ASCP Certification Benefits | Boost Your Medical Lab Career
Do you want to get American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) certificate? First and foremost, you need to know the ASCP Certification benefits.
Since its emergence, the board has awarded over 610,000 credentials to medical lab professionals.
Why the huge communities of medical lab get this certificate? It only happened due to its advantages.
Prominent ASCP Certification Benefits
- Once you get the ASCP Certificate, you can get you professional license.
- All ASCP certifications are enough to candidates' career satisfaction, job opportunities, and higher salaries.
- Besides this, the ASCP Board of Certification offers its students many resources to enhance their credibility, networks, experience, and skills.
- For students’ convenience, the board also presents many sources, like membership programs and annual meetings that help to reduce the cost of ASCP certification.
In this article, we will illustrate a brief overview of ASCP certification benefits.
Hopefully, you will get a better idea about whether you should become ASCP-certified or not. Check ASCP Preparation Courses?
Understanding the ASCP Certification
The ASCP Board of Certification’s mission is to offer excellence and perfection in the certification of medical lab professionals to offer the best treatments to patients.
Hence, it is struggling to become the gold standard for medical lab candidates around the globe.
The ASCP BOC has made many contributions to the clinical pathology field.
It is a big opportunity for pathologists to shine in their careers with ASCP certification perks.
There are many ASCP certification rewards that the board offers its students, pathologists, laboratory directors, and residents.
These rewards include study materials, review courses, interactive practice tests, and expert interviews.
These resources assist the candidates in getting credits for the ASCP renewal process, advantages of holding the ASCP certification, and licensures.
The most prominent benefit of ASCP credentialing is that it is enough to explain the candidates’ skills and experience in the pathology field.
ASCP Certification Benefits: A Comprehensive Overview
When it comes to ASCP certification benefits, there are no more powerful credentials than ASCP.
The career benefits of ASCP credentials in the pathology field cannot be ignored.
The field of clinical pathology is related to many diseases that attack blood or other body fluids.
Hence, the ASCP Board of Certification offers certificates for all fields of clinical pathology.
Following is the list of ASCP certification benefits:
- Get your License to work anywhere nationwide
- ASCP certification industry recognition is a great noise that explains your skills all over the country.
- These certifications offer you higher credibility in your field and brighten your career.
- ASCP certification value in healthcare offers you career opportunities; you can join any related field of pathology.
- Candidates also get career satisfaction and a respectful working environment.
- ASCP membership rewards can reduce candidates’s education expenses.
- Job opportunities with ASCP certification are enough for career advancements
- Through ASCP credentials, you can access the peer’s community across the country.
- The ASCP renewal program is the best step. Because you will remain up-to-date with advanced technologies.
- Through the American Society for Clinical Pathology certification, you will be able to get admission to a global conference and events that are related to your fields.
- With the ASCP certification, the job you find will double your salary.
Career Advancement Through ASCP Certification
The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) presents many career advancement programs.
These programs are enough for professional gain with ASCP certification.
Let’s see what programs the ASCP BOC offered;
Professional Experts Session
Through the ASCP annual meeting, you can get better guidance from experts.
This session covers many topics, including career advancements within the lab, enhancing relevant skills, networking outside of the lab and workforce planning.
In this 30-minute session, the experts and pathologists share their experience and knowledge of laboratory medicine and the pathology field.
Sessions for the Mock Interview
A mock interview copies the format of a real job interview.
Through these mock interviews, the candidates learn the skills of the actual interview.
They understand body language and practice their skills and manners.
By participating in this mock interview, you can perform better in real job interviews.
In this way, you can get the career benefits of ASCP credentials. Looking for MLS ASCP credentials? check this MLS Course?
Education Session
The ASCP Board of Certification also offers education sessions where you can learn about new skills and practice them.
In the education session, you will learn about current research, its issues, and problem-solving techniques related to lab operations.
All these sessions are great opportunities for career advancement through ASCP certification.
Unlocking Job Opportunities with ASCP Certification
According to Tiffany Channer, MLS (ASCP)CM
When I realized all of the opportunities that being a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) provides- the versatility you get with only one degree- I said Sign me up; it is really wonderful career.
ASCP certification impact on employment is unbelievable.
As an ASCP-certified lab professional, you can work as
- Medical lab scientist
- Medical laboratory technician
- Clinical Chemist
- Histotechnologist
- Cytotechnologist
- Pathologists Assistant
- Cytogenetic Technologist
- Phlebotomist
With one degree, you can get a lot of job opportunities.
For instance, being MLS ASCP certified, you can perform as
- Technologist in Microbiology
- Technologist in immunology
- Blood bank technologist
- Molecular biology technologist
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
There is a shortage of medical lab scientists and technicians in many parts of the country.
This leads to more job opportunities for technologists/scientists and technicians, and these job opportunities are expected to grow many times more by 2030.
Professional Recognition and ASCP Certification
One of the most prominent ASCP certification benefit is that it spreads the candidate’s network.
By holding ASCP certification, your demand in the industry increases promptly.
The ASCP Board of Certification offers many opportunities for its candidates to increase their network.
By attending roundtables, expert webinars, and annual conferences, you become a stand-out individual in your field.
The ASCP volunteer network is a big opportunity for pathologists and lab professionals who want to promote their careers.
All these odds recognize the ASCP-certified candidates within and outside the country.
Besides this, ASCP certification makes you a trustworthy person and increases your demand in the industry.
Salaries Enhancement with ASCP Certification
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
Employment opportunities for medical lab professionals, including medical lab scientists (MLS), will increase faster than all other occupations by 2032. This is why the salary growth is higher for this healthcare team.
The 2023 Survey of Medical Laboratory Observers (annual salary survey) showed the average salary of medical lab professionals is $106,938.
The average salary of a medical lab scientist is $68,o49, according to ZipRecruiter reports.
On the MLO survey list, the average salary of a medical lab scientist is $82,269.
Furthermore, the MLO annual survey also explained that pathologists, as medical lab professionals, get huge salaries annually, which is an average of $147,313.
Following is the salary list of the American Society for Clinical Pathology Certification.
- Clinical/medical laboratory technologist: The salary range is $69k-$132k and the average is $97,325.
- Medical lab scientist: the salary range is $49-$82k and the average is $60,857.
- Cytotechnologist: the range is $59k-$102k and the average is $78,778.
- Cytogenetic Technologist: the range is $51k-$87k and the average is $71,451.
Fulfilling Education Requirements for ASCP Certification
For ASCP certification benefits, you have to get it.
To get it, you have to meet the ASCP certification eligibility requirements.
The ASCP Board of Certification determines the eligibility route for each certificate.
The prerequisites may be candidates’ education, training program, or skills/experience in an interested field.
Following are the details about the ASCP certification criteria.
- Relevant subject baccalaureate degree that must be obtained from an approved institution (college/university).
- Relevant subject training programs must be earned within the required timeframe. These programs must be ABHES, CAAHEP, or NAACLS-approved.
- Relevant field clinical experience within the required timeframe from acceptable laboratories.
- For ASCP certification, you need to get some credentials from ASCP. Like, to get a specialist in hematology certification, you have to earn MLS and H ASCP certifications.
- Official transcript
- A letter of authenticity with experience and training documentation.
Continuing Education for ASCP Certification Holders
Continuing education enhances the value of ASCP certification.
The ASCP BOC certification stays active for three years.
After three years, all certifications become inactive, and candidates need to update their ASCP credentials.
To get ASCP certification perks, you have to participate in a continuing education program.
This program renews your credentials for upcoming three years.
The ASCP certification renewal process adds advancements and perfection to the certificate to make it up-to-date according to emerging technologies.
Learning the latest techniques and experiments and knowing about the new tools in the medical lab is necessary for every medical lab professional.
The continuing education program also introduces professionals to the latest techniques, tools, procedures, and lab operations.
Following are some resources that will help you make your ASCP renewal program successful.
- American Medical Technologists (AMT)
- American Society for Hematology (ASH)
- American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
- American Society for Cytopathology (ASC)
- American Society for Clinical Pathology
Testimonial and Success Story
Susan Graham, MLS, MS, SH (ASCP)CM
The ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) is the gold standard of credentialing for laboratory professionals worldwide. With more than 610,000 credentialed individuals since our inception in 1928, the BOC continues to set a high standard for quality and continuing competency.
Karen A. Brown, MS, MLS (ASCP)CM
The ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) affirms that an individual demonstrates the knowledge and skills to perform the essential task in the medical laboratory. My certification and involvement with the BOC have enhanced not only my professional career but also enriched my life in many other ways.
The ASCP Board of Certification established the CMP (Credentials Maintenance Program) for candidates to offer a wide variety of learning opportunities.
This program is enough to make you an expert and add perfection to your skills.
The ASCP renewal enhances candidates’ personal growth with ASCP certification.
Here is a step-by-step guide for the CMP process
- Open your ASCP account
- To see your credential status or end date, open the “My Education” section and explore the “Check Prograss.”
- Add your ASCP and non-ASCP credits
- When you complete all the requirements of CMP, you must submit your declaration for review.
- You must submit your declaration three months before the certificate expires.
- You must have all the certificates (originals) or other documentation for audits.
- You will receive updated certification for three years after completion of the process.
Sum Up for ASCP Certification Benefits
ASCP certification benefits are countless.
Whether you want to gain industry recognition or a top position among peers, it meets all your preferences.
Besides this, the board offers so many resources, including membership, annual meetings, credential maintenance programs, and much more, that benefit you in many ways.
If you want to brighten up your professional and financial lives, the ASCP certification is just for you.
Frequently Asked Questions for ASCP Certification Benefits
What are the advantages of holding ASCP certification?
Through ASCP credentials, you gain career satisfaction, job opportunities, higher salaries, a peaceful environment, and a top seat among colleagues.
What are the job opportunities for ASCP medical lab scientists?
MLS ASCP can work as an immunology technologist, microbiology technologist, molecular technologist, etc.
What are the benefits of the ASCP continuing education program?
This program enhances candidate knowledge and experience with the latest technologies.
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.