Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) examination — Information & Free Practice
US · Examination information
200 free questions · Answer explanations · No signup required
Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) examination
- Provider
- Pearson testing centers
- Format
- Non-adaptive computer-based multiple-choice examination
- Exam questions
- Total questions: 100.
- Time limit
- 2 hours 30 minutes
Examination outline
The authority publishes percentage ranges for each content area. The practice percentages below use the midpoint of each range, normalized to 100%; they are not exact percentages published by the authority. Practice question counts may differ slightly because of rounding.
Patient Accessioning and Specimen Collection — Official range: 20–25% (Practice allocation: 21.43%)
- Review, Clarification, and Verification of Test Orders
- Patient Identification
- Patient Communication
- Collection Procedures
- Recognition and Follow-up with Adverse Reactions
- Specimen Handling
Specimen Preparation and Processing — Official range: 40–45% (Practice allocation: 40.48%)
- Assessment of Specimen Acceptability for Testing
- Specimen Prioritization, Distribution, and Transport
- Specimen Processing
- Specimen Storage
Support for Clinical Testing — Official range: 15–20% (Practice allocation: 16.67%)
- Reagents, Standards, and Controls
- Analytical Instrumentation
- Quality Control
- Critical Value Notification and Documentation
- Result Retrieval and Review
- Inventory Management
- Waived and Point-of-Care Testing
Laboratory Operations — Official range: 20–25% (Practice allocation: 21.43%)
- Laboratory Regulations
- Safety Regulations
- Waste Disposal
- Laboratory Equipment Maintenance
- Professionalism and Ethics
- Laboratory Information System (LIS) Functions
- Quality Assurance/Improvement
Examination sources
- ASCP BOC MLA credential page
MLA Examination Resources
- ASCP BOC content guidelines policy
Examination Content Guidelines & Topic Outlines
- ASCP BOC MLA content guideline
page:1/Examination Content Areas
- ASCP BOC MLA content guideline
page:2/Examination Content Outline
- ASCP BOC MLA content guideline
page:3/Examination Content Outline
- ASCP BOC MLA content guideline
page:1/Examination Format
- ASCP BOC About the Examination
Non-Adaptive Certification Examinations
- ASCP BOC About the Examination
Certification Examination Results
- ASCP BOC MLA credential page
Apply
- ASCP BOC About the Examination
Taking the Certification Examination
Related license preparation
This examination may be required or accepted as an alternative, depending on the license and application pathway.