MLS Certification
The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) offers several types of certification for laboratory professionals based on their desired path and previous experience. Students in the Medical Technology Bachelor of Liberal Studies corporate partnership program must complete one of the following paths in order to be eligible to sit for a certification exam.
To sit for the MLS exam:
- Current ASCP MLT Certification. Verified by SIUE with your employer through portfolio submission;
- A Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of Biological Science (with one semester in Microbiology), and 16 semester hours of Chemistry (with one semester in Organic or Biochemistry);
- Two years of full time acceptable clinical laboratory experience in a combination of blood banking, chemistry, hematology, histotechnology, microbiology, immunology and urinalysis/body fluids
To sit for an exam in a specific area:
- Current ASCP MLT Certification verified by SIUE with your employer through portfolio submission;
- A Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of Biological Science (with one semester in Microbiology), and 16 semester hours of Chemistry (with one semester in Organic or Biochemistry);
- Two years of full time acceptable clinical laboratory experience in one of the folloiwng areas:
- Blood banking
- Chemistry
- Hematology
- Histotechnology
- Microbiology
- Immunology and urinalysis/bodily fluids
* Lab experience must be completed in the U.S., Canada, or an accredited laboratory within the last four years*
Clinical Experience
The ASCP provides work experience documentation forms that are used to measure and identify the competencies required to be proficient in each clinical laboratory area. Students in the program who need additional lab experience to meet the two year requirement will have the opportunity to arrange additional experiences within their hospital system. Lab administrators will sign off on work experience documentation forms as students in the program become proficient in the tasks and procedures of the required areas.
Work Experience Documentation Forms
Portfolio Requirements
To prepare eligible students to sit for the exam, all program participants must submit a portfolio by the end of their second semester in the program. The portfolio must contain the following:
- Current resume detailing your education and clinical laboratory experience
- Written statement of career goals, including intended certification pathway
- MLS work experience documentation form
