Optical Microscopy

The Optical Microscopy certificate program prepares students for entry-level jobs in bioscience microscopy and imaging, including in the biotech industry. A Certificate of Achievement will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of the courses specified bel

Biosci 101 and Biosci 102 are new courses, so we do not have historic data on them. However, the Merritt Bioscience Department has an enrollment of 510 students, by census, in 2016-2017 and 474 in 2017-2018. The MMP courses overall have historically had completion rates in the mid to high 90s and the introductory courses that Biosci 101 and 102 replace have completion rates of 85-92% (and courses sizes varying from 25-52 students). We project an enrollment of 30-36 students for each course and a completion rate of 85-92%.

The mission of the Merritt Microscopy Program is to provide access to fulfilling, well remunerated jobs in the biotech and biomedical industry, with a focus on increasing diversity in science.

The Optical Microscopy Certificate of Achievement is a 12 unit entry level certificate, with no prerequisites, and it leads to lab assistant and entry level technician positions in the biotech and biomedical industry. This Certificate includes extensive hands-on training in wide field digital fluorescence microscopes, plus brightfield, and phase microscopes, GLP (good lab practices), aseptic technique, cell culture, fluorescence specimen preparation, with a focus on trouble shooting, critical thinking, teamwork, and career exploration.

Completion of this Certificate leads to a variety of jobs, including lab assistant and entry level technician positions in the biotech and biomedical industry. It also can lead to (and is required for) the Certificate of Achievement in Fluorescence Bioscience Microscopy and/or the Histotechnician

Certificate of Achievement.

The program level objectives are as follows (as mapped to the related course SLOs).

1. Confidently acquire digital images on a variety of research-level optical microscopes, including phase, DIC, and widefield epifluorescence.

BIOSC 101 - Theory and Practice of Microscopy

Demonstrate proficiency with fundamentals of theory and practice of optical microscopes.

BIOSC 102 - Fluorescence Microscopy and Specimen Prep

Demonstrate proficiency in operating research grade and motorized brightfield and fluorescence microscopes.

2. Operate diverse microscopy software programs.

BIOSC 102 - Fluorescence Microscopy and Specimen Prep

Demonstrate proficiency in operating research grade and motorized brightfield and fluorescence

microscopes.

3. Prepare brightfield specimens for optical microscopy.

BIOSC 102 - Fluorescence Microscopy and Specimen Prep

Grow and stain specimens optimized for microscopy.

4. Execute basic cell and molecular biology lab techniques, including aseptic technique, following good lab practices.

BIOSC 101 - Theory and Practice of Microscopy

Demonstrate proficiency with fundamentals of theory and practice of optical microscopes.

5. Identify areas of the biotech industry that are relevant to their chosen career pathways.

BIOSC 101 - Theory and Practice of Microscopy

Identify bioethical implications and career opportunities in the biotech and biomedical fields.

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
Bioci 101	Theory and Practice of Microscopy	6	Fall Y1
Biosci 102	Fluorescence microscopy and Specimen Prep	6	Sp Y1

The student must achieve a passing grade of C or better in Bioci 101 and 102 to complete this certificate. 

This certificate provide short intense training that leads to employment within two semesters. Merritt college is employing College Central to manage employment opportunities for students who complete this certificate.

The Optical Microscopy Certificate of the Merritt Microscopy Program is the only such program in our region. These skills are very cutting-edge and access to training is otherwise only available to graduate students at elite institutions, although they are skills that are needed in entry and midlevel technician jobs. We are a specialized program in the biotech arena and have strong relationships and support from all the other biotech programs in the Bay Area, including those at Laney College, Berkeley City College, Ohlone College, Contra Costa College, Solano College, San Francisco City College, and Skyline College