniques, working closely with medical professionals in clinical settings. I learned how to analyze samples, perform diagnostic tests, and interpret results. The educational sessions on lab equipment and quality control deepened my understanding of the critical role clinical laboratory scientists play in patient care. This experience confirmed my growing passion for healthcare. I saw firsthand how laboratory professionals provide crucial data that inform diagnoses and guide treatment decisions”. (SIP participant 2024).

FAQS

• Q) Will housing be provided for accepted students?
• A) No housing will be provided to students.
• Q) Will parking be provided for accepted students?
• Students will need to purchase parking tokens if they plan on parking on campus.

Questions

Direct any questions to the program coordinators at clsimmersion@utmb.edu

Program Coordinator

Muneeza Esani, PhD, MPH, MHA, MLS(ASCP)
Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Programs

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