MLS vs MLT ASCP: Crucial Information You Need to Get Inform
Do you want to get the ASCP certification and are finding which one is best MLS vs MLT ASCP?
The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) presents many certificates (more than 20) to lab personnel based on their education and experience.
However, the ASCP MLS (Medical Laboratory Scientist) and ASCP MLT (Medical Laboratory Technician) are two main certificates.
What is the difference between MLS vs MLT ASCP, you will find all the basics on this page.
MLS vs MLT ASCP: What You Need To Know
The ASCP MLS and ASCP MLT are the certificates that are designed for the lab career.
MLS (ASCP) goes to medical lab scientists and MLT ASCP is designed for the medical lab technician.
There are major differences between MLS vs MLT ASCP.
To get the ASCP MLT credential, you have to complete a two-year degree program while to earn the ASCP MLS license, you have to get the four years of bachelor’s degree.
Side-by-Side Comparison MLS vs MLT ASCP
| MLS (Medical Lab Scientist) | MLT (Medical Lab Technician) | |
| Job Responsibilities | Work as the supervisor to lead other Do experiment on biological specimens and identify the results Inform the researchers and physicians about the lab resultsMaster of doing all easy-to-complicated tests | Analyze body fluids (urine, blood, etc) from patientsResponsible for lab equipment calibration and sterilization.Make medical history files of patients by entering all information |
| Expected Job Growth | According to BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), there is a 17% to grow job growth for the MLS from 2021 to 2o32 | From 2021 to 2031, 7 percent chance to grow the job market for medical lab technicians. |
| Salary | According to the ASCP BOC report the main mean annual wage for the MLS is $63,728.26 and the mean hourly wage is $33.13. | According to ASCP BOC, the mean annual salary for MLT is $50, 723.24 and the mean hourly wage is $25.00. |
| Certificate Expiration Date | Only valid for three years (need to update after three years) | It is also workable for 3 years then need to revive |
| CMP (Credential Maintenance Program) points | 36 | 36 |
| Program Details | To get the MLS certificate from ASCP, you must be a master in seven subjects: hematology, microbiology, blood banking, immunology, laboratory operation, urinalysis/other body fluids, and chemistry | For MLS (ASCP), you also be experts in microbiology, hematology, urinalysis and other body fluids, lab operation, immunology, chemistry, and blood banking. |
| Certification requirements | Bachelor’s degree, clinical experience, and training program from an approved institution and lab | Baccalaureate degree, clinical experience, and training program from an accredited institution |
| Certificate Category | Goes for U.S. (MLS ASCP) and international (MLS ASCPi) candidates | Also for U.S. (MLT ASCP) and for international (MLT ASCPi) candidates. |
FAQs for the MLS vs MLT ASCP
What is the difference between MLS vs MLT ASCP?
The MLS ASCP is the certificate for medical lab scientists and MLT ASCP is for medical lab technicians.
What academic education do I need to complete to earn the MLS vs MLT ASCP certificate?
To earn the ASCP MLS, you need to get a 4-year bachelor’s degree and for MLT (ASCP) you have to earn a two-year bachelor's degree in a relevant subject.
Which license is more powerful MLS vs MLT ASCP?
The MLS ASCP certificate is more potent than MLT because by getting this certificate you become the supervisor and need to do more complicated tasks than medical lab technicians.
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.
