AMT’s Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) exam is approved by the California Department of Public Health, Laboratory Field Services (LFS) to fulfill the California examination requirements for licensure in the category of Clinical Laboratory Scientist.
Keep your AMT certification active by staying in compliance with the Certification Continuation Program (CCP). Continuing education and other activities count toward fulfilling your requirements.
Q1: How recently must I have passed the AMT MLS exam?
A: Technologists passing the AMT exam from January 1, 2014 to present can use their exam scores to fulfill the California requirements for licensure.
Q2: Why does California not recognize the AMT exam prior to January 1, 2014?
A: All certification agencies introduce new versions of their exams from time to time to ensure that the exam questions remain relevant and current. LFS’s review and subsequent approval was based on the version of the AMT exam that was in effect as of January 1, 2014. The approval doesn’t address prior exam versions; LFS only reviewed and approved MLS (AMT) exam forms that were in use as of January 1, 2014.
Q3: If I passed my AMT exam prior to January 1, 2014, what do I need to do in order to get licensed in California?
A: First of all, you will need to make sure that you qualify for a California license. LFS requires specific academic coursework and clinical training or work experience to qualify for licensure. (Link to CA.gov website) If your review of the LFS requirements indicates that you are eligible for a California license, submit an application to AMT to be re-tested for purposes of California licensure using the following form (Link). Please use your current AMT ID number so that we can appropriately link to your file.
Q4: What will I have to do with the scores once I retake the exam?
A:.You will need to submit the Verification of Certification Form and fee to AMT. Once processed, AMT will generate a letter to the state attesting to certification, a passing score and testing date. (Link to the Verification of Certification Form).
Q5: What if I don’t pass the exam?
A: Applicants who have failed the exam and wish to retest must contact AMT. A retake is permitted no sooner than 45 days from date of the previous attempt. A non-refundable processing fee is required for each attempt of the certification examination. Applicants are limited to a lifetime of four examination attempts for any one AMT certification. (Link to more information on retesting)
(Note that LFS imposes additional limitations on re-testing following an exam failure. Under LFS rules, failure to pass a written certification examination two times requires a waiting period of one year before taking the exam again. A third failure requires a two year wait.)
Q6: If I retake the MLS exam, will that change my original AMT certification date or CCP status?
A: The retest exam score will be added to your record, but will not change your original AMT certification date or CCP status.
Q7: Does this California approval have any affect on my AMT certification if I do not plan to work in California?
A: The California approval does not change anything about your certification status with AMT.