June 18, 2010 | Students at Batesville’s Lyon College can now complete their undergraduate science degree while on a fast track to a career as a medical technologist through a new partnership with the UAMS College of Health Related Professions.

Looking to give students more career options, the college signed an agreement to allow its students to participate in an accelerated 12-month second degree program in the UAMS medical technology program. Students accepted into the UAMS program would graduate with both their bachelor’s degree in biology from Lyon College and their bachelor’s degree in medical technology from UAMS.

Medical technologists conduct laboratory tests in a hospital or clinic setting, analyze the results and report them to physicians to guide diagnosis and treatment of patients. It is a profession in high demand.

“This helps UAMS recruit more good students for its medical technology program while giving Lyon students more options,” said Don Simpson, Ph.D., M.P.H., chairman of the Department of Laboratory Sciences in the UAMS College of Health Related Professions (CHRP).

Those options come into play for students seeking a biology or similar science degree as a stepping stone to medical school. If medical school doesn’t work out, they sometimes drop out of the science program, said David Thomas, Ph.D., associate professor of biology at Lyon College.

“This agreement encourages alternatives for those students with biology degrees and an interest in health care,” Thomas said. “It improves their career options.”

Simpson said he has spoken to current medical school students who took advantage of the fast-track program and saw it as good preparation for medical school in addition to providing them a solid backup plan.

He said shortages of medical technologists are expected to grow worse as experienced technologists reach retirement age at a time when the demand for lab tests in hospitals and clinics is increasing.

In the program, students at Lyon would finish the first three years at Lyon College. If accepted to the UAMS program, they would complete their last year at UAMS in the medical technology program while finishing remaining work for their biology degree.

To mark the new partnership, John M. Peek, vice president of academic services, dean of faculty at Lyon College, visited UAMS on May 5 to sign paperwork formalizing the agreement with CHRP Dean Ronald Winters, Ph.D. Also attending the signing was Dennis Moore, Pharm.D., director of the UAMS Area Health Education Center in Batesville.