Steubenville, Ohio, June 30, 2026— On Thursday, June 18, 2026, the Trinity Health System School of Medical Laboratory Science graduated its seventh class, comprised of Aliyah Pattie and Audrey Poole. The graduation ceremony was held in the Trinity West Chapel, followed by a reception in the Sullivan Room.
Trinity Health System’s Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) program spans 11 months and is designed for students who hold a Bachelor of Science in Biology or a related field or who are completing a Medical Laboratory Science degree at Youngstown State University (YSU).
“Aliyah and Audrey excelled in both the didactic and practicum portions of the program,” Constance L. Moore, M.Ed., MLS (ASCP)CM, Program Director, Trinity Health System School of Medical Laboratory Science, said. “Their dedication and enthusiasm for learning laboratory medicine was evident in their success. During National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, they took that excitement to the cafeteria in the form of a question/answer game for visitors and employees alike, complete with chances to win a gift basket.”
Pattie is a graduate of Youngstown State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry. Poole is a graduate of Slippery Rock University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology.
Pattie has been hired by Mercy Health – St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital in Youngstown, Ohio, and Poole has been hired as a generalist in the Trinity Health System laboratory, where she will work in all departments within the lab.
“Audrey lives in the area, and we are excited to retain graduates for employment,” Moore said. “This is one of the reasons the program exists.”
During the THS MLS program, students are exposed to all major laboratory disciplines—including Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology, Urinalysis, and Blood Bank—through both hands-on practicum and classroom instruction. Another element of the curriculum is a Special Project, which allows the students to experience the supervisory and administrative aspects of laboratory testing. This year’s projects included the validation of a test kit for the diagnosis of a type of gastroenteritis and the feasibility of switching testing platforms for MRSA screening, both of which demonstrated a strong link between academic rigor and real-world impact on patient care.
The MLS program culminates with a certificate that allows the graduates to take a national certification exam through the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).
“This Board of Certification exam verifies the students’ knowledge and critical thinking skills, which MLSs use every day in their work,” Moore said. “It also allows the graduates to command a higher salary than someone who is not certified. Both students have taken and passed the exam already and are eager to begin practicing what they’ve learned in the program.”
While most patients see doctors, nurses, and other allied health professionals, including the phlebotomist who draws a patient’s blood, medical laboratory scientists and technicians perform complex tests behind the scenes. Working both manually and with sophisticated instrumentation, they provide the critical data doctors rely on to make accurate decisions about diagnosis and treatment.
“Most people don’t think about what happens to that blood or other body fluid specimen once it leaves the patient’s bedside,” Moore said. “But the laboratory professionals who perform the testing are working around the clock to provide physicians with the needed knowledge to diagnose, treat, and monitor their patients. Through outreach presentations to elementary, middle, and high schools, we try to educate the public on the vital role played by the MLS and to generate interest in the profession. We hope to establish more affiliations with local universities to accept their qualified students into the program.”
According to Moore, the THS MLS School maintains an exceptional track record, boasting a 100 percent graduation rate, 100 percent employment rate, 100 percent pass rate for certification, and full 10-year accreditation by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). While most graduates tend to stay in the Ohio Valley, alumni are employed in many different states, including Idaho, Maine, and Georgia—and one even works at Sea World in San Diego, California.
More information can be found at www.trinityhealth.com under the “Services” tab or by contacting Moore at 740-264-8447 or via email at constance.moore@commonspirit.org.
If you would like to interview Moore for your publication or broadcast, please let Laurie Labishak know using the contact information provided in the header of this press release.
