Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT)

American Medical Technologists (AMT), founded in 1939, is one of the recognized agencies that offer certifications in the allied health field. AMT is dedicated to supporting allied health professionals and verifying their skills and competence and maintaining quality in the workplace.

Medical Laboratory Technician MLT is one of the most recommended certifications for medical laboratory technicians who collect samples of fluids, tissues and other substances, and perform tests to analyze them. Many employers in the medical field prefer to hire certified medical laboratory technicians, so becoming MLT certified can certainly increase your job opportunities. MLT certification exam tests your theoretical and practical knowledge in six main domains: Laboratory, Chemistry, Hematology, Immunology, Microbiology, and Urinalysis. It helps you to improve your abilities in performing quality control in the clinical laboratory, employing safety and using instrumentation, maintenance, & principles of operation.

MLT Eligibility Requirements 

You should meet ONE of the following eligibility routes to be qualified for MLT certification according to AMT website:

• Graduate from an accredited college or university with an associate degree in medical laboratory technology.
• Complete at least two years (60 semester hours) of courses in an accredited college, including 25 semester hours in clinical laboratory science disciplines AND six months o f approved lab experience.
• Complete a 50-week US military laboratory training program.
• Pass a generalists exam given by another certification organization approved by AMT, or a state licensing board, meet one of AMT’s other eligibility criteria, possess an active certification AND be currently employed or have recent laboratory experience (no AMT exam is required in this case).

Study Materials

American Medical Technologists, AMT offers the following online resources to help you prepare for the MLT certification exam:

• Practice exam: $40

Two full-length attempts within 90 days of purchase; Practice exam closely follows the exam content outline (both in type and number of questions)

• Online Review Course: $175 (Modules I, II and III and two full-length practice exams)

General Knowledge Module I

Administrative Module II

Clinical Module III

Registration Process

1. Determine Eligibility
2. Apply for Certification
3. Submit Documentation
4. Study
5. Take and Pass the Exam
6. Maintain Your Certification

MLT Exam Details 

Format: It consists of 200-210 multiple-choice questions.

Duration: 3 hours

Place: Pearson VUE testing centers

application fee: $200

Note: Fee includes application, exam, and first year’s annual fee.

MLT Renewal

The application is valid for one year. To renew it you follow the next steps:

• Payment of an annual fee: $90
• Proof of continuing education, and professional growth. Every 3 years, 45 points are required.