MLS ASCP Exam Requirements: Are You Eligible?
Do you know about the MLS ASCP exam requirements that you have to meet before applying for it?
If not, stay with us; we will tell you about all the documents that you need to gather before applying.
MLS ASCP Exam Requirements
The American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC) summarizes the MLS ASCP exam requirements in the form of routes.
The board determines 6 eligibility routes for United States candidates and 5 eligibility routes for international candidates.
Here we will describe all routes one by one:
MLS ASCP Exam Requirements: For U.S. Applicants:
- Route I: To meet Route 1 requirements, you must have a baccalaureate degree and an NAACLS-authorized medical lab scientist program.
- Route II: For this, you require the MLS ASCP license, a baccalaureate degree with 24 quarter hrs in biology (microbiology one semester hr) and chemistry (organic or biochemistry one semester hr), and relevant subject clinical experience that must be of 2 years.
- Route III: Its requirements have been banned by the board.
- Route IV: To satisfy Route III requirements, you must have a baccalaureate degree with a 16-semester hr combination in bio and chemistry, including one-semester hr in microbiology and one-semester hrs in organic or biochemistry. With it, you must have approved clinical experience in microbiology, chemistry, urine/other body fluids, immunology, and hematology.
- Route V: MLS (ASCPi) license, transcript evaluation (verifying equivalency of an international bachelor’s degree to a U.S. bachelor’s degree), and clinical experience (must be of 5 years) in related subjects, including chemistry, hematology, immunology, and others.
- Route VI: Medical lab training course (50 weeks) approved by the U.S. military; clinical experience ( 1 year) in blood banking, microbiology, chemistry, urine/other body fluids, hematology, and immunology; and a bachelor’s degree with 16 semesters hrs in biology (1-semester hr in microbiology) and 16-semester hrs in chemistry.
With route requirements, you must have an official transcript, a transcript evaluation (foreign), a training documentation form with a letter of authenticity, a military training official certificate, and an experience documentation form with a letter of authenticity.
MLS ASCP Exam Requirements: For International Applicants
- Route I: You must have completed medical lab science training program in hematology, blood banking, chemistry, & microbiology. Besides this, a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, medical lab science, or biological science is also required.
- Route II: Clinical experience of 3 years in microbiology, chemistry, hematology, and blood bank and medical lab science’s bachelor degree.
- Route III: For this, you must have Medical Lab Science Program in micro, hematology, chemistry, and blood banking, and a bachelor’s degree.
- Route IV: Clinical experience (5 years) in a relevant subject and baccalaureate degree.
- Route V: Diploma in chemistry or biological science (2 years), clinical experience (5 years) in related subjects, and baccalaureate degree.
As an international candidate, you must have an academic transcript, graduation certificate, experience documentation form with a letter of authenticity, a transcript evaluation (foreign), and a training documentation form with a letter of authenticity.
Note: Meeting at least one route requirement is vital for both U.S. & international applicants.
MLS ASCP Exam Required Documentation: How to Submit?
The following is the right format to submit your documentation when you are applying for the MLS (ASCP) exam:
- You must upload the Letter of Authenticity and documentation form as a PDF file within an online application.
- Do not make the foolish mistake of submitting the letter of authenticity via mail; the board will not receive it.
- The file should not be lengthier than 10 MB.
- Signatures must be original (handwritten); electronic signatures are not valid.
- Make sure to pay the fee upon submission of the application, because the board does not take any action on the application that is submitted without a fee.
Abdelhalim Elshawadfy is an ASCP certified Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS ASCP), Specialist in Microbiology (SM ASCP), and Molecular Biology Technologist (MB ASCP) with a distinguished career marked by expertise, continuous learning, and a commitment to elevating the standards of clinical laboratory science. As an ASCP Certification Expert and American Board Certification Expert, Abdelhalim Elshawadfy continues to make invaluable contributions to the field, leaving a lasting impact on the medical community.
