Two years ago, if someone had asked me about Medical Laboratory Science, I would have had almost nothing to say. My understanding of healthcare was limited to what I could see ,doctors, hospital wards, white coats moving with urgency.And I had always known that I wanted to remain close to the sick, not out of pressure or prestige, but out of a genuine desire to serve in spaces where science meets vulnerability.Yet it was only one particular night, as the application portal was nearing closure and I was scrolling desperately for something that still felt aligned with Medicine, that I came across a course I barely understood at the time: Medical Laboratory Science. My curiosity rose. What is MLS? A four-year health science degree focused on diagnosis, research and clinical training. A profession centered not on the visible side of medicine, but on the scientific backbone that supports it fully. Medical Laboratory Science is not simply “working in a lab.” It is studying the mechanisms of disease at a microscopic and biochemical level. It is understanding how infections spread, how blood disorders manifest, how organs fail, how the immune system responds. It is learning to translate numbers, cells, and chemical reactions into meaningful clinical answers. Admission Details for MLS To pursue a Bachelor’s degree in MLS in Kenya: Minimum KCSE mean grade: C+ Cluster subjects (C+ or higher): • Biology • Chemistry • Mathematics or Physics • English or Kiswahili Since it is science based the science subject do come in handy later on. The Cut Off Points For MLS According to the KUCCPS placement cycle the general cut off range for MLS is approximately (31.7-40.6). With competitive universities like Kenyatta University and The university of Nairobi having higher cut off points of approximately (38.0-40.6). For other public universities like Karatina University the cut off points are a bit lower as from 31.7 The cut off points however tend to slightly vary depending on the cohort's KCSE performance and the course demand. The variations are often very slightly. Universities Offering MLS in Kenya All these are approved by the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board: • Kenyatta University – BSc, MSc, PhD • Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology – BSc & upgrading module • University of Nairobi – BSc in MLS & Technology • Moi University • Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology • Kenya Methodist University • Meru University of Science and Technology • Murang'a University of Technology • Technical University of Kenya • Technical University of Mombasa • Kisii University • Maseno University • Alupe University • Karatina University There is so much more I could say about Medical Laboratory Science,a course I once considered an alternative, but which has proven to be far more than that. Like any professional path, it carries its own strengths and challenges, its rewards.

Two years ago, if someone had asked me about Medical Laboratory Science, I would have had almost nothing to say. My understanding of healthcare was limited to what I could see ,doctors, hospital wards, white coats moving with urgency.And I had always known that I wanted to remain close to the sick, not out of pressure or prestige, but out of a genuine desire to serve in spaces where science meets vulnerability.Yet it was only one particular night, as the application portal was nearing closure and I was scrolling desperately for something that still felt aligned with Medicine, that I came across a course I barely understood at the time: Medical Laboratory Science. My curiosity rose. What is MLS? A four-year health science degree focused on diagnosis, research and clinical training. A profession centered not on the visible side of medicine, but on the scientific backbone that supports it fully. Medical Laboratory Science is not simply “working in a lab.” It is studying the mechanisms of disease at a microscopic and biochemical level. It is understanding how infections spread, how blood disorders manifest, how organs fail, how the immune system responds. It is learning to translate numbers, cells, and chemical reactions into meaningful clinical answers. Admission Details for MLS To pursue a Bachelor’s degree in MLS in Kenya: Minimum KCSE mean grade: C+ Cluster subjects (C+ or higher): • Biology • Chemistry • Mathematics or Physics • English or Kiswahili Since it is science based the science subject do come in handy later on. The Cut Off Points For MLS According to the KUCCPS placement cycle the general cut off range for MLS is approximately (31.7-40.6). With competitive universities like Kenyatta University and The university of Nairobi having higher cut off points of approximately (38.0-40.6). For other public universities like Karatina University the cut off points are a bit lower as from 31.7 The cut off points however tend to slightly vary depending on the cohort's KCSE performance and the course demand. The variations are often very slightly. Universities Offering MLS in Kenya All these are approved by the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board: • Kenyatta University – BSc, MSc, PhD • Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology – BSc & upgrading module • University of Nairobi – BSc in MLS & Technology • Moi University • Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology • Kenya Methodist University • Meru University of Science and Technology • Murang'a University of Technology • Technical University of Kenya • Technical University of Mombasa • Kisii University • Maseno University • Alupe University • Karatina University There is so much more I could say about Medical Laboratory Science,a course I once considered an alternative, but which has proven to be far more than that. Like any professional path, it carries its own strengths and challenges, its rewards.