CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

44
ESSENTIALS OF CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE
the competency of those entering the profession of laboratory medicine. This
often leads to a considerable disparity between the requirements and standards
for those requiring state licensure and the major agencies that currently certify
medical laboratory workers, so it is no wonder there is so much uncertainty for
everyone else. Even the professional groups and the government agencies that
attempt to improve and to raise the standards of laboratory workers are strongly
divided as to levels of education and training that are required to document and
ensure competency for those entering the medical laboratory profession. At issue
is the lack of agreement as to the appropriate length of the educational process
for varying levels of workers within the laboratories. Another basic question
is whether there is an actual need for continuing efforts to ensure continuing
competency throughout the career of the medical laboratory worker through
mandated continuing education. With the rapid evolution of medical laboratory
technology, and the potential for becoming even more technologically advanced
as a profession, it appears that the view that continuing education is not necessary
would further harm the profession as it seeks to gain more recognition.
Routes for Credentialing of
Medical Laboratory Workers
There are four separate methods for credentialing medical laboratory workers,
one of which is no longer used. Remember, as stated earlier, that the term “certification”
is sometimes used to include licensure requirements, fulfillment of
registry requirements, and the earning of a certificate. In addition, at one time
(1970s and early 1980s), the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
(HEW) (which later became the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
[HHS]) administered equivalency tests that allowed anyone with laboratory
experience to take a certifying examination in some cases without regard to any
formal educational requirements or any assessment of the clinical experience a
candidate may have had. The four types of credentials are as follows:
1. Certification is the process by which a nongovernment agency or association
recognizes an individual’s educational competence predetermined by that
group. Programs leading to certification are usually of less duration than
diploma programs. Standards employed usually include a written examination
with emphasis on either theoretical and/or practical knowledge.
2. Licensure is the process by which a government agency gives permission
for a person to engage in a particular activity requiring a certain body of
knowledge. This would presumably enable him or her to perform functions
impinging upon the public health, safety, and welfare. The process usually
includes a period of education and training under the supervision of practitioners
who assess the abilities of the individual before he or she is allowed
to sit for the examination. Standards for ensuring suitability of a candidate
to complete an examination include both theoretical education and clinical
training where students are monitored and taught technical aspects of
laboratory medicine. Licensure laws are almost always a function of state
government, and many require a college degree. Most states require licensing
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