(CA) CLS/MLS Education Advice
Hi! I'm a rising senior in biochem and recently became aware of this career path and wanted to pursue it due to how secure it is compared to industry (my original plan). I currently attend a UC and have been doing undergrad research in a cancer lab for about a year and am committed to them for another year. I don't have any clinical experience but plan to get a phlebotomy cert to gain some experience. I also plan to finish my prereq classes the summer after graduating.
I've heard that CLS/MLS programs in CA are very competitive, and I aim to stay in SoCal while I do the program. My backup plan is to become an MLT if I don't get into any programs. I would like some advice on what I can do to further improve my chances of getting in or any opportunities to gain clinical experience, or whether this plan is reasonable.