Dr. Cliff Cymrot is the current Program Director for Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) and has over 10 years of experience in combined teaching and clinical laboratory practice. In addition to his program director duties, Dr. Cymrot teaches a range of courses within the MLS program, both online and face-to-face, such as Hematology lecture and lab, Bacteriology lab, Immunohematology lab, Molecular Diagnostics, and Capstone.
Prior to his arrival at George Washington University (GW), Dr. Cymrot worked as a medical laboratory technician at a medium-sized, 200-bed hospital in upstate NY. In 2008, Dr. Cymrot worked for Advance Magazine for Laboratory Professionals providing storylines for the comic strip “Lab out Loud” that he worked on with his brother-in-law. He has also been a contributor for several chapters in the Textbook of Diagnostic Microbiology by Mahon, Lehman, and Manuselis, as well as having various research publications.
He is also a member of the DC chapter for the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS), American Medical Technologists (AMT), and the American Association of Bioanalysts (AAB). He also holds certifications in ASCP, AMT, and AAB in Medical Laboratory Science, and Specialist in Hematology. In 2010, he earned his B.S. in Medical Technology from the University of Cincinnati (UC). He was then promoted to medical laboratory scientist and soon after began working as an adjunct instructor for SUNY Orange teaching Microbiology for Health Professionals, Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, and Certification Preparation.
In 2014 he earned his a master’s degree in Health Administration from UC. After graduation, he received an offer to facilitate an online graduate level course in health systems management at UC. In 2015 he was offered a position at GW to teach all of the laboratory courses in the newly created BSHS in MLS blended/hybrid program. After three years he was offered the Program Director position for the undergraduate MLS program here at GW. In 2022 he then went on to complete his doctorate in health sciences at GW. In 2024 he was offered the Program Director position for the MSHS in Laboratory Medicine program here at GW. Dr. Cymrot is actively involved in the MLS profession and loves teaching, research, and promoting MLS.