SC ASCP Specialist in Chemistry: Certification Routes, Study Material, Guide, Exam Questions and Prep Course!

If you want to stand out from other chemistry specialists, SC ASCP certification is the only solution that offers you the ultimate power to become elite in your specialist's chemistry career.

With the ASCP specialist certification in chemistry , you become a highly qualified, well-experienced, and highly honorable member among your colleagues. BOC ASCP certificate offers you better chances of performing the job in your favorite worldwide hospital with higher salaries and career satisfaction which could be a dream of every medical specialist.

But how will it be possible to pass the ASCP test to get a chemistry specialist ASCP certificate? In this article, we will tell you all about this certificate, including the specialist in chemistry ASCP eligibility requirements, exam content area, best study material for ASCP certification preparation, and effective strategies on how you can pass this test in one sitting.

What is SC (ASCP)?

ASCP BOC offers SC (ASCP) credentials for specialist in chemistry by monitoring their knowledge and skill in relevant subjects.

To pass this test you must have strong knowledge of general chemistry, proteins & enzymes, acid-base, blood gases & electrolytes, special chemistry, and lab operations.

SC (Specialists in Chemistry) performs analysis on body fluids and blood to determine the quantity and presence of hormonal and chemical contents in the testing sample to help in the diagnosis & treatment of disease. 

Specialists have advanced abilities, skills, and knowledge to analyze the specimen. Furthermore, they also serve as advisers, educators, and leaders within their specialty area.

SC (ASCP) Vs. SC (ASCPi)

ASCP BOC issues many specialist credentials, including ASCP chemistry specialists, for both US and international candidates. The syllabus content area and reading list are the same for both but eligibility requirements are different.

However, the credential name is changed due to their residency. Hence, SC (ASCP) for U.S. candidates and SC (ASCPi) for international candidates.

Eligibility Requirement for SC ASCP

To qualify for the exam, both U.S and international candidates have to meet the BOC-recommended eligibility requirements. BOC offers these eligibility requirements in the form of routes that can be candidates' experience, training, and education.

U.S. candidates

BOC offers 6 routes with teaching or laboratory experience for U.S. candidates. Applicants must meet the requirements of lab or teaching experience with one route to qualify for the exam.

• Route 1: Valid C(ASCP) or MLS(ASCP) certification.  A baccalaureate degree from an approved institution.  Three years of clinical experience in chemistry (after a post-baccalaureate degree) within last 6 years from an approved lab.

• Route 2: Master’s degree in chemistry, medical laboratory science, microbiology, allied health, or a related field from an accredited institution. Three years of clinical experience in chemistry (after a post-baccalaureate degree) within the last 6 years from an approved lab.

• Route 3: Doctorate in chemistry, medical laboratory science, allied health, or a related field from an accredited institution. Full-time two years of clinical experience in chemistry (after a baccalaureate degree). Within the last five years, clinical chemistry, two years of post-doctoral fellowship in the U.S. or Canada.

• Route 4: Valid C(ASCP) or MLS(ASCP) certification. Doctorate in chemistry, medical laboratory science, allied health, or a related field from an accredited institution. Within the last five years, full-time one year of research experience in chemistry in the Canada or U.S. Or within the last five years, full-time one year of chemistry clinical experience from an acceptable lab.

• Route 5: Valid C(ASCP) or MLS(ASCP) certification. Baccalaureate degree from an approved institution. Within the last six years, acceptable lab experience from an approved institution. Or full-time three years of academic educator in clinical chemistry experience from an approved institution (after a baccalaureate degree).

• Route 6: Valid C(ASCP) or MLS(ASCP) certification.  Doctorate in chemistry, microbiology, immunology, allied health, or a related field from an accredited institution. Within the last five years, one year of academic educator in clinical chemistry’s experience (after a baccalaureate degree).

International Candidates

ASCP BOC offers six routes with lab and teaching experience for international candidates.

• Route 1: Valid C (ASCP or ASCPi) or MLS (ASCP or ASCPi) certification. Baccalaureate degree from an approved institution and acceptable three years of clinical experience in chemistry (after a baccalaureate degree).

• Route 2: Master’s degree in chemistry, medical laboratory science, microbiology, biology, allied health, or a related field from an accredited institution.  Three years of acceptable and full-time clinical experience in chemistry (after a post-baccalaureate degree) from an approved lab.

• Route 3: Doctorate in chemistry, medical laboratory science, microbiology, biology, immunology, allied health, or a related field from an accredited institution. Two years of acceptable and full-time clinical experience in chemistry (after a post-baccalaureate degree) from an approved lab.

• Route 4: Valid C (ASCP or ASCPi) or MLS (ASCP or ASCPi) certification. Doctorate in chemistry, medical laboratory science, microbiology, biology, immunology, allied health, or a related field from an accredited institution.  One year of acceptable and full-time clinical experience in chemistry from an approved lab. Or one year of research experience in chemistry (must be obtained after a post-baccalaureate degree). 

• Route 5: Valid C (ASCP or ASCPi) or MLS (ASCP or ASCPi) certification and baccalaureate degree from an approved institution. Full-time three years of academic educator in clinical chemistry acceptable experience from an approved institution or approved lab. These 3 years of experience must be obtained after a baccalaureate degree.

• Route 6: Valid C (ASCP or ASCPi) or MLS (ASCP or ASCPi) certification. Doctorate in chemistry, medical laboratory science, microbiology, biology, immunology, allied health, or a related field from an accredited institution.  One year of academic educator in clinical chemistry acceptable experience from an approved college or university or approved lab.

Lab or Teaching Experience for U.S. and International Candidates

Candidates must have teaching or lab experience to fulfill eligibility requirements for SC (ASCP & ASCPi) within required time frame. BOC recommends 15 procedures, getting lab or teaching experience in 8 is vital.

These procedures are carbohydrates, blood gases, electrolytes, chromatography, enzymes, electrophoresis, vitamins/hormones, heme compounds, toxicology, therapeutic drug monitoring, proteins, point-of-care, non-protein nitrogen compounds, lipoproteins/lipids, and immunochemistry.

Getting lab or teaching experience is also necessary in the given below 2, to fulfill experience requirements for international ASCP.

• Method verification
• validation/test development
• Supervisory experience
• Regulatory compliance
• Quality control program management
• Selection of laboratory equipment

SC ASCP Exam for Specialist in Chemistry

The ASCP certificate adds advancement in your chemistry specialist career. So, you must know the basic information as the exam fee, content area, and format to pass exam.

This exam consists of 100 questions (MCQs) that BOC chooses from its relevant content area. You have to finish all in the given time frame (2 hours and 30 minutes). Computer adaptive testing is the format of the exam.

You will get your result (pass or fail) after finishing the test.  A pass score report will be sent via email within four business days. The total score for the exam is 999, and 400 is vital to achieving a chemistry specialist ASCP certificate.

SC ASCP Specialist Exam Content

This exam comprises five content areas that cover different percentages of exam questions. Exam Content and its percentage:

• General Chemistry: 15% – 25%
• Special Chemistry: 15% – 20%
• Lab Operations: : 20% – 25%
• Blood Gases, Acid-Base and Electrolytes: 15% – 25%
• Proteins & Enzymes: 15% – 25%.

Chemistry Specialist (ASCP) Study Guide

BOC offers 9 online associations, 8 textbooks, and 4 journals for exam preparation.

Online Association

• American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC)
• AACC (formerly NACB) Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines (LMPGs)
• AACC Clinical Chemistry Trainee Council (CCTC)
• Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI)
• Clinical Laboratory Management Association (CLMA)
• College of American Pathologists (CAP)
• Medical Training Solutions (MTS)
• The Joint Commission (TJC)
• Westgard QC

Textbooks

• Contemporary Practice in Clinical Chemistry
• Clinical Chemistry: Principles, Techniques, and Correlations
• Laboratory Safety: A Self-Assessment Workbook
• Tietz Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics
• Tietz Textbook of Laboratory Medicine
• Clinical Laboratory Management (ASM Books)
• Laboratory Management, Principles and Processes, Fourth Edition
• Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods

Journals

• Clinical Laboratory Science. Published by American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science.
• Clinical Chemistry. Published by Oxford University Press.
• Laboratory Medicine. Published by Oxford University Press.
• Medical Laboratory Observer. Published by Endeavor Business Media, LLC

SC (ASCP) Specialist Test Practice

To do every task, practice plays an important role in making you an expert. Without practice, you do not have the confidence to do the task properly. That is why MLSIA offers test practice questions for specialists in chemistry ASCP tests.

These practice questions are chosen from the BOC-recommended exam content area and closely match the final BOC ASCP test. By using MLSIA test practice questions, you can know your weaknesses in exam subjects and excel in these weak points.

MLSIA offers hundreds of practice questions for preparation so that you may sit in the exam confidently and stand with a good score.

Study Material for SC (ASCP) Specialist in Chemistry

No doubt, BOC leaves no utterance to offer detailed information for the ASCP SC exam. But when it comes to learning material, BOC study material is out of reach due to its huge syllabus. Its large syllabus confuses candidates, and they cannot pick the important parts for the exam.

MLSIACADEMY offers conclusive and comprehensive study material for SC ASCP preparation. MLSIA study material covers necessary syllabus in an easy-to-understand way and helps you to prepare yourself for exam.

SC ASCP Exam Prep for Specialists in Chemistry

To pass the SC (ASCP) test, it is not enough that you only rely on the BOC-recommended syllabus. Because the BOC-recommended syllabus for exam preparation is like an ocean that will never be covered, instead of your struggle.

Consequently, you have to depend on any alternative prep course that meets all your exam requirements. When comes to choosing a prep course for the chemistry specialist ASCP exam. We cannot complete our discussion without describing the features of the MLSIA prep course.

With years of experience in ASCP certification, MLSIA designed a prep course for the chemistry specialist with experts’ collaboration. Here, what you get from the MLSIA SC prep course:

• Unified study material (All-in-one solution for chemistry specialist ASCP)
• Flexible online live classes
• Hundreds of practice questions with answers
• Exclusive bonus after subscription

How to Become SC ASCP Specialist in Chemistry

To reach the highest level of success with a specialist in chemistry ASCP, you have to do a lot of struggles to make it possible. But if you apply the following tips to your study strategies you can pass ASCP easily.

Pick the Best Study Material

Your success in the exam fully depends on your learning material. Hence, you must trust those who offer you the best, like MLISA study material.

Use Practice Questions

If you study with practice questions, you are doing something better. Practice questions give you an idea of the final exam questions. Hence, practice questions increase your chances of passing the exam.

Revise Your Learning Concept

In your study schedule, you must fix the time for revision. Because revision is the best strategy that tells you exactly what you learn.

Focus on Your Weak Point

For the specialist in chemistry ASCP exam, every single subject with main topics and subtopics can be important. Because the ASCP exam comprises MCQs. Therefore, you do not have any option to skip any part by considering that it is unessential or tough.

Get Advice from Seniors

You must get advice from seniors before taking an exam. Seniors have experience, and they offer you some valuable pieces of information about the exam.

Frequently Asked Questions for SC (ASCP)