ASCP MLS Route 4: What You Need to Meet It

The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) determines some eligibility routes, like the ASCP MLS Route 4 to choose candidates who verify previous experience in their medical lab science field.

These routes, including the ASCP MLS Route 4, are related to candidates’ educations, training programs, and clinical experience.

The purpose of the ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) specifying these route requirements is to elect only qualified and well-experienced professionals to perform lab work.

Therefore, only the professionals who meet the minimum requirements (higher, degree, or state degree) at least one route out of 6 for U.S. and 5 for international candidates are eligible for the MLS ASCP certification examination.

Although the board determines the many routes: here we will only explore the ASCP MLS Route 4 requirements.

A Detailed Overview of ASCP MLS Route 4

Both U.S. and international candidates can participate in the ASCP BOC certification examination, so the board determines the separate eligibility routes for them.

Following is detailed information about the U.S. and international ASCP MLS route 4:

ASCP MLS Route 4 for U.S. Candidates

• A baccalaureate degree with 16 semester hrs in biology and chemistry and one semester hrs in microbiology and biochemistry, or organic, respectively, which may be obtained within or in addition to a bachelor’s degree.
• Clinical experience in urinalysis & body fluids, microbiology, immunology, hematology, chemistry, and blood banking from an approved laboratory: this experience must be of five years.

Special Note

• MLS (Medical Laboratory Scientist ) Program by NAACLS or MLT (Medical Lab Technician) program by ABHES or NAACLS or foreign medical lab science clinical training program (within the last five years) can be used in place of one year of clinical experience.
• The acceptable labs for clinical experience are accreditation under ISO 15189, JCI accreditation, DoD CLIP certificate of registration, accreditation, compliance, or CMS CLIP certificate of registration, accreditation, and compliance.

As a U.S. professional, you must have the following documents before applying:

• Official transcript for verification of educational degrees (high school graduation or equivalent or college or university degree conferred or credits)
• Transcript evaluation (foreign) for education outside of the U.S. or Canada
• Experience documentation form and training documentation form with a letter of authenticity.
• Military training official certificate or Notarized

Other Routes for U.S. Candidates

Try to compare your documentation with the following routes if you do not verify the ASCP MLS Route 4 requirements:

• ASCP MLS Route 1
• ASCP MLS Route 2
• ASCP MLS Route 3
• ASCP MLS Route 5
• ASCP MLS Route 6

ASCP MLS Route 4 for International Candidates

The following are the ASCP MLS route 4 requirements for international candidates:

• Baccalaureate degree in chemistry or biological science, which may be obtained from an approved educational institution.
• Clinical experience of five years in hematology, chemistry, blood banking, and microbiology, which must be obtained from an approved laboratory.

Special Note

• You must get educational degrees from an institution that must be accredited by the Ministry or governing regulatory association.
• If your country does not have any prevalent system, make sure to get from the institution that must be approved by an International Advisory Board appointed by the Board of Certification, or your transcript evaluation can be used to determine eligibility.
• Your degree must be equivalent to a U.S. degree.
• The laboratory that you chose for clinical experience must be approved by the JCI, ISO 15189, or CAP or authorized by the Ministry or governing regulatory association.

You have to meet the following requirements with ASCP MLS Route 4;

• Academic transcript
• Foreign transcript evaluation (acceptable)
• Trains documentation form and experience documentation form with Letter of Authenticity.
• Graduation certificate

Other Routes for International Candidates

If your experience, education degree, and clinical experience do not match the ASCP MLS route 4, you can check your eligibility from the following routes:

• ASCPi MLS Route 1
• ASCPi MLS Route 2
• ASCPi MLS Route 3
• ASCPi MLS Route 5

Best Way to Submit the Documentation for Application

• Your application cannot be accepted until you submit or upload all the documentation in an appropriate format.
• Make sure to upload all the documents in PDF format; pictures, etc are not accepted
• The submitted file may not be larger than 10 MB
• Only handwritten and original signatures are acceptable.

FAQs for ASCP MLS Route 4

Resources: ASCP BOC.