The state of Texas does not oversee and regulate the profession of lab technicians so you don’t need be licensed by the state. While you won’t need to go through the process of getting licensed in the state of Texas,  you’ll still need to have the right level of education and credentials to find a job as a lab technician.

Almost all lab tech employers in Texas require certification from a recognized association like the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). In looking at most job postings for lab technicians in Texas, you’ll find that practically every one requires that you’re eligible to be certified by the ASCP or already have certification from the ASCP.

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

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:

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