The following are one graduate’s comments about the exam and is offered as helpful information toward preparing for the ASCP national certification examination. The CLS Program hopes that this is helpful in your preparation for a national certification exam.
"The exam was heavy in blood bank and hematology questions, followed by microbiology and some in clinical chemistry. There were just a few immunology questions and a single one in molecular diagnostics. There were no questions whatsoever in management or education.
This student recommends that one memorize the normal ranges for the CBC indexes and the formulas to calculate them; my questions seemed to particularly focus on the different types of anemias. For the blood bank, it is strongly suggested that one study what causes ABO discrepancies and the different causes of interferences in the correct interpretation of antibody panels."
More study hints for the registry exam based upon another graduate's information:
Complete Mr. Watrous' practice exam on the CLS website. This was very helpful.
Look for the following:
1. Blood bank panels
2. Mycology questions.
3. Recognize pictures of RBC's
(macrocytes, microcytes, sphyrocytes, normal cells, or combinations.
4. Identify types of anemias
(examples:
a. IDA (microcytic/hypochromic cores)
b. sickle cell (presence of sickle and oat cells
c. macrocytic (macrocytic/normalchromic)
5. What additional tests can
help identify anemias
a. serum iron
b. transferrin
c. total iron binding capacity
The following are another graduate’s comments about the exam and is offered as helpful information toward preparing for the ASCP national certification examination.
"There were no blood bank panels, but the graduate needs to know and understand Rh groups. Questions in microbiology emphasized biochemical reactions. There were questions about normal and abnormal chemistry values. Recognize the Punnett square and know how to follow genetic traits from parent to offspring. Blood gas questions were in the test. Several case studies with clinical data and pictures were presented. In hematology, questions on how to make a slide, calculate and interpret indices, normal hematological values were present. This graduate said, "It is important that national registry exams be taken as soon after graduation as is possible."