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CSMLS General MLT Certification Examination — Information & Free Practice

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About CSMLS General MLT Certification Examination

CSMLS General MLT Certification Examination · CA

Key exam facts

Provider
Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) develops and certifies this multidisciplinary General MLT examination, under an exam-services agreement with CMLTA for Alberta. Prometric supplies testing delivery/proctoring; CMLTA is the provincial regulator. The current availability is Alberta, although the examination has Canadian national certification history.
Format
Computer-based, single-best-answer multiple-choice examination; images may be included; no case studies. In-person testing or remote proctored testing as permitted. All General MLT exams must be written in Alberta; non-residents of Canada must use an Alberta test centre.
Exam questions
Total questions: 210.
Time limit
3.5 hours of examination time within a 4-hour appointment; approved testing accommodations may vary. Appointment time is not additional answer time.
Passing score
A percentage cut score is established separately for each exam form using the Double Modified Angoff Process. There is no single fixed passing percentage for every form; any candidate reaching the form's pass mark passes.
Exam fee
2027 registration schedule, CAD: Canadian resident member $999, non-member $1,285; eligible non-resident member $1,910, non-member $2,210. Late-registration totals respectively $1,179, $1,470, $2,090 and $2,395. Fees may change without notice; eligibility and Alberta testing restrictions still apply.

Topics covered

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.

  • Safe Work Practices — Official range: 5–7% (Practice allocation: 5.61%)

    • Applies the principles of routine practices
    • Uses personal protective equipment, e.g. gloves, gowns, mask, face shields, aprons
    • Applies laboratory hygiene and infection control practices
    • Minimizes possible dangers from biological specimens, laboratory supplies and equipment
    • Uses laboratory safety devices, e.g. biological safety cabinets, fume hoods, laminar flow cabinets, safety pipetting devices, safety containers and carriers, safety showers, eye washes
    • Labels, dates, handles, stores, and disposes chemicals, dyes, reagents, and solutions according to legislation, e.g. WHMIS
    • Handles and disposes sharps
    • Stores, handles, transports and disposes biological and other hazardous materials according to legislation
    • Uses disinfection and sterilization methods
    • Minimizes potential hazards related to disinfection/sterilization methods
    • Applies measures in response to laboratory accidents/incidents
    • Applies spill containment and clean up procedures for biological and other hazardous materials
    • Responds appropriately to workplace emergencies
    • Reports and documents all incidents related to safety and personal injury
    • Applies proper ergonomic principles to minimize risk of injury

  • Data and Specimen Collection and Handling — Official range: 5–7% (Practice allocation: 5.61%)

    • Verifies relevant information is provided for test request
    • Provides information to the client on specimen collection, transportation and storage
    • Confirms the identity of the patient and performs venipuncture and capillary blood collection to obtain appropriate samples for laboratory analysis
    • Performs sample collection and chain of custody procedures relating to specimens with legal implications
    • Adheres to established protocols for labeling and traceability of specimens
    • Delivers specimens taking into account priority and stability
    • Assesses suitability of the specimen for testing
    • Verifies that the pertinent data on the specimen and requisition correspond
    • Accessions specimens into laboratory information systems
    • Adheres to guidelines for specimen retention, storage, transportation and disposal
    • Prepares specimens for analysis
    • Identifies, documents and initiates corrective action for pre-examination (pre-analytical) errors

  • Analytical Processes — Official range: 30–35% (Practice allocation: 30.37%)

    • Applies the principles of microscopy: bright field; fluorescence; polarizing; inverted
    • Applies the physical and chemical principles of staining
    • Assesses the quality of staining and initiates corrective action
    • Applies principles of light measuring systems used in common instruments: absorption spectrophotometry; reflectometry; turbidimetry
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of interference and initiates corrective action
    • Applies principles of electrochemical systems used in common instruments: ion selective electrodes; conductance electrodes
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of interference and initiates corrective action
    • Applies principles of electrophoresis and chromatography
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of interference and initiates corrective action
    • Applies principles of osmometry
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of interference and initiates corrective action
    • Applies principles of immunoassays
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of interference and initiates corrective action
    • Demonstrates knowledge of principles of mass spectrometry
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of interference and initiates corrective action
    • Applies principles of particle analysis used in common hematology instrumentation
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of interference and initiates corrective action and/or follow up testing
    • Performs manual counting procedures
    • Demonstrates the knowledge of principles of flow cytometry
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of interference and initiates corrective action
    • Applies the principles of hemostasis to perform coagulation testing
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of interference and initiates corrective action and/or follow up testing
    • Performs qualitative and quantitative biochemical analyses
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of interference and initiates corrective action and/or follow up testing
    • Prepares blood, body fluids and other clinical specimens for microscopic examination
    • Identifies and evaluates the morphology of cellular and non-cellular elements in microscopic preparations
    • Differentiates between clinically significant and insignificant findings
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of interference and initiates corrective action and/or follow up testing
    • Applies principles of immunology to the detection of antigens and antibodies
    • Performs testing to identify common red blood cell antigens and antibodies
    • Interprets results to determine phenotype/genotype
    • Differentiates between clinically significant and insignificant antibodies
    • Performs compatibility analyses
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of interference and initiates corrective action and/or follow up testing
    • Prepares and issues blood products
    • Assesses compatibility of donor/product
    • Ensures proper storage of blood products
    • Evaluates the quality of blood products
    • Evaluates the appropriateness of the blood product for the patient’s clinical situation
    • Describes and investigates the adverse effects of transfusion according to established protocol and initiates follow-up action
    • Performs analyses to detect and identify common clinically significant micro-organisms
    • Selects appropriate culture media and environment for isolation
    • Describes common clinically significant micro-organisms according to body site
    • Confirms identification using staining techniques, biochemical, serological and automated testing methods
    • Applies the principles of instrumentation to the detection of micro-organisms
    • Performs antimicrobial susceptibility analyses
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of error and initiates corrective action and/or follow up testing
    • Applies molecular diagnostic principles to identify nucleic acid sequences
    • Assesses results, identifies sources of interference/errors, initiates corrective action and/or follow up testing
    • Performs tissue preparation techniques: Grossing; Processing; Embedding; Sectioning (paraffin and frozen)
    • Assesses quality of the preparation and initiates corrective action and/or follow up
    • Performs techniques to demonstrate cellular and non-cellular components in tissue and body fluids
    • Assesses quality of the technique and initiates corrective action and/or follow up
    • Operates and maintains standard laboratory equipment/instruments
    • Prepares reagents, calibrators, standards and quality control materials
    • Describes the role of the laboratory in point-of-care testing
    • Performs point-of-care techniques, assesses results, identifies sources of interference and initiates corrective action

  • Interpretation and Reporting of Results — Official range: 20–25% (Practice allocation: 21.03%)

    • Recognizes the relationship between analyses, diagnoses, clinical information and treatment by assessing results on the basis of: specimen integrity; reference values; critical values; method limitations, e.g. dynamic ranges, interferences, specificity, sensitivity; patient delta checks; clinical conditions; other laboratory findings
    • Reports results that meet quality control criteria
    • Identifies unexpected or implausible results and takes appropriate action prior to reporting
    • Recognizes and acts on critical values
    • Documents results accurately
    • Accounts for all tests requested

  • Quality Management — Official range: 20–25% (Practice allocation: 21.03%)

    • Demonstrates knowledge of quality systems essentials (QSE)
    • Follows established protocols as defined in policy, process and procedure manuals
    • Assesses quality control data and calibration data
    • Uses statistics to monitor and track the acceptability of quality control results
    • Identifies, documents and reports deficiencies that may affect the quality of testing
    • Performs and documents preventative maintenance according to established protocols
    • Recognizes malfunctions in equipment/instruments, initiates and documents corrective action
    • Participates in continuous quality improvement activities
    • Demonstrates knowledge of risk management
    • Participates in internal and external quality assurance activities, e.g. proficiency testing, audits, accreditation
    • Demonstrates knowledge of inventory maintenance
    • Demonstrates information management skills, e.g. computer, laboratory information systems and related technology

  • Critical Thinking — Official range: 5–10% (Practice allocation: 7.01%)

    • Demonstrates knowledge of a dynamic environment; adapts and responds to change
    • Recognizes that change initiated in one area may impact other areas of health care services
    • Engages in reflective practice; stops and thinks about practice, consciously analyzes decision making and draws conclusions to improve future practice
    • Organizes work to accommodate priorities
    • Maximizes efficient use of resources, e.g. time, equipment, personnel
    • Demonstrates effective problem solving/trouble-shooting strategies and initiates appropriate follow up
    • Contributes to implementation strategies that integrate timelines, resource management and communication related to projects or research/studies
    • Practices evidence-based decision-making skills such as literature review, data analysis and research methodologies/studies

  • Communication and Interaction — Official range: 3–5% (Practice allocation: 3.74%)

    • Practices effective communication with colleagues, patients/clients and other health care professionals: Active listening; Verbal communication; Non-verbal communication; Written communication; Conflict management; Identifying barriers to effective communication; Using technology appropriately to facilitate communication
    • Demonstrates effective teamwork skills
    • Demonstrates interdisciplinary/interprofessional team skills: Communication; Collaboration; Role clarification; Reflection
    • Demonstrates adaptive skills when interacting with patients/clients

  • Professional Practice — Official range: 5–7% (Practice allocation: 5.61%)

    • Maintains confidentiality of healthcare information
    • Complies with legislations that govern medical laboratory technology
    • Recognizes limitations of own competence and seeks action to resolve
    • Obtains informed consent prior to procedure and respects a patient’s right to refuse
    • Recognizes potentially dangerous situations and understands the right to refuse unsafe work
    • Takes responsibility and is accountable for professional actions
    • Recognizes the need for and participates in continuing education and training
    • Promotes the image and status of the profession of medical laboratory science as members of the health care team
    • Recognizes how ethical issues in the health care environment affect the medical laboratory technologist and clients
    • Demonstrates knowledge of the health care system, professional laboratory organizations and their responsibilities
    • Demonstrates knowledge of the determinants of health and their implications for the laboratory system
    • Respects the diversity, dignity, values, and beliefs of patients/clients and colleagues
    • Demonstrates knowledge of interpersonal skills: Recognizes signs of individual and group stress; Recognizes signs of patient stress; Exhibits empathy when assisting patients and colleagues

How to prepare

Work through the topics, read the explanation after each answer, and revisit the areas where you miss questions. Use the official outline and reference materials below to guide your study.

These independent practice questions are not actual exam items and do not guarantee a passing result.

Frequently asked questions

What is the exam format?

Computer-based, single-best-answer multiple-choice examination; images may be included; no case studies. In-person testing or remote proctored testing as permitted. All General MLT exams must be written in Alberta; non-residents of Canada must use an Alberta test centre.

How many questions are on the exam?

Total questions: 210.

How long is the exam?

3.5 hours of examination time within a 4-hour appointment; approved testing accommodations may vary. Appointment time is not additional answer time.

What is the passing score?

A percentage cut score is established separately for each exam form using the Double Modified Angoff Process. There is no single fixed passing percentage for every form; any candidate reaching the form's pass mark passes.

How much does the exam cost?

2027 registration schedule, CAD: Canadian resident member $999, non-member $1,285; eligible non-resident member $1,910, non-member $2,210. Late-registration totals respectively $1,179, $1,470, $2,090 and $2,395. Fees may change without notice; eligibility and Alberta testing restrictions still apply.

Official sources and references

Confirm current exam arrangements with the exam provider.