Similar to the state of Texas, the state of New Jersey does not oversee and regulate the licensing of laboratory technicians. This doesn’t mean the requirements to start a career in lab tech or getting a job in the field is any easier. Education, experience, and credentials are still key to becoming gainfully employed as a lab technician.

Most lab tech employers in New Jersey still want to see you get certification from a recognized authority like the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). If you look at most job postings for lab technicians in New Jersey, you’ll find that practically every one requires that you already have certification from the ASCP or some equivalent like the NCA.

To become certified by the ASCP as a medical laboratory technician (MLT), you will need to invest some time and money into a combination of school, exams, and/or relevant work experience.

For Education:

1) Have an associate degree or at least 60 semester hours of academic credit from an accredited school.

plus

2a) Complete a NAACLS accredited program within the last five (5) years; or

2b) Have 6 semester hours of chemistry or 6 semester hours of biology and CLA certification; or

2c) Have 6 semester hours of chemistry or 6 semester hours of biology and completion of a fifty (50) week U.S. military medical laboratory training course with official notarized documentation; or

2d) Have 6 semester hours of chemistry or 6 semester hours of biology and three (3) years of full time clinical laboratory experience in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology, and Clinical Microscopy in the U.S., Canada, or CAP/The Joint Commission accredited laboratory within the last ten (10) years.

Satisfying one of the 1) plus of one of the 2a-2d allows you to sit for the MLT (ASCP) exam which costs $185.

Exam: Pass the ASCP’s Board of Registry’s examination for Medical Laboratory Technician

To become certified by the ASCP as a medical laboratory technologist (MT), you will need to do the following:

For Education:

1) Have a bachelor’s degree including courses in biology, chemistry and math plus completion of a NAACLS accredited Medical Technologist program within the last five years.

or

2) Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school with 16 semesters hours of biology, 16 semester hours of chemistry, 1 semester of math;

plus

2a) MLT (ASCP) certification and two years of full-time clinical laboratory experience  in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology and Clinical Microscopy within the last ten years; or

2b) CLA (ASCP) certification and four years of full-time clinical laboratory experience  in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology and Clinical Microscopy within the last ten years; or

2c) Five years of full-time clinical laboratory experience  in Blood Banking, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology, Immunology and Clinical Microscopy within the last ten years

Satisfying one of the 1) or 2) plus of one of the 2a-2c allows you to sit for the MT (ASCP) exam which costs $210.

Exam: Pass the ASCP’s Board of Registry’s examination for Medical Laboratory Technician