In This Issue BOR Newsletter - Pathology Learning · and clinical laboratory teacher in Copenhagen,...

BOR Newsletter | Summer2009 1

In This Issue

ASCP BOR and NCA Form Single Certification Agency• p.1

Chair’s Message by • Kathleen Becan-McBride, Ed.D., MT(ASCP)CM,

Chair, ASCP Board of Registry p.3

New BOR Study Guide - Now Available• p.3

Globalization Committee Meeting Report & Development • p.4

Reinstatement of Expired ASCP Certification • p.6

Revised Requirements for Revalidation of Qualifications • p.6

Citation of Credentials • p.7

Staff Spotlight – Sonja Bugvilionis • p.8

Examination Statistics for July 2008- June 2009 • p.9

Examination Statistics for January - June 2009 • p.10

ASCP Certification: The Standard of Excellence

(Chicago) - The American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry (BOR) and the National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel (NCA) on July 21, 2009, signed an agreement forming a single certification agency for medical laboratory professionals. The agency will be called the ASCP Board of Certification (BOC). The agreement is effective on Friday, October 23, 2009. At that time, the NCA will be dissolved as a corporation.

Kathleen Becan-McBride, MT(ASCP)CM, BOR Chair, and Susan Morris, CLS (NCA), NCA President, announced the agreement at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) this week in Chicago.

“Unity in the clinical laboratory profession will bring more recognition and respect from the public and other healthcare professions,” said Ms. Becan-McBride. “We will increase our credibility when advocating for the profession on legislative and regulatory issues that impact our practice.”

Ms. Morris said that a single credential and single standard of qualification will simplify entry into the profession for new graduates. “Likewise, employers will find it easier to set standards for entry level competency that will ensure patient safety,” she added.

ASCP BOR and NCAForm Single Certification Agency

BOR Newsletter Summer 2009

Continued on page 2

The following press release was sent out on July 22, 2009


ASCP BOR Executive Director E. Blair Holladay, PhD, SCT(ASCP)CM, commended the work of the negotiation teams, examination committees, and the participating organizations’ boards and staff.

“This process to achieve a single certification agency took four years and involved many hours of negotiation, consideration of many different models, careful deliberation and due diligence, and a determination to make this work for the profession,” Dr. Holladay added.

“We knew going into these discussions that it would take time, leadership and great care to create a new, unified Board of Certification that combined the best of both certification organizations,” Ms. Morris said.

Sheila O’Neal, NCA Executive Director, said that much of the negotiation process work focused on creating a newly reorganized board structure and composition, and on resolving variances in policies between the two organizations. “None of that could be announced before now because we have been busy coming to agreement,” she said. “Now we will roll up our sleeves and start the operational work.”

The BOC Board of Governors will be composed of five ASCP Fellows (pathologists), five ASCP laboratory professionals, four representatives of ASCLS, two representatives of the Association of Genetic Technologists, eight representatives from the eight participating societies respectively, and one public representative.

The “ASCP” suffix will be attached to all BOC certifications. Current and active certifications will be transferred to the ASCP BOC; no examination will be required for the transfer. Medical technologists (MT) and clinical laboratory scientists (CLS) will be called Medical Laboratory Scientists (MLS). The designation will be MLS(ASCP).

More information and answers to frequently asked questions about the ASCP Board of Certification will be posted at www.ascp.org/bor and www.nca-info.org.

Representatives from the American Society for Clinical Pathology, Board of Registry, National Credentialing Agency for LaboratoryPersonnel, American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science and Association of Genetic Technologists, Inc. signed an agreement

forming a single certification agency for medical laboratory professionals on July 21, 2009.


Chair’s MessageKathleen Becan-McBride, Ed.D., MT(ASCP)CM

What a wonderful summer it has been with the unification of the laboratory profession! On July 21, 2009, the ASCP BOR and NCA signed an agreement forming a single certification agency for

medical laboratory professionals. The agreement is effective October 23, 2009, and the new agency name is the ASCP Board of Certification (BOC).

Over the past thirty plus years, it has perplexed students, employers and laboratory professionals in general about whose examination they should take and what designation they should have after their name. This unification will save students money, facilitate government relations for laboratory professionals, and simplify setting standards for entry level competency for the profession.

The new ASCP Board of Certification Board of Governors will be composed of five ASCP Fellows (pathologists), five ASCP laboratory professionals, four representatives from the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (ASCLS), two representatives from the Association of Genetic Technologists (AGT), eight representatives

from the eight participating societies, and one public representative. More information and answers to frequently asked questions about the ASCP Boardof Certification are posted at http://www.nca-info.org/documents/FAQsBOR_NCAUnificationKeypoints-web.pdf andhttp://www.ascp.org/FunctionalNavigation/certification/BOR-NCA-FAQs.aspx

Another bright spot for the ASCP BOC has been a significant increase in the number of applications received this year. The projected number of applications for this fiscal year is 12,000 compared to 10,500 in 2008. In addition, 1,750 international ASCP BOR applications have been received! Additional exciting news for both the U.S. and International ASCP BOR applicants was the publication of the 5th edition of the BOR Study Guide offered through the ASCP Press in July 2009.

The culmination of all these positive events occurring for the ASCP BOR can only lead to even greater things for the future of the ASCP BOC “Gold Standard of Certification.”

New BOR Study Guide - Now AvailableThe ASCP Press is pleased to announce that the newBOR Study Guide, 5th Edition is now available. Youmay order this study guide from ASCP online atwww.ascp.org/ASCPStore/Store/Books or by phone(1-800-267-2727, option 2), FAX (1-312-541-4472)or mail (order form in the back of the spring 2009Publications Catalog). The ISBN is 978089 189 5879,item #5879. The list price is $85 ($65 for ASCP Members and ASCP Student Members).

This edition contains new sections on molecular pathology, laboratory informatics and safety. It also includes explanations as well as references for every item.


The Globalization Committee, staff and invited guests

Chris Lei Po Wong, PhD, FIBMS, CBIOL, MBIOL, FASCPprovides an informative presentation on international certification in

Hong Kong

Globalization Committee MeetingReport & Developments

Pre-Meeting EventsDuring our time in Sweden, strategic meetings were arranged with key international partners. Prior to the meeting, Globalization Co-Chairs, Cynthia S. Johns, MSA, MT(ASCP)CMSHCM and Ellen Hope Kearns, PhD, SH(ASCP) MASCP and ASCP BOR international staff met with Lone Bojesen, Biomedical Laboratory Scientist and clinical laboratory teacher in Copenhagen, to intro-duce the international ASCPi credential. Concurrent meetings were being held further north, in Stockholm where E. Blair Holladay, Vice President for Scientific Ac-tivities ASCP, and Executive Director BOR made presen-tations on ASCPi at the Karolinska Institutet/Karolinska University Hospital and during the national meeting for Biomedical Laboratory Science programs in Sweden at Uppsala University. Thirty-five to forty Program Direc-tors representing the 12 Biomedical Laboratory Sci-ence programs throughout Sweden (from the cities of Gothenburg, Jönköping, Kalmar, Karlstad, Kristianstad, Linköping, Lund, Malmö, Stockholm, Umeå, Uppsala, and Örebro) participated in the Uppsala meeting.

The annual meeting of the ASCP BOR Globalization Committee was held May 9-11 in Malmö, Sweden. The Globalization Committee hosted several guests of honor, including Hong Kong Advisory Board Chair, Chris Lei Po Wong, Ph.D., FIBMS, CBIOL, MBIOL, FASCP and Panama Regional Representative Alexandra Dólleman, ASCP BOR Regional Representative for Latin America.

Reports were given on the promotion of ASCPi for their regions. Jeff Jacobs, ASCP Vice President, Public Policy and Government Affairs provided information on Globalization Advocacy. We were also honored by a visit from ASCP President-Elect, Mark H. Stoler, MD, FASCP, who provided an update on ASCP activities and emphasized ASCP commitment toward development of an international organization.

This year the Globalization Committee completed a demanding full agenda in a little less than three days, reviewing international examination statistics, needs as-sessment submissions, proposals for international office space, and present and future international examination categories. The Committee reviewed comprehensive proposals for international strategies from the level of the ASCP, the Globalization Process of the BOR, and the daily interactions of the appointed Regional Repre-sentatives. The Committee continues to evolve as new international examinations are developed and to meet the needs of international laboratory professional colleagues.

Perhaps the most noteworthy item of this year’s discus-sions: Effective immediately, ASCP BOR has now expanded international certification to qualified applicants from every country! Protection of the safety and welfare of the public is a global concern and central to the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Registry’s (BOR) mission “To provide excellence in certification of laboratory professionals on

Globalization Committee Meeting


behalf of patients worldwide.” In line with these values, now is the time for ASCP to make BOR international certification examinations accessible to laboratory pro-fessionals from all regions of the globe. Eligibility will henceforward be determined on an individual basis and established through approved transcript evaluation agen-cies as needed, with periodic audits, and competency demonstrated by a successful result on the examination.

The Spring Conference in Pathology and Cytology “Vårmöte i Cytologi och Patologi” organized by the Klinisk Patologi i Skåne in cooperation with the Swedish Society of Pathology, National Society of Histopathology, Swedish Society of Clinical Cytology and Swedish Society of Autopsy Technicians was held in Malmö, Sweden from May 14th -16th, 2009.

Globalization member Shirley Greening, MS, JD, CT(ASCP), DFIAC and ASCP Executive Vice President John Ball, MD, JD, FASCP

at the Globalization meeting in Sweden

The conference consisted of two parallel plenary ses-sions, a scientific program and an exhibition, directed toward pathologists, cytologists, medical technologists, medical transcriptionists, autopsy technicians and cyto-pathologists.ASCP was represented at an ASCP exhibit booth where Angela Sreckovic, Administrative Assistant of Interna-tional Certification, displayed information on inter-national certification and launched the International Cytotechnologist, CT(ASCPi), examination availability.

Globalization Committee members, William J. Becker, DO, PPH, FASCP and Gene P. Siegal, MD, PhD, FASCP

Angela Sreckovic, Administrative Assistant for International Activities, staffs the ASCP booth at the Vårmöte i Cytologi och Patologi

Vårmötet i Patologi och Cytologi, MalmöMay 14 – 16, 2009(Pathology and Cytology Spring Conference):

The exhibition area had a steady stream of conference attendees throughout the event, and the ASCP booth was able to establish a great presence among laboratory professionals. Interest grew as ASCP BOR was promot-ing the highest gold standards of patient health and safety worldwide.In addition to the ASCPi booth, ASCP further sup-ported the event through an advertisement placed in the conference program and a reciprocal link from the conference website.

The Spring Conference was a unique opportunity for laboratory professionals and conference sponsors to ex-change their knowledge and experiences within pathol-ogy and cytology in Scandinavia.


Revised Requirements for Revalidation of Qualifications

At the last Board of Governors meeting on March 20, 2009 in Philadelphia, PA, the Board of Governors revised the requirements and the process for revalidation of Qualifications. The revalidation requirements are now similar to the Certification Maintenance Program.

The Qualifications may be revalidated by completing 10 contact hours of acceptable continuing education in the area of the qualification OR 5 contact hours of accept-able continuing education in the area of the qualifica-tion and 5 contact hours of other activities related to the qualification as described below. Continuing education and other activities must be completed between the date the qualification was issued and the date the qualification expires.

Five contact hours of other acceptable activities include:

• Employer offered courses (e.g. in-service, vendor sponsored) • College/university coursework (10 contact hours for each quarter hour; 15 contact hours for each semester hour)

• Research & preparation for presenting a workshop or course (first time only; 5 contact hours) • Authoring journal articles for peer-reviewed publications (5 contact hours) • Authoring a book (over 300 pages – 21 contact hours; less than 300 pages – 14 contact hours; chapter – 7 contact hours) • Editing a book – 5 contact hours • Presenting posters/exhibits (3 contact hours) • Serving on an examination committee (2 contact hours per year) • Serving on committees/boards related to the Qualification (national, state, regional, local – 2 contact hours per year)

A revalidation form, listing the points completed within the five year period, must be completed by the candi-date. A percentage of forms will be audited. Individuals chosen for audit must submit documentation verifying completion of the contact hours listed above and con-tinuing education contact hours. Please visit the ASCP web site at www.ascp.org/qualification under Step 7 for Qualification Revalidation forms.

In keeping with the ongoing commitment to assure the continued competence of medical laboratory personnel, in 2004 the Board of Registry began implementing the Certification Maintenance Pro-gram (CMP). To successfully complete the program, approved continuing education activities are com-pleted and documented every three years to maintain certification. To date, approximately 60% of indi-viduals with time limited certificates have completed the CMP and maintained their skills, knowledge and expertise by successfully recertifying their credentials.

Reinstatement of Expired ASCP Certification

But what if someone’s certification has expired and the individual would like to become reinstated? It’s not too late! If you have a time limited certificate and allow your certification to expire, you may reinstate your certification by completing the required CEs for your category and submitting your completed declaration form with the current CMP fee and a $50 reinstate-ment fee. Certifications may be reinstated for up to 10 years before reexamination is required. For detailed information on the Certification Maintenance Pro-gram, please go to www.ascp.org/cmp.


A. One certification category and advanced degree 1. The advanced degree always precedes the certification e.g. Louise Cooper, Ph.D., MT(ASCP)

B. Two certification categories 1. The second certification category is listed immediately after (ASCP) with no comma or spaces, e.g. Louise Cooper, MT(ASCP)BB 2. If one of the categories is MT, MT should always be listed before the (ASCP) as above. 3. If multiple certifications exist in the same discipline, the lower level certification should be omitted, e.g. Louise Cooper, BB(ASCP)SBB should be listed as Louise Cooper, SBB(ASCP). 4. Specialist or diplomate level categories are always listed. 5. Two categories at the same level, where neither is MT, are listed in order of the date received.

Qualification and Certification

A. Qualification alone The qualification is listed after the name with no additional designation, e.g. Mary L. Wood, QIHCB. Two qualifications The second qualification is listed after the first qualification, separated by a comma and a space, e.g. Mary L. Wood, QIHC, QLC

Certification Maintenance

C. Three or more certification categories Additional categories, listed after the second category, are separated by commas, but not spaces, e.g. Louise Cooper, MT(ASCP)BB,H.

Qualification

If the individual has both a certification and aqualification, the certification is listed first as described under certification, followed by ASCP and the qualifi-cation, e.g. Mary L. Wood, HT(ASCP)QIHC

Citation of CredentialsDid you ever have a question as to how to cite a person’s credentials or even your own? These guidelines were developed to ensure uniformity when citing credentials.

The ASCP certifications are listed with the designation “ASCP” in parentheses after the category initials with no spaces as follows: Medical Laboratory Technician MLT(ASCP)

The individual must use the initials “CM” in superscript after his/her certification [e.g. Mary Jones, MT(ASCP)CM] if the certificate was awarded beginning in the year

indicated in the chart below and thereafter.

Certification

CertificationCategory

CMP required forindividuals certified

beginning in the yearindicated

MT, MLT, AT, CT, HT, HTL, BB, C, H, M, MP,

PBT, DPTPA

SBB, SC, SCT, SH, SLS, SM, SV, HP, DLM

2006

2004

All Certified

If an individual not required to complete mandatory CMP successfully completes the CertificationMaintenance Program (CMP) voluntarily, theindividual has the right to use the initials “CM” in superscript after their certification, e.g. Mary Jones, MT(ASCP)CM, for the period during which the certi-fication maintenance remains valid.

Individuals who are required to complete CMP in order to maintain their certification must use theinitials “CM” in superscript immediately upon receipt of initial certification. If they fail to complete the CMP, their certification will be invalid and they may no longer use the ASCP credentials nor CM after their names.


Sonja Bugvilionis became an employee of the ASCP in April 2009. As an ASCP Administrative Assistant, Sonja supports Certification Activities and Examination Activities within the Board of Registry. Assisting Julie Mueller, Sonja verifies certifications, processes miscellaneous certificate orders and lends a hand to Board of Registry Customer Service. Sonja also supports Tamara Schaeffer with the Certification Maintenance Program as needed.

Additionally, Sonja works alongside Patricia Tanabe and Melissa Meeks during (the very busy!) examination committee season. This includes organizing travel arrangements for committee members, preparing the

necessary materials for each meeting, ordering a variety of supplies and food, and compiling the meeting minutes for the committees. Sonja assists in whatever capacity is needed during these meetings.

Prior to joining the ASCP Board of Registry, Sonja received a B.A. in Sociology from DePauw University. She had devoted much of her time to non-profit organizations, and participated in non-profit work through volunteering and internships. Most recently, Sonja served as the summer intern for the Posse Foundation which strongly promotes social change, leadership training, and the pursuit of higher education among Chicago youth.

In the future, Sonja plans to attend graduate school in Chicago in order to pursue a degree related to non-profit or social work. In her spare time, Sonja enjoys traveling, fine dining a la all-you-can-eat sushi, reading her plentiful magazine subscriptions, and attending various live music events.

Staff Spotlight – Sonja Bugvilionis


Examination Statistics for July 2008- June 2009

* The SCT examination was not offered from 1969 to 1986** 296 certifications from ACM*** 177 certifications from ACM

**** 754 certifications from PCB-CIMLE***** 735 certifications from AAPA****** Includes 21,751 CLA; 1,961 NM; 592 I; 352 SI; 124 SV

EXAMTYPE

FIRSTYEAR

CERTIFIED MEANSTANDARDDEVIATION

RANGEOF SCORES

TOTAL #TAKINGEXAM

TOTALPASS

TOTALFAIL

1ST TIMECAAHEP/NAACLS

PASSTOTAL

CERTIFIED

MT 1931 475 104 120 909 3,417 2,615 77% 802 23% 2,211 84% 230,043

MLT 1969 480 122 100 942 2,286 1,661 73% 625 27% 1,394 78% 74,541

HT 1948 451 122 100 806 724 469 65% 255 35% 232 76% 21,124

HTL 1980 426 112 100 688 218 136 62% 82 38% 29 66% 2,716

CT 1957 508 91 222 760 218 191 88% 27 12% 180 90% 14,882

SCT* 1959 460 90 279 624 24 18 75% 6 25% 581

C 1948 430 117 174 782 124 78 63% 48 39% 4,118

SC 1954 452 80 268 566 10 8 80% 2 20% 1,703

H 1971 429 111 174 720 84 49 58% 35 42% 2,889

SH 1968 418 97 214 584 23 13 57% 10 43% 2,522

M** 1948 455 103 173 747 149 104 70% 45 30% 4,779

SM*** 1953 436 94 220 621 31 22 71% 9 29% 3,021

BB 1983 421 105 113 786 72 41 57% 31 43% 2,688

SBB 1954 452 130 169 735 104 63 61% 41 39% 41 79% 5,071

PBT**** 1989 518 121 100 952 2,179 1,842 85% 337 15% 1,069 83% 35,800

HP 1993 463 91 271 640 70 50 71% 20 29% 509

DLM 1989 314 87 100 467 28 5 18% 23 82% 618

AT 2003 430 71 328 549 14 8 57% 6 43% 17

DPT 2003 493 158 325 999 29 23 79% 6 21% 103

MP 2003 432 128 100 999 123 82 67% 41 33% 45 66% 341

PA***** 2005 590 209 203 999 114 96 84% 18 16% 76 100% 1,276

SLS 2000 466 70 373 621 13 10 77% 3 23% 190

TOTAL 10054 7584 75% 2472 25% ******434,312


EXAMTYPE

FIRSTYEAR

CERTIFIED MEANSTANDARDDEVIATION

RANGEOF SCORES

TOTAL #TAKINGEXAM

TOTALPASS

TOTALFAIL

1ST TIMECAAHEP/NAACLS

PASSTOTAL

CERTIFIED

MT 1931 474 106 120 909 1,512 1,138 75% 374 25% 927 84% 230,043

MLT 1969 475 121 159 884 1,036 742 72% 294 28% 586 76% 74,541

HT 1948 454 128 170 806 351 225 64% 126 36% 103 76% 21,124

HTL 1980 431 114 100 672 101 61 60% 40 40% 9 69% 2,716

CT 1957 491 88 266 729 46 39 85% 7 15% 32 86% 14,882

SCT* 1959 444 84 308 538 10 7 70% 3 30% 581

C 1948 438 115 209 782 63 44 70% 19 30% 4,118

SC 1954 455 38 428 482 2 2 100% 0 0% 1,703

H 1971 436 107 174 701 40 26 65% 14 35% 2,889

SH 1968 408 87 214 543 11 5 45% 6 55% 2,522

M** 1948 452 105 173 747 75 51 68% 24 32% 4,779

SM*** 1953 415 100 220 521 13 9 69% 4 31% 3,021

BB 1983 436 100 199 786 46 31 67% 15 33% 2,688

SBB 1954 452 132 169 735 60 36 60% 24 40% 24 80% 5,071

PBT**** 1989 519 119 100 952 1,137 970 85% 167 15% 561 83% 35,800

HP 1993 485 99 271 638 23 18 78% 5 22% 509

DLM 1989 320 94 172 467 11 2 18% 9 82% 618

AT 2003 373 30 352 394 2 0 0% 2 100% 17

DPT 2003 499 161 389 999 13 12 92% 1 8% 103

MP 2003 414 141 100 999 57 33 58% 24 42% 14 56% 341

PA***** 2005 604 217 325 999 48 38 79% 10 21% 32 100% 1,276

SLS 2000 466 72 397 621 9 7 78% 2 22% 190

TOTAL 4666 3496 75% 1170 25% ******434,312

* The SCT examination was not offered from 1969 to 1986** 296 certifications from ACM*** 177 certifications from ACM

**** 754 certifications from PCB-CIMLE***** 735 certifications from AAPA****** Includes 21,751 CLA; 1,961 NM; 592 I; 352 SI; 124 SV

EDITOR:E. Blair Holladay, Ph.D., SCT(ASCP)CM

MANAGING EDITOR AND PRODUCTION COORDINATOR:Barbara M. Kasallis

CHAIR-BOR:Kathleen Becan-McBride, Ed.D., MT(ASCP)CM

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE:Marsha C. Kinney, MD, FASCP-ChairBarbara D. Benstein, Ph.D., SCT(ASCP)CM

Carol Duncan, MASusan L. Wilkinson, EdD, MT(ASCP)SBB

Examination Statistics for January - June 2009

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