Home | Why earn a degree in CLS/MT? | Academics | General Program Description | Certificate Program | Advising | Faculty | Labs & Research | Career Development | Scholarships & Financial Aid | MTSA | Alumni | Newsletters | Contact Us | Special Announcements | MSU Homepage | Bulletin Boards

Specialized and advanced professional credentials

The clinical laboratory profession recognizes specialized knowledge with categorical and advanced professional credentials. These are analogous to the generalist certification at the baccalaureate level [e.g. CLS(NCA) or MT(ASCP)], but focus on one discipline in the clinical laboratory such as hematology or clinical chemistry.

Most certifying bodies provide categorical credentials for baccalaureate graduates. This categorical certification is equivalent in level to the portion of the generalist certification in that discipline. For example, the categorical certification examination in microbiology is equivalent to the microbiology portion of the generalist examination. Individuals with categorical certificates would compete for jobs with baccalaureate individuals certified as generalists, but would be expected to work only in the discipline in which they are certified.

In addition, certifying agencies may recognize advanced expertise with advanced professional credentials. These typically require additional education (master's or doctoral degree) and/or extended work experience. Therefore, advanced credentials are earned after the baccalaureate program. Earning an advanced credential may facilitate job advancement.

The certification organizations that offer specialized credentials are listed here with the credentials they offer. Contact the organizations directly for more information on qualifications and examination details.

National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel (NCA)

Categorical credentials are offered in:

• Microbiology
• Clinical chemistry and urinalysis
• Hematology and hemostasis
• Immunology
• Immunohematology

Advanced credentials include:

• Laboratory Director
  
• Laboratory Supervisor
• Molecular Biology

Link to the NCA website at http://www.nca-info.org

Board of Registry of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP)

Categorical credentials include:

• Hematology
• Chemistry
• Microbiology
• Blood Bank
• Immunology
• Hemapheresis practitioner
  

Advanced credentials include:

• Laboratory management
• Blood bank
• Microbiology
  
• Chemistry
• Hematology
• Immunology
• Laboratory safety
• Virology

Link to the ASCP website at: http://www.ascp.org/bor/index.asp

National Registry of Certified Chemists (NRCC)

Categorical credentials include:

• Chemical Hygiene Officer
  
• Clinical Chemist
• Clinical Chemistry Technologist
• Environmental Analytical Chemist
  
• Environmental Analytical Technician
  
• Toxicological Chemist

Link to the NRCC at: http://members.aol.com/nrcc6/nrcc.htm

American Board of Clinical Chemistry (ABCC)

Advanced credentials include:

• Clinical chemistry
• Toxicology
• Molecular diagnostics

Link to the ABCC at: http://www.aacc.org/abcc/

American College of Microbiology/American Society of Microbiology

Categorical credentials include:

• Registered microbiologist
  

Advanced credentials include:

• Specialist microbiology
• Medical and Public Health Microbiology
• Medical and Public Health Mycology
• Medical and Public Health Parasitology
• Medical and Public Health Virology
• Medical laboratory immunoloy

Link to ACM at: http://www.asm.org/acasrc/college.htm

American Asssociation of Bioanalysts (AAB)

Categorical credentials include:

• Andrology
• Chemistry
  
• Embryology
• Hematology
• Immunology
• Immunohematology
• Microbiology

Link to AAB at : http://www.aab.org

Clinical Ligand Assay Society (CLAS)

Categorical credentials include:

• Radioimmunoassay
• Ligand assay

Link to CLAS at: http://www.clas.org

[back to top of page]
[back to career development page or benefits of certification page]

Home | Why earn a degree in CLS/MT? | Academics | General Program Description | Certificate Program-Molecular Laboratory Diagnostics | Advising | Faculty | Labs & Research | Career Development | Scholarships & Financial Aid | MTSA | Alumni | Newsletters | Contact Us | Special Announcements | MSU Homepage | Bulletin Boards