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Transforming Lab Science Education at UW Medicine

A transformative gift will change the lives of students in the Medical Laboratory Science program — and allow this vital specialty to grow.

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On December 1, 2025, seniors in the Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) program in UW Medicine’s Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology were called into a meeting with their program director, department chair and the dean of the UW School of Medicine. While that might sound scary, what the students were about to learn was anything but.

These leaders had brought the students together to announce that a recent, transformational gift from an anonymous donor would be covering their tuition for their clinical rotations, two quarters during which students work 40 hours a week in a laboratory setting.

In short, the MLS students learned they wouldn’t have to work extra jobs or take on more debt for the final two quarters of their degree. And not only that — the donor’s goal is for the gift to cover tuition for clinical rotations in perpetuity, meaning that all future MLS students will be able to complete this vital portion of the program without adding to their debt.

This gift will also help the program grow enrollment to meet the growing need for medical laboratory scientists.

"My heart and stomach dropped out of pure shock, but in the best way possible."

- Randon Serikawa, MLS student

See the students’ reactions

Click each image to enlarge and learn more.

A group of approximately 10 students sit at tables in a classroom. Several are clapping, and two are covering their mouths in surprise. Two men wearing black shirts sit at a table talking to a standing woman in a green jacket. The man on the left is wearing glasses and smiling, and the man on the right is grinning and pinching his own arm. A man wearing glasses and a suit gestures with his right hand while addressing a classroom full of students. A cameraman is visible behind him. A man in a dark suit and light green tie stands at a lectern in front of a whiteboard. A classroom full of students sits at tables and applauds. A man with dark hair wearing a purple shirt sits at a table, smiling, with his face looking to the right. A man in a white long-sleeved shirt sits at a table, with other students visible next to and behind him. His hands are clasped in front of him and he is looking to the left. A man in a dark suit and a blue tie stands at the right, talking to a group of students sitting at a table. He is gesturing as he speaks. A group of 10 people of varying ages, most wearing dark clothing but one wearing a white shirt, stand facing the camera and smiling. A man in a blue checked shirt stands at a lectern in front of a whiteboard. He is resting his hands on the lectern and smiling. A group of three men sits at a table. The one on the left is wearing a brown sweatshirt, black vest and baseball cap, and has reached his arm out to touch the shoulder of the one on the right. The man in the center is wearing a white shirt, and the man on the right wears a purple shirt. A blonde woman wearing a tan blazer sits at a table and smiles at the camera. Two other students sit at the table behind her.

By Alex Israel

SUPPORT MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE STUDENTS

You can help students in the MLS program graduate debt-free — and expand this program to meet a growing need.

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