Frequently asked questions
Answers about the program, admissions, and how the BMLSc differs from Medical Laboratory Technology. Choose a category below to browse the questions.
It’s the study of the scientific principles behind the disciplines practised in hospital and medical research laboratories:
- Pathology — the mechanisms of disease processes
- Histology — cells and tissues under a microscope
- Medical Microbiology — micro-organisms that cause disease
- Clinical Chemistry — chemical analysis of blood and body fluids
- Hematology — blood and blood-forming tissues in health and disease
- Toxicology — the effects of harmful substances on the body
- Immunopathology — the immune system in disease processes
The program combines theoretical knowledge with practical lab experience, giving you the tools to engage in real-world scientific research and biotechnology. The curriculum bridges numerous fields and is delivered through lectures, seminars, small-group problem-based tutorials, medical case analysis, and site visits to hospital labs.
Many courses pair an hour of lecture with an hour of hands-on lab, where an instructor guides you through techniques or problem-solving related to the theory just covered. Others have a separate laboratory period for techniques such as sectioning, embedding, and staining tissues.
With only 24 students admitted each year, you’ll build close working relationships with your classmates and instructors, with many opportunities for group problem-solving.
The BMLSc focuses on science from a human perspective — human health and disease — rather than other organisms such as bacteria, plants, and animals. The curriculum bridges numerous fields and is designed to help students think and work across disciplinary boundaries.
Over two years you’ll gain knowledge across a broad range of health science subjects and develop skills in:
- Medical microbiological techniques, e.g. bacterial identification
- Tissue culture techniques
- Molecular biology — DNA fingerprinting using PCR and gel electrophoresis
- SDS-PAGE agarose gel electrophoresis and Western blotting
- Chromatography — ion exchange, gel filtration, and FPLC
- Photomicrography with light and transmission electron microscopes
- Immunohistochemistry and other histochemical methods
- Oral presentations and discussion-leading
- Critical appraisal of scientific papers
- Self-appraisal and constructive feedback
- Professional and scientific communication
- Laboratory safety — radioisotope, biohazard, chemical safety, WHMIS
The program is challenging — but students with a genuine interest in human health and disease do well. On average, students improved their GPA by at least one letter grade between entrance and graduation. Across the five years from 2016 to 2020, the average entering GPA was 77% (B+); by graduation it had risen to 84% (A−).
Over the same period, two students entered with an average of 90% or above — and seventeen graduated with an average of 90% or above.
In the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, located at UBC Hospital on the Vancouver campus.
Courses are taught by faculty of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and other UBC departments, so you’ll study with nationally and internationally recognized experts. Many are practising pathologists involved in state-of-the-art research.
Since the program was established in 1980, we’ve graduated over 600 students. Read what graduates say about their experience →
Graduates go on to careers in healthcare, research, and biotechnology, and to further study in medicine, dentistry, and graduate programs. Explore career opportunities →
Until we receive an application, we aren’t in a position to evaluate credentials or prerequisites for equivalency or transfer credit. Admissions doesn’t review supporting documentation outside the application process — evaluating credentials and previous education is part of that process.
It’s each applicant’s responsibility to confirm they meet the minimum eligibility requirements beforehand.
All courses listed as entrance requirements ought to be completed prior to entry. If you have questions about a missing prerequisite, send us a note through the Contact Us link.
Yes. If you haven’t completed CHEM 211 before entering, you’ll take it in term one of Year 3 — it’s a prerequisite for CHEM 315, a lab course taken in term two.
Because of seating limits in CHEM 211, applicants are strongly encouraged to complete it before entering the program.
No — BMLSc Pathology (PATH) courses are restricted to students enrolled in the program.
The curriculum follows a standard timetable that doesn’t allow for electives in Year 3. In Year 4, students may take additional courses that fit into the standard timetable.
Yes. Provided you’ve completed all first- and second-year prerequisites, you can apply from the second, third, or fourth year of your current program.
Yes. Qualified Canadian citizens and permanent residents are given priority in the selection process, and applications from qualified international students are accepted.
International applicants must meet the English Language Competence requirements and UBC’s general admission requirements, in addition to the BMLSc requirements.
The number of applications varies each year, from roughly 50 to 125. Because of facility limitations, a maximum of 24 students may be admitted each year.
There is no minimum GPA requirement. Applicants are assessed individually, based on their academic record.
The minimum GPA accepted varies each year with the applicant pool. Previous years’ figures aren’t published, since they don’t indicate the minimum that may be accepted in the year you apply.
Applicants are contacted in early to mid-May. You can check your application status any time through the Applicant Service Centre.
No — BMLSc PATH courses aren’t available during the Summer session.
An MLT is a member of the healthcare team who performs laboratory investigations related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease — analysing specimens such as blood, urine, faeces, sputum, and tissue. Technologists are the people who take your sample at a laboratory when you have medical tests.
You complete a Medical Laboratory Science Diploma in Technology program, then write a certification examination. In BC these are offered at:
For MLT programs outside BC, see the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science.
Important: the UBC BMLSc Program does not award the MLT diploma, and does not prepare students to write the certification examination.
If your question isn’t answered here, the program office is happy to help — email bmlsc@pathology.ubc.ca, call 604 822 7108, or use the Contact Us page.