Award-Winning ASCP Board of Certification - American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification Certification Training

If you're interested in professional ASCP certification training but aren't sure how to get started, Varsity Tutors can enroll you in a comprehensive online class to help you pursue your goals. The American Society for Clinical Pathology, or ASCP, provides more than 20 professional certifications intended to help pathologists and other laboratory professionals prove that they possess the required knowledge and skills to competently carry out their professional duties.

Earning one of these certifications could potentially help you negotiate a higher salary or land a new job, but you'll need to pass a challenging standardized exam in order to realize either of these benefits. If standardized test prep feels too daunting to try and tackle on your own, enrolling in an ASCP certification course provides an opportunity to review the specific formatting and content you can expect to see on exam day. Continue reading to learn more about the valuable services we can provide.

Are There Any Prerequisites I Should Know About Before Investing in ASCP Certification Training?

Yes, all ASCP exams involve prerequisites you must meet in order to be eligible to take the test. There are multiple paths called "Routes" for most exams, making these prerequisites attainable for as many people as possible. For instance, the Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) certification test has five different Routes, including everything from baccalaureate degrees and their international equivalents to other ASCP certifications and approved professional experience.

Once earned, your ASCP certification will also expire after three years unless you participate in the organization's Credential Maintenance Program (CMP). Completing activities such as writing a thesis, attending an approved course, and submitting to a performance review conducted by your employer awards you a prescribed number of points. You need a certain amount of points to renew each ASCP certification, many of which require a particular point distribution between content areas.

For example, it takes 36 points to renew MLS certification. One of those must come from patient or laboratory safety, while you need two from each of the following fields: microbiology, blood banking, chemistry, and hematology. The remaining 27 points can come from any laboratory discipline you like, such as education or your lab specialty.

What Topics Can My Instructor Review During My ASCP Certification Class?

We provide dedicated ASCP certification training options for every exam, so you can concentrate on the topics that will appear on the specific exam you're taking. For example, the Histotechnician Exam (HT) includes items about the five different areas of Histotechnology: Fixation, Processing, Embedding/Microtomy, Staining, and Laboratory Operations. If you enrolled in a course centered around this test, your instructor could cover topics such as laboratory mathematics, safety, and staining procedures for various substances.

Your instructor has a variety of proven teaching techniques at their disposal to help you understand these concepts. For instance, you can be provided with practice problems on subjects such as the metric system, percentages in solutions and dilutions, and molar solutions if you need a little help with math. Alternatively, your instructor can provide a step by step tutorial on how to approach the disposal of potentially hazardous waste.

If you're a kinesthetic learner who studies best by doing, actively using the instruments you'll be tested on can be a focal point of your ASCP certification training. If you work best from an example, your teacher can provide a list of what to do that you can reference as you go along.

Studying is more efficient when you're legitimately interested in what you're doing, so your instructor can look for ways to keep you engaged. A funny story could make it easier for you to remember which staining procedure is appropriate for the nucleus of a cell, for example. You can also review active reading techniques such as note-taking to help you pay attention to the material in medical journals.

You could study these skills and concepts on your own, but working with an expert instructor ensures that any questions you have are addressed promptly. In fact, many instructors intentionally create a "safe" learning environment where questions are always encouraged, making it easier to seek clarification before a simple misunderstanding has an opportunity to spiral out of control.

Unlike many competing ASCP certification course offerings, every course we provide entails live instruction. Your instructor isn't a pre-recorded lecture or video clip, but a living human being capable of adapting sessions to the course's needs. If you and your classmates already understand medical ethics, your instructor can shift gears to a different topic to keep everybody focused and engaged. You can also get a lively course discussion going that encompasses a variety of different perspectives on a given topic, providing a more stimulating experience than you could get with some video.

What Is Taking an American Society for Clinical Pathology Exam Like?

ASCP exams generally last two and a half hours and contain 100 multiple-choice questions, though there are some exceptions to this rule. The Phlebotomy Technician exam (PBT) lasts two hours and consists of 80 multiple-choice questions, while the Donor Phlebotomy Technician (DBT) test lasts two and a half hours with 90 multiple-choice questions. Your instructor can handle any questions you may have about the specific format of your exam.

All ASCP certification exams also utilize Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT), which means that the software administering the exam select the next question based on how you're doing. If you answered the previous item correctly, the next one gets harder. If you missed the last one, the next is easier. This formatting can take some getting used to, as it's very easy to fall into the trap of trying to figure out what the current question means for your performance on the last one instead of simply concentrating on the item in front of you. Your instructor can provide test-taking strategies if you need assistance overcoming this natural instinct.

You may also need to take your exam at a testing center, a highly secure test-taking environment designed to ensure that all test-takers work under the same conditions. If you haven't taken an exam in this fashion before, your teacher can provide a sense of what to expect.

Can My ASCP Certification Training Cover Exam-Specific Test-Taking Strategies I Can Use on Exam Day?

Absolutely. Since ASCP tests have multiple-choice formats, it's possible to deduce the correct answer even if you don't know it. Each item has four possible choices, so you have a 25% chance of getting it right by default. However, your instructor can show you how to eliminate some of the incorrect answers to enhance your odds. Eliminating one answer raises your odds to 33%, two gets you to 50%, and all three is just as good as knowing it outright. Just make sure that you can actually eliminate a choice before you stop considering it.

You can also go back and change any answers you're not confident about, so it's perfectly fine to take a guess so you can keep moving and return to it later if time allows. In fact, this can be a great way to ensure that you can read every item within the time allotted to you.

Your instructor can also incorporate timed practice tests into your ASCP certification training to help you get an idea of how to budget your time effectively. If you find that you're struggling to complete the test on time, your teacher can show you how to pick up the pace without rushing.

For instance, understanding how an exam presents important words such as "not" and "except" can make it easier to spot them quickly, ensuring that you don't miss them while also not spending too much time looking for them. Likewise, understanding the directions before the exam begins can save a few valuable seconds off of the time needed to finish the exam. Taking practice tests also lets you familiarize yourself with the exam's electronic interface, so you don't need to spend time figuring out how to do something.

If an exam is known for tricky wordings or deceptive answer choices, taking practice tests can also help you avoid falling for them. Furthermore, completing practice tests can help you identify your areas of strength and any relative weaknesses you might want to look over again before taking the test for real. If you're preparing for the Medical Laboratory Technician exam (MLT) and consistently answer practice questions pertaining to blood banking correctly, you might get a jolt of self-confidence when the topic comes up during the real exam. If you're having a harder time with genetics, you know that you should ask your instructor to help you with that topic.

Similarly, your instructor can teach you a variety of strategies for dealing with any test anxiety you may be experiencing. Sometimes, the mere knowledge that your ASCP certification training was as comprehensive as it could possibly be is all it takes to feel good heading into the test. If you're looking for something a little bit more proactive, your instructor can demonstrate mindfulness techniques such as meditation to help you concentrate on the question in front of you.

Are There Any Benefits to the Collaborative Atmosphere You Get in an ASCP Certification Class?

While some students are hesitant to share their expert instructor at first, doing so can actually make it easier to understand challenging concepts. If you're having a difficult time grasping something, one of your classmates may be able to offer an explanation that helps it click for you. Likewise, somebody could teach you a handy mnemonic device they came up with to make it easier to remember complicated medical terminology.

Teaching can also be one of the most effective ways to learn new things. If any of your classmates are having a hard time with a particular concept, helping them overcome it could take your own ASCP certification training to a new level.

If your professional role involves direct interaction with patients, your instructor can also split your class into smaller groups to help you practice the social aspects of the job. For instance, you could take turns role-playing patient interactions with your classmates to help you understand how to speak about medical procedures in layman's terms. Your turn as the patient could prove equally beneficial, as putting yourself in their shoes can help you empathize with their situation and provide appropriate care.

Are There Any Other Benefits Associated With Formal ASCP Certification Training?

Sometimes, the hardest part of standardized assessment prep is simply setting aside enough time to feel truly prepared heading into the exam. You would probably rather be doing a million different things, and procrastination can prove to be dangerous. Taking an ASCP certification course ensures that you're setting aside at least some time to review for your exam, making it easier to feel confident on test day.

If you decide to do some independent study in addition to your classes, your instructor can also recommend trustworthy study aids to help guide you. After all, nobody wants to work with dated materials that do nothing to help you prepare for the version of a test you need to take.

Your instructor can also show you how to make the most of the resources you're permitted to access during the exam. For example, you aren't allowed to take notes or other reference materials into the testing center with you. If you're the type who used to pull out your notes before a high school test, you'll need a new strategy. You are permitted to use scrap paper (provided by the testing center), so jotting down anything you think you might forget as soon as the exam begins can make it easier to recall information in the heat of the moment.

Your instructor can also share test day tips that most students don't even think about until it is too late. For example, eating a balanced meal before your exam can ensure that you don't get distracted by hunger during your assessment. Similarly, wearing a favorite outfit or bringing a good luck charm can help you get into a positive frame of mind before your test. Arriving at the testing site early is also an excellent idea, as you don't want to feel rushed when you're getting ready to take a test. Your instructor can even show you how to take a little unplanned break if you feel that you really need to.

That All Sounds Great, But How Can I Possibly Fit ASCP Certification Training Into My Busy Schedule?

While many of our competitors seem to go out of their way to make attending an ASCP certification class as inconvenient as possible, we strive to take the hassle out of the process. Our proprietary Live Learning Platform allows you to study anyplace with a stable internet connection, enabling you to choose your own learning environment. If you would like to work from the convenience of your own home, you can do so. If you prefer the serenity of a local library or the familiarity of your favorite coffee shop, our mobile-friendly Platform can go anywhere you do. Why commute to a class when one can come to you?

Modern technology also ensures that digital study sessions are just as effective as doing things the old-fashioned way. Powerful features such as a virtual whiteboard and video chat capability allow you to see and hear your instructor as if you were in the same room, so asking for clarification is as easy as raising your hand. Working remotely also eliminates the geographic constraints on what instructor you study under, so you can work with the best of the best no matter where you live.

We also provide multiple course options concurrently to make it easier to find something that works for your schedule. If you want your test prep over and done with, taking a two-week course lets you cover everything in a short time frame. If you're already juggling multiple responsibilities such as work, raising a family, and setting aside a little "me" time, spreading your course meetings over four weeks might be a better fit for you. You get the same quality of instruction either way, so choose whatever makes the most sense for you.

You can arrange private study sessions with your instructor on an as-needed basis, proving a pathway to any additional support you may need. We also launch new courses on a monthly basis, so it's always a good time to get started. At Varsity Tutors, we take the hassle out of ASCP certification training.

How Do I Sign Up?

If you were going to try and find your own instructor, you'd need to verify that they have both the Society for Clinical Pathology knowledge and effective communication skills you're looking for. You would also need to ensure that your scheduling needs are compatible. Who has time for that?

Instead, let Varsity Tutors enroll you in a comprehensive ASCP certification class today. Friendly educational consultants are currently standing by to answer any questions you may have, so contact us right away and get the process rolling!

ASCP Certifications

• Phlebotomy Technician (PBT)
• Donor Phlebotomy Technician (DPT)
• Histotechnician (HT)
• Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA)
• Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT)
• Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS)
• Cytotechnologist (CT)
• Histotechnologist (HTL)
• Technologist in Blood Banking (BB)
• Technologist in Chemistry (C)
• Technologist in Cytogenetics (CG)
• Technologist in Hematology (H)
• Technologist in Microbiology (M)
• Technologist in Molecular Biology (MB)
• Specialist in Blood Banking (SBB)
• Specialist in Chemistry (SC)
• Specialist in Cytotechnology (SCT)
• Specialist in Cytometry (SCYM)
• Specialist in Hematology (SH)
• Specialist in Microbiology (SM)
• Specialist in Molecular Biology (SMB)
• Pathologists' Assistant (PA)
• Diplomate in Laboratory Management (DLM)