MLS (ASCP/ASCPi) Exam Routes, Content Guidelines, Study Guide, Questions and Preparation
Are you prepared to start your path to certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist? For your convenience and confidence, we've put up a thorough reference to the MLS ASCP Exam.
We can help you with anything from comprehending the exam specifications and eligibility pathways. It will help you better navigate the application procedure, fee structure, and exam topics.
Our mission is to give you clear, comprehensive material that will enable you to study for and ace the MLS ASCP examination successfully. Let's get started and open the doors to your career success!
What is MLS ASCP Exam?
MLS ASCP exam is the testing stage for ASCP certification to become a certified medical laboratory scientist by the ASCP as MLS ASCP or international MLS ASCPi.
The is the most prestigious certification for Medical Laboratory Scientists is the offered by American Society for Clinical Pathology.
ASCP is the largest professional membership organization in the world for pathologists and laboratory personnel is.
The ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) is moreover largely considered as the gold standard in the profession for certifying medical laboratory specialists.
Completing this exam proves that you have the abilities and knowledge required in a medical laboratory.
MLS EXAM Requirement (ASCP/ASCPi)
Such requirements are the prerequisites determined by the BOC to qualify for either MLS ASCP or the international certification (MLS ASCPi).
These requirements include the educational degree, experience, and even any other valid BOC certificate as well as a post-graduate degree.
The requirements for the MLS testing by BOC change depending on the person's path of choice.
According to ASCP, there are five distinct eligibility paths called routes, each route has a unique combination of education, training, and work experience.
MLS Routes for ASCP/ ASCPi Exam
ASCP examination routes are the prerequisites determined by the board of certification added in combinations so different MLS can qualify through different prerequisites for the ASCP or ASCPi exam.
Because candidates for such certification have a variety of academic and professional backgrounds, the ASCP examination offers several approaches, or routes, to qualifying.
To satisfy the strict requirements of the BOC, each route integrates various components of education, training, and clinical practice.
Table summarizing the routes pf MLS exam are detailed below:
|
Requirements | MLS ASCP | MLS ASCPi |
| Route 1 |
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| Route 2 |
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Route 3 | has been discontinued As of January 1, 2023 |
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Route 4 |
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Route 5 |
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Route6 |
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Exam Eligibility for MLS ASCP/ ASCPi
MLS Eligibility is a check for the qualifying requirements specified by the ASCP BOC to determine whether you are eligible for the exam or not.
This may include how many hours you have studied in each content area of the MLS curriculum as well as the expertise whether is lab or teaching experience.
The particular route the candidate chooses will determine whether or not they are eligible to take the Exam.
Application for MLS ASCP/ ASCPi Exam
MLS exam application is the process of introducing yourself and asking the BOC to approve you for the MLS exam.
This include providing them with the prerequisites they have determined such as degree and expertise as well as the application fees.
The BOC website has an online application form to be filled out to apply for the ASCP/ASCPi exam.
You must fill in the following requirements to fulfill the application form:
- Detailed information about your school background,
- professional training,
- job experience
- Proof of your degree, training, and experience is also required.
Once approved that they are qualified to take the test, candidates can schedule an appointment.
Cost for Medical Lab Scientist ASCP Exam
It is the amount of money you are going to pay in order to sit for the exam. This may be about $240 but it’s $95 for some countries as in the case of developed ones.
Understanding the actual prices and what they cover is necessary to navigate the MLS ASCP examination cost. One application fee covers both the certification and examination costs.
The application fee for the MLS exam is $240 for candidates living in the United States, according to the BOC website.
This price ensures you make one payment because it covers both the application and examination fees.
It's important to remember that these payments are neither transferrable nor refundable. This means that if you cannot take the exam for whatever reason, you will not be able to.
Syllabus Breakdown For MLS/ MLSi Exam
The exam includes five topics as its main subject areas. These include:
- Blood banking
- Microbiology
- Chemistry
- Hematology
- Immunology
- Laboratory Operation
Knowing this breakdown makes it easier to tailor your study strategy, concentrating on the areas requiring more attention and strengthening the areas where you are already strong.
MLS ASCP/ ASCPi Examination Content Guidelines (Curriculum)
MLS ASCP Content Guidelines is the subject areas determined by ASCP BOC for the candidate who is going to sit for ASCP/ASCPi MLS exam. We are quoting the five exam areas from BOC:
Blood Banking
Blood products, blood group systems, blood group immunology, physiology and pathophysiology, serologic and molecular testing, transfusion practice
Urinalysis and other Body Fluids
Physical and chemical testing, microscopic analysis, physiology, disease states.
Chemistry
Carbohydrates, lipids, heme derivatives, enzymes, proteins and other nitrogen-containing compounds, acid-base determinations (including blood gases), electrolytes, endocrinology, vitamins and nutrition, therapeutic drug monitoring, toxicology.
Hemotology
Physiology, disease states, laboratory testing, hemostasis (including physiology, disease states, and laboratory determinations).
Immunology
Principles of immunology, diseases of the immune system, transplantation, infectious disease serology, serologic procedures, test results.
Microbiology
Preanalytic procedures; analytic procedures for bacteriology; analytic procedures for mycobacteriology, virology, parasitology, and mycology; postanalytic procedures.
Laboratory Operations
Quality assessment/troubleshooting, safety, laboratory mathematics, manual/automated methodology and instrumentation, basic management principles, education principles.
How Many MLS ASCP Exam Questions?
The 100 MCQ of ASCP/ ASCPi exam test your knowledge of and ability to solve problems in areas critical to a medical laboratory scientist's job.
The distribution of questions between the different subject areas is as follow:
- Blood Banking: 17-22%
- Chemistry: 17-22%
- Hemotology: 17-22%
- Immunology: 5-10%
- Microbiology: 17-22%
- Urinalysis and other Body Fluids: 5-10%
- Laboratory Operations: 5-10%
How Hard is MLS ASCP Exam Questions?
The major difficulty of MLS ASCP exam is the big syllabus, where you are going to be tested in all subjects of clinical pathology.
By contrary to technologist and specialist who are going to take exam in one subject only plus lab operation,
You are going to be tested in all subject areas including blood bank, microbiology, chemistry, hematology, urine and body fluid and lab operation.
Another aspect of ASCP exam difficulty particularly MLS, it’s that exam measures your scientific knowledge of your practical experience.
This requires a very comprehensive MLS ASCP study material instead of the large list of recommended reading resource mentioned in the BOC that may reach over 50 source.
With an all-in-one inclusive study source, you can consolidate your scientific knowledge of your practical experience.
How To Pass the MLS ASCP Exam?
The 4×4 MLS ASCP Preparation Course by MLSi ACADEMY is the short answer to pass the ASCP/ ASCPi exam.
But here is a step-by-step.
How <strong>To Pass the MLS ASCP Exam</strong>
Total Time: 1 minute
Understand the Exam
The MLS exam consists of 100 MCQs covering Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology, and laboratory operation.
Find the best study material
at our ACADEMY with the 4×4 MLS ASCP Prep Package you will get the all-in-one inclusive unified study material that covers all the BOC recommended reading list
Study with Pen and Paper
Reading is like sprinkling but writing is like graining so use a pen and paper to rewrite what you read from the study source!
Train Yourself on MLS ASCP Exam Questions
without training on questions, you couldn’t process any questions at your real exam. With our preparatory course package, you then have the best Q&A.
MLS ASCP Exam Flashcards
Flashcards are study tools with key phrases and ideas for the certification exam.
For the purpose of preparing for exams, they allow speedy revision and efficient memory recall.
Flashcards can be an extremely useful tool for MLS exam preparation. They support recalling significant facts, understanding difficult concepts, and revising material promptly and effectively.
MLS ASCP Exam Study Guide
The MLS exam study guide is a comprehensive PDF created by the ASCP BOC to guide applicant on what they should study for the ASCP/ ASCPi. this PDF study guide bearks only the subjetc areas of your exam.
But, If you are looking for a comprehensive study material to ace you ML exam, check the 4×4 MLS ASCP Prep Course Package.
MLS ASCP Exam Prep
Successful exam preparation is methodical study utilizing multiple tools, including study materials, guides, flashcards, and practice exam questions, for the BOC certification.
Having an all-in-one inclusive package for ASCP MLS prep is the hidden secret to pass the exam form the first sitting with the minimum effort in the shortest time.
An ideal preparation course for ASCP exam should include live online classes, one unified study source and Q&A.
MLS ASCP/ ASCPi Exam Material for Study
The ideal ASCP MLS exam material is all in one inclusive study material that covers every single subject in the BOC study guide instead of about fifty (50) study source recommended in the BOC reading list.
The BOC reading list is a large list of text books journal and online resources it includes:
- 3 Journals
- 29 Text books
- 17 Online resources
Practice Tests for MLS/ MLSi Exam
Exam practice tests are mock tests created to help students get ready for the ASCP exam.
These assessments serve to acquaint students with the exam's format and content while also enhancing their test-taking abilities.
Such type of practice exam questions should cover all areas of the syllabus and mimic the real exam question.
MLS Pass Score for ASCP Exam
Pass score is the minimum acceptable score for the ASCP/ ASCPi exam.
On a scale from 0 to 999, 400 is the minimum score required to pass the MLS ASCP examination.
Both the number of correct answers and the difficulty level of the exam version are considered during scoring.
Pass Rate MLS Examination
The proportion of applicants who pass the BOC certification exam out of all those who take it is referred to as the test Pass Rate.
MLS ASCP pass rate is 69%. Out of 5667 tested only 3984 passed in 2022 per BOC states. The American Society for Clinical Pathology initiated MLS exam in 1931.
Exam Recall Questions
Recall Questions are those that previous test takers recall and discuss after passing the BOC certification exam for medical laboratory scientists.
Due to potential changes and updates in the exam, these questions might give a general understanding of the format and subject matter of the test, but they shouldn't be used primarily for test preparation.
Recall questions are against ASCP BOC and any person proved to disclose any ASCP exam question will be law suited!
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.