Bachelor of Health Sciences

The Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHS) degree program at American University, School of Medicine, (AUS), St. Vincent and the Grenadines with major in Diagnostic Medical Imaging or Medical Laboratory Technology is of 4-year or eight semesters duration for graduates of High school or Secondary school with credit passes in Science subjects including Physics, Chemistry and Biology as well as credit passes in Mathematics or Calculus and English. Because American University, runs three semesters per calendar year, high school graduates can complete this program within three years.

Medical or College students who have successfully completed the general education requirements at recognized or accredited baccalaureate programs or four semesters of accredited premedical courses, and five semesters of basic medical science courses, thus, with at least 90 transferable credit hours, are required to complete additional requirements (45 credit hours) for the Bachelor of Health Sciences degree. These additional requirements may be completed within one calendar year.

Our Bachelor of Health Sciences degree in Diagnostic Medical Imaging aims to ensure that, on completion of the graduation requirements, American University, School of Medicine, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (AUS) students have the skills required to successfully embark on a career as a Medical Diagnostic Technologist who may operate X-ray, computed tomography (CT scan), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and sonography equipment to assist medical doctors with diagnosing and treating patients.  Graduates of the BHS (Diagnostic Medical Imaging) are eligible for certification after passing the certification examination through an organization like The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists or such bodies in their jurisdiction of intended practice.

We aim to educate Medical Diagnostic Technologists to be caring professionals, able to empathize with patients and offer high levels of patient care, while being confident in their technical ability through a strong academic foundation and ability to work effectively in a multi-professional environment.

Inter-professional learning will be delivered as part of the core syllabus and in practice, where our students will be encouraged to develop the insight and skills needed to work effectively in the multidisciplinary hospital setting upon graduation.

Didactic experiences on the main campus in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and clinical placements in hospitals across St. Vincent and the Grenadines and in the region would enable AUS to provide both the academic and practical content in sufficient detail to ensure that at the end of the program, a graduate of the program is competent to start work as a Medical Diagnostic Technologist.

Medical Laboratory Technology is an Allied Health specialty concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases using clinical laboratory tests. As vital members of the health care team, medical laboratory professionals play a critical role in collecting the information needed to give the best care to an ill or injured patient. The fact is that the practice of modern medicine would be impossible without the tests performed in the laboratory.

Medical laboratory professionals have unlimited choices of practice settings. Hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, public health facilities, and commercial laboratories all have positions open currently for qualified laboratory professionals. In these settings, communication and research skills are highly valued. Employment of clinical laboratory workers is expected to grow as the volume of laboratory tests increases with population growth and the development of new types of tests.

The BHS, MLT program has the following objectives;

• Provide adequate educational background for careers in Medical Laboratory Science profession.
• Study and strengthen the existing Medical Laboratory Science practices in the private and public institutions through continuous education and training programs.
• Assist Medical Laboratory Science and related organizations in solving their problems by providing consultancy services.
• Contribute to Medical Laboratory Science literature relevant to St. Vincent and the Grenadines or the Commonwealth through research and publications.