ASCP MLS Routes Requirements: Necessary to Meet
Do you have a dream of achieving the ASCP MLS (medical lab scientist) certificate? It is necessary to know the ASCP MLS routes and requirements to apply for it.
The ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) presents more than 20 certificates to the entire team of medical lab including technologists, scientists, technicians, specialists, and pathologists.
For all these certificates, the board determines the many eligibility routes to examine the candidates' past experience related to their field.
The MLS ASCP is the most powerful certificate among all other ASCP certifications, and it is also a goal of many medical lab scientists.
If you are one of those who want to earn the ASCP medical lab science certificate, you must know about the ASCP MLS routes and requirements.
ASCP MLS Routes with Qualifying Requirements
The ASCP BOC conducts its exam all over the world for U.S. and international candidates and determines the different eligibility routes for both: meeting one route requirement is vital to applying for a certificate.
Following are the explanations for ASCP MLS routes and requirements
ASCP Routes for U.S. Applicants
The applicants must be able to meet one route requirement from the following:
Route 1
- Baccalaureate degree in the relevant field from an approved institution.
- Completed NAACLS-approved MLS (Medical Laboratory Scientist program) within the last five years.
Route 2
- ASCP MLT (Medical Laboratory Technician) certification
- Baccalaureate degree from an approved college/university with the combination of 16 semester hours in biology (one semester in microbiology) and 16 semester hours in chemistry (biochemistry one semester hours).
- Within the last five years, full time two years of clinical experience in immunology, microbiology, hematology, chemistry, blood banking, and urinalysis/body fluids from an approved lab
Route 3
- The route 3 requirements (valid CLA ASCP certification) have been discontinued from January 1, 2023.
Route 4
- Baccalaureate degree from an accepted institution with 16 semester hours or 4 quarter hours chemistry with one semester in biochemistry or organics and 16 16 semester hours or 24 quarter hours in biology with one semester in microbiology
- Five years of hematology, blood banking, immunology, urinalysis/body fluids, and chemistry clinical experience in an acceptable lab within the last 10 years.
Route 5
- International medical laboratory scientist (MLS ASCPi) credential.
- Transcript evaluation for equivalency to a United States (U.S.) baccalaureate degree from an approved college or university.
- Within the last ten years, five years of clinical experience in immunology, hematology, blood banking, urinalysis/body fluids, microbiology, and chemistry.
Route 6
- Within the last ten years, a 50-week medical laboratory training course offered by the U.S. military
- Baccalaureate degree accredited college/university with 24 quarter hours (16 semester hours) in biology with one semester in microbiology and 24 quarter hours (16 semester hours) in chemistry, which may be earned in addition to or within a baccalaureate degree.
- One year of clinical experience in urinalysis/body fluids, microbiology, chemistry, blood banking, hematology, and immunology from an acceptable lab within the last ten years.
ASCP Routes for International Applicants
Following are the international ASCP MLS routes and requirements:
Route 1
- Baccalaureate degree in Medical Laboratory Science, Chemistry, or Biological Science from an approved educational institution.
- Medical Lab Science training program in hematology, microbiology, immunohematology ( blood banking), and chemistry.
Route 2
- Clinical experience (three years) for an approved lab, this experience must be in microbiology, hematology, chemistry, and blood banking.
- Baccalaureate degree in Medical Laboratory Science from an accredited educational institution.
Route 3
- Medical Laboratory Science program (two years) for approved lab, this experience must be in microbiology, hematology, chemistry, and blood banking.
- Baccalaureate degree from an approved educational institution.
Route 4
- Chemistry or biological science baccalaureate degree from an approved institution.
- Five years of clinical experience in an accredited lab. This experience must be in hematology, microbiology, blood banking, and chemistry.
Route 5
- Clinical experience of five years in microbiology, immunohematology, blood banking, and chemistry.
- Baccalaureate degree from an accredited educational institution
- A two-year diploma in biological science or chemistry from an approved educational institution
Some Common Documents for U.S. and International Candidates
With the ASCP MLS routes and requirements, you have to submit some common documents to apply for the exam.
These documents are
- Official transcript(s) verifying the education in the U.S. or Canada
- An acceptable foreign transcript evaluation for education outside of the U.S. and Canada
- Experience documentation form and training documentation form with a letter of authenticity
- Military training official certificate or Notarized (only for U.S. candidates)
How to Submit All Documents to apply for the MLS ASCP?
After meeting all the MLS routes and requirements, you can apply for the exam by ASCP.
You must submit documents in:
- You must submit all the documents in PDFs; pictures or screenshot are not acceptable.
- The file should not be longer than 10 MB
- Handwritten original signatures are only acceptable; no electronic signatures
Eligibility Requirements for MLS ASCP Recertification
Have you earned your MLS ASCP certificate?
To participate in the ASCP certification renewal process, you have to earn CMP points in different categories.
Whether you are a U.S. medical lab scientist or international, you have to meet the same requirement (36 CMP points) to renew your MLS ASCP certificate.
You have to earn these points during the three years, before certification expiration date.
MLS ASCP CMP Points and Their Distribution:
- Blooding banking, hematology, chemistry, and microbiology: 2 points in each (4×2 = 8).
- Patient safety or lab (quality assurance, quality control, etc.,): 1 point
- Medical ethics (DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion), compliance, sexual harassment, confidentiality, HIPAA, IRB, etc.): 1 point
- Lab specialty, molecular diagnostics, education, management, etc: 26 points
FAQs for ASCP MLS Routes and Requirements
What are the ASCP MLS routes and requirements?
The ASCP Board of Certification determines the 6 eligibility routes for U.S. candidates and five for international candidates. Satisfying the one-route requirement is essential to applying for the exam. You can apply five times by using one route requirement.
What is the difference between MLS ASCP and MLS ASCPi?
Both are ASCP certificates, but MLS ASCP is for U.S. candidates and MLS ASCPi is for international candidates.
Does the ASCP BOC determine the same eligibility routes for MLS ASCP/ASCPi?
No, the MLS ASCP eligibility routes and requirements are different for MLS ASCP and MLS ASCPi.
Resources: ASCP BOC.
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.
