For the first time, the national certification examination for medical laboratory assistants offered by the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) will be available in French on June 17, 2008.
CSMLS reactivated national certification for MLAs in 2003. Initially, the examination was only available in English. In 2007, Heritage Canada awarded a $3,125 grant to CSMLS towards the cost of translating the medical laboratory assistant competency profile and examination into French.
The CSMLS certification process provides a set of national standards to guide the professional practice of medical laboratory assistants, and lays the foundation for a professional culture that promotes pride, excellence and recognition. Successful completion of the certification examination demonstrates competence to practice within a set of national standards.
The certification examination is offered three times a year (February, June and October) and is based on a national competency profile. Examination questions are developed by the Medical Laboratory Assistant Examination Panel under the auspices of the Council on National Certification. The panel is composed of medical laboratory technologists and medical laboratory assistants from across Canada.
Eligibility to the examination is open to medical laboratory assistants who have graduated from an educational institution or hospital-based program, as well as to current practitioners with documented experience.
The application deadline for the French examination on June 17 is April 30. The application deadline for the English examination is March 31. Application forms and a detailed examination handbook are available on the CSMLS website at www.csmls.org, click on Certification, then on Medical Laboratory Assistants.